Martin Langfield's Blog, page 6

Gold medal for hubris

A column of mine from June 30: Once-touted Rio Olympics may leave sour hangover

The Brazilian city won the 2016 Games when ex-President Lula was in his pomp, trying to brand his country as a rising world power. That’s now history. A scramble will get venues ready and visitors will enjoy the hosts’ fabled warmth. But that won’t hide the grim national decline.

http://reut.rs/2atlGjt

Review: To have and have not, Brazil-style

In “Brazillionaires,” Alex Cuadros explores Latin America’s biggest economy through its wealthiest citizens, whose fortunes he tracked as a reporter. It’s a tale of boom, bust and back-scratching among moguls and politicos that sheds a telling light on the nation’s current woes.

http://reut.rs/298lGTU

My latest book review: To have and have not, Brazil-style

In “Brazillionaires,” Alex Cuadros explores Latin America’s biggest economy through its wealthiest citizens, whose fortunes he tracked as a reporter. It’s a tale of boom, bust and back-scratching among moguls and politicos that sheds a telling light on the nation’s current woes.

http://reut.rs/298lGTU

Brexit fallout

A bit of chat in my work hat – Brexit has shocked global financial markets and revealed a country divided by age, geography and class. We discuss: http://reut.rs/294Xoek

Peace dividend?

After Colombia’s ceasefire accord with FARC rebels comes into effect, who will pay for peace? Here are a couple of pieces I wrote last year:http://reut.rs/28T07eDandhttp://reut.rs/28PBIBR

Marks, set … govern!

Brazil tries a new Olympic event: the fiscal dash http://reut.rs/1rK6fKu

Interim President Michel Temer has grabbed the baton from hapless Dilma Rousseff less than 90 days before the Rio games begin. That’s also roughly how long he may have to get fiscal reforms moving in Latin America’s No. 1 economy before political discord or scandal slow him down.

Brazilian blame game

A bit of chat, in my work hat, about Brazil: http://reut.rs/1MDDRU0

Martin Langfield and Reynolds Holding discuss Sunday’s vote favoring impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and why investor optimism about her possible ouster may be overblown.

A cracking read

My latest book review: http://reut.rs/1X3PbJb

“Narconomics” by Tom Wainwright is both an extended black joke and a hard-headed analysis of the drug trade as a business (almost) like any other. A largely persuasive case for legalization, and funny to boot.

El fin del principio

Now that there’s a debt deal, some thoughts from last week on Argentina. For Macri, it’s just the end of the beginning:

http://reut.rs/1pkZWMf

“The Big Short”: Laugh, heave, repeat

Here’a a review I wrote yesterday of “The Big Short:: A bitter guffaw as Wall Street falls apart

The 2008 financial crisis was too complex for any one medium to tell it all. Journalists and protagonists have penned books. Hollywood has tried terse drama. There have been documentaries and radio shows. The film “The Big Short” goes for dark humor that barely masks disgust.