The pitfalls of trading geopolitical risk
Beware the armchair general—especially if it’s yourself
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/sites/default/files/images/print-edition/20210424_FND002_0.jpg)
TALK TO THOSE who regularly buy and sell financial assets in the world’s trouble spots and you soon come across a perennial source of irritation. Everybody is an expert. The prospect of conflict turns every know-nothing spreadsheet jockey into a military strategist or Kremlin-watcher. Buttonwood shares this indignation on behalf of newspaper columnists everywhere. Making bold statements based on a little knowledge is our racket. Move along, please. We’re already working this corner.
This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The art of war”
Finance & economics April 24th 2021
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