HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_016801.txt

The document is a capital market outlook from the Chief Investment Office, discussing topics such as macro strategy, global market views, and thought of the week. Paul Morris, Managing Director at Merrill Private Wealth Management, highlights key issues like Federal Reserve policy, global research and development spending, and gold's role as a diversifier in portfolios. The discussion covers the evolving concept of price stability, the potential acceleration of R&D spending due to the U.S.-China tech cold war, and recent tailwinds for gold's performance versus the US dollar.