Finance & economics | Buttonwood

Why stocks are still cheap relative to bonds

The expected return on equities has rarely been lower—yet still outpaces bonds

BILLY CONNOLLY, the great Scottish comedian who recently retired from performing, had a joke about two men filming a lion for a wildlife documentary. The lion suddenly looks up. The men fear they have been spotted. One of them slowly removes his boots and puts on a pair of running shoes. “You will never outrun a lion in those,” says his colleague. “I don’t need to outrun the lion,” replies the first man as he slowly ties his shoelaces. “I just need to outrun you.”

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The lion sleeps tonight”

Trump’s legacy: The shame and the opportunity

From the January 9th 2021 edition

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illustration of a stern-faced man in a suit with a green tie, set against a bright green background. A small building with a flag is depicted in the pocket of his suit

The great-man theory of Wall Street

Why finance is still dominated by bold individuals

Hong Kong’s property slump may be terminal

Demographics and geopolitics will make a recovery harder


A float is inflated in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Why everyone wants to lend to weak companies

An unanticipated side-effect of Donald Trump’s election victory


American veterans now receive absurdly generous benefits

An enormous rise in disability payments may complicate debt-reduction efforts

Why Black Friday sales grow more annoying every year

Nobody is to blame. Everyone suffers

Trump wastes no time in reigniting trade wars

Canada and Mexico look likely to suffer