Recent Reading

I've been asked for links to the best financial markets reading I've had in the last few months. I've read a lot of good stuff (and some bullshiitake), some of it subscription only, some of it free (and the paid stuff generally differs little in quality from the smarter free stuff). I especially focus on commentary + analysis style pieces - it's usually more useful and helps fade out the noise of the short-termism 'news'.

Anyway, from what I can remember of the good stuff, below is my list of four non-subscription must-reads. Even the Howard Marks note which is a quarter old, and the Xie article which is a few weeks old, are not yet dated reading (rather the contrary is true):

1. A GMO White Paper authored by James Montier: The Seven Immutable Laws of Investing. Montier is a member of GMO's Asset Allocation team, has authored a number of books on value investing and behavioural finance, and used to be the Co-Head of Global Strategy at Societe Generale. No link for this one as it's behind a free registration wall, so it's below:
   GMO - Montier March 2011
   
   
   
2. PIMCO Co-Founder & Co-CIO Bill Gross's March Investment Outlook note to investors;
   
   
3. A client note from the end of last year by Howard Marks, Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management;
   
   
4. And finally Andy Xie's late February article in the English Caixing Online: Hot Money, Fast Riots. Xie is on the Board of Rosetta Stone advisors. But better known as the former star Asia-Pac Chief Economist for Morgan Stanley. All of his stuff is very good, not just the one article linked to above.