As I read recent research on the economy and investments, two images came to mind: a canoe, and a car pulling a trailer. The first piece of research focused on the outlook for long-term interest rates. It had me wondering whether current and future retirees will remain in a low-interest environment, like being stuck in a canoe without a motor. The current investment environment reminds me of an overnight canoe trip that I took as a teenager. The first day was full of excitement and motion, with everyone enjoying the ride assisted by the strong current. By the middle of the second day, we reached the backwater of the dammed-up river, and the endless paddling in still water numbed the arms and the mind. We thought it would never end.
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