About Bill Blain

ill Blain is a published author on financial markets, contributor and editor of the Morning Porridge. He is a well-known market commentor, and a practicing investment banker in the alternative private debt and equity sector. His day job combines his role as Strategist for Shard Capital, the leading investment management firm, and heading the firm’s Alternatives Group – financing Private debt and equity deals, and direct lending transactions. His clients include sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, insurance and pension managers, credit funds and family offices.

How much will AI cost, and how much can we afford?

The AI Bubble floats on a wave of Confidence – confidence the global economy needs it, the USA will lead it, the hyperscalers and AI firms can afford it, energy is not an issues, and competition from China, tech evolution and quantum are not future problems. All the market sees is opportunity. We've been here before.

How much will AI cost, and how much can we afford?2025-10-29T08:23:15+00:00

Compare and contrast the Real World with Dreams

Gold has taken a bit of a tumble – but is the correction a buying opportunity? While the UK feels increasing glum ahead of the few choices in the November Budget, Elon Musk is confident on his demands for a $1 trillion upside bonus. They are illustrations of the contrast between hype, speculation and downside manipulation.

Compare and contrast the Real World with Dreams2025-10-28T09:31:35+00:00

End of the world or another Trump deal? Which is worse?

It is possible to cram Cataclysm, Armageddon and Apocalypse into a single Morning Porridge at the start of a week that promises to be market friendly? Of course it is! There is plenty of stuff to worry about, but when the noise sounds so positive, the herd that is the market will keep on fooling themselves.. The higher they climb, the further there is to fall…

End of the world or another Trump deal? Which is worse?2025-10-27T07:46:29+00:00

Call it Chaos, but we sure do live in interesting times..

Chaos occurs when events break out their usual bounds, and it feels like markets are skirting on the edge! Relax. It’s normal in periods of acute change – as are happening now. The Game of Markets across long, medium and short-term horizons is constantly changing – I guess that’s what makes them interesting!

Call it Chaos, but we sure do live in interesting times..2025-10-24T08:22:40+01:00

As long as there is instability and uncertainty there will be the Yellow Metal

Gold Prices stumbled earlier this week. It is a bursting bubble? Nope. Markets will remain uncertain – while the world’s geopolitical polarity is shifting Gold remains the safe-haven play. That shift is being accelerated by events as the stability that fuelled the last 80 years of growth is undermined by bad politics and division.

As long as there is instability and uncertainty there will be the Yellow Metal2026-04-17T10:55:56+01:00

Time for a rethink on Tech Resiliency?

Western economies are dependent on functional tech. Yesterday’s Amazon outage suggests the resiliency of tech infrastructure is creaking, raising multiple issues about dependency and costs. Could a shift in how companies secure against Tech vulnerabilities see the MAG3 firms at the core of global tech infrastructure hit?

Time for a rethink on Tech Resiliency?2025-10-21T08:34:36+01:00

Mutant Credit Cockroaches? Whatever next?

Markets feel increasingly nervous. Although someone has cranked up the party music to 11, and the euphoria is still pouring, concerns about banking and loan exposures are rising. If there is a wobble, then it’s likely to be leverage on leverage that sees a bunch of private credit lenders in trouble.

Mutant Credit Cockroaches? Whatever next?2025-10-20T07:54:09+01:00

Hamble Quarry Decision Highlights Corporate Greed and Planning Failure

Every day we are reminded of injustice in the UK – the fight of postmasters against the Post Office, or haemophiliacs against the medical indifference are just  the tip of an iceberg of a justice system loaded against the people. It’s only when it impacts directly do you realise just how lopsided UK planning has become. There is no social justice - just the jackboot of corporate greed being crushed into the face of humanity… forever.

Hamble Quarry Decision Highlights Corporate Greed and Planning Failure2025-10-17T08:07:21+01:00

Catflap While The Dance Band on the Titanic Plays On

 There is no stopping a market believing what it wants to believe. Tariffs, Trade Wars, Credit Cockroaches, BTC delusions, this market has it all, yet everyone is still dancing. Best thing to do might be to “Catflap” – walking away without saying anything to anyone.

Catflap While The Dance Band on the Titanic Plays On2025-10-15T08:47:12+01:00

Margaret Thatcher –Consequences in a Changed World

Margaret Thatcher would have celebrated her 100th Birthday yesterday. She is widely considered the defining British politician of the post-war era. But it was a very different time, and we should not blind ourselves to the long-term consequences of Thatcherism. Decisions made over 35 years ago affect Britain today, and we exist in a very much less friendly and uncertain world.

Margaret Thatcher –Consequences in a Changed World2025-10-14T07:10:46+01:00
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