Sallie Krawcheck, the former Bank of America executive and chair of Ellevate, says she’s warming up to socially responsible investing. “I have to tell you: after years of dismissing values-based investing as a fringe activity, I have changed my view. It’s moved from its early days of having to give up return in order to invest one’s values to something that can be value-enhancing,” Krawcheck recently told Progressive Asset Management.
Mobile Revolution
There are over 2.5 billion adults in the world who do not have a formal bank account, according to a special report released Thursday by CNN. The commentary, penned by GSMA Director General Anne Bouverot, argues that more than one billion of those adults have access to a mobile phone, which could make a major difference in emerging markets. She notes that as of October 2014, there are 251 live mobile money services across 88 countries.
Guessing Game
Almost 25 years ago, as part of a Brookings Institution study, a group of Americans in their late 50s were asked what chance they had to live until 75. According to a Wall Street Journal report released this week, those survey results have finally arrived, and almost everyone was too pessimistic about his or her odds. Nearly half of those who gave themselves a zero percent chance actually reached the age of 75, along with three-quarters of those who said they had 50-50 odds reaching the plateau.
The Dollar is Looking Strong
Don't short the dollar, writes J.C. Parets, after breaking down the index into its components and using four of the biggest currencies – the euro, British pound, yen and Canadian dollar – for comparison. His conclusion is that the U.S. dollar is on the stronger side of each comparison, and that if the trend continues, the dollar could be in for a real breakout.