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Christine Lagarde (who heads the IMF) recently cautioned “fix the roof while the sun is shining” to US law makers. Her comments refer to an adage of preparing (when times are good) for any potential storms that may be brewing. The US Congress appears instead to be sitting around the pool, enjoying beers and BBQ, instead of turning their energy to Budget repair.

Friends and family always tend to watch the gyrations of the Australian dollar. For them, it’s an indicator of spending power for an overseas holiday. But the reality is, the exchange rate represents many things; a comparison of growth prospects, relative inflation and interest rate differentials, speculation, and of course the usual supply and demand associated with global trade of imports and exports just to name a few.

It was just before Christmas that I was at a function, listening to a learned colleague boast about his son’s prowess at investing in Bitcoin. I was told Bitcoin was the currency of the future. That Bitcoin was better than gold, a brilliant store of value, and with blockchain technology could settle in an instant.

What do the world’s greatest investor, the world’s biggest disrupter, and the world’s most influential banker all have in common?

This year has started with a bang, and (thankfully) it wasn’t from the Korean Peninsula. Instead we were treated to Oprah mulling over a potential Presidential race in 2020 as the US (and world) grow increasingly frustrated over Trump’s behaviour.