Giving Thanks for Bountiful Blessings

It’s Thanksgiving week, and I have a confession to make: This is only my second favorite holiday. 

My favorite holiday is Independence Day. The reason why is because that day gives us the formal cause to celebrate one of the greatest achievements in human history, i.e. the founding of a nation based on the principle that the individual citizen has supremacy over the collective state. That’s the essence of America, and that reverence for man’s sovereignty over the state is why this country was great from the start.

Now, running a close second is Thanksgiving, as this holiday offers me a chance to reflect on just how thankful I am for the immense good fortune I’ve had in life. It’s also a chance for me to express my gratitude for all the blessings reality has bestowed upon me.

One of those blessings is the fact that through your patronage, you continue to allow me to do what I do best — which is write about the markets and help investors preserve, protect and grow their capital. 

I am constantly humbled by this realization, and it’s both an immense honor and a sacred responsibility that I hold the way a Samurai pledges his undying fealty to his Lord. 

Now, because of the holiday Thursday, and because our offices are closed on Friday, today’s note will serve as this week’s hotline. I’ll be back Friday, Dec. 6, with our next weekly hotline. 

In the meantime, I wanted to update the prices of our holdings in the Tactical Trends Portfolio (TTP), as the recent run to new highs in the major market indices also has been reflected in the gains in the TTP. 

And what was the main driver of markets this week? Well, once again it has been optimism around the trade war. More specifically, it’s the promise of a substantive “phase one” trade deal between the United States and China. 

In the spirit of this week’s holiday, I am thankful that there is progress being made on the trade front. However, I will be even more thankful when an actual deal between the U.S. and China is signed, sealed and delivered. After all, this drama has been going on far too long (nearly two years), and now that the endgame appears to be very close it will be cause for thanks when it’s actually over (or at least when the phase one chapter is closed).

Finally, I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. And if I may be so bold, please remember to give thanks to universe for all of your blessings in life. Doing so will make you happier, and the happier you are the better the world will be.