Feeling the Need for Speed
Two important economic themes have dominated the landscape this year: high inflation and interest rates. The Federal Reserve has significant influence over rates. As the…
Job Growth & Openings
The two graphics below help summarize today’s job market. On Friday, the U.S. BLS reported nonfarm payrolls rose a healthy 431,000 in March, down from…
Uncomfortably Numb
A war is raging. Yet, stocks have risen from recent lows. Ukraine is far from an ideal situation, and the direction combat may take is…
Investors Brace for Higher Interest Rates
Last week the Fed hiked the fed funds rate by 0.25% to a range of 0.25—0.50%. Fed Chief Powell strongly suggested interest rates will continue…
The Federal Reserve Tightens the Screws
In a widely anticipated move, the Federal Reserve raised its key lending rate, the fed funds rate, by 25 basis points (bp, 1 bp =…
Rising Inflation, Rising Prices
Since the start of 2021, there has been only one month when the Consumer Price Index rose less than the consensus forecast, according to Bespoke…
Uncertainty in Oil Darkens Investor Sentiment
The average price of regular gasoline in the U.S. is $4.19, according to GasBuddy, as of March 8. The price of oil briefly hit $130…
Jobs Report Overshadowed by Russia, Ukraine
The uncertainty over the war in Ukraine overshadowed a strong employment report, which signaled the economy continued to expand into February. The U.S. Bureau of…
Market Corrections and Subsequent Reactions
Russia has invaded Ukraine and investors are bracing for more volatility. While past performance is no guarantee of future results, we can review what has…
Putin Invades
After repeatedly denying he had any designs on Ukraine, Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of its neighbor. It was the type of attack that Europe…