Is The Economy in Recession?
It is not easy to be an investor or an economist these days! The stock and the bond markets have mightily struggled during the first six months of 2022. Almost all of us feel the impact of high inflation when we go the grocery store, buy gas for our [...]
To Lose Patience Is to Lose The Battle
When I think about these first three months of 2022, the word patience comes to mind. The recent two-year anniversary of Covid-19 hitting our shores reminds me of the havoc and disruption that the pandemic imposed on our lives, but more importantly how so many people overcame the hardships [...]
Is The High Rate of Inflation Near Its Peak?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the February Consumer Price Index (CPI) data on March 10th, showing headline CPI climbed 0.8% month-over-month while core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.5% month-over-month, both around consensus estimates. The one-year increase in headline CPI, at 7.9%, is the [...]
Following The Inflation Debate
During the 12 months ending in June 2021, consumer prices shot up 5.4%, the highest inflation rate since 2008.1 The annual increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) — often called headline inflation — was due in part to the "base effect." This statistical term [...]
Could Inflation Deflate Your Mid Life Career Pivot?
The Possibility of Higher Inflation Rates What’s up with inflation? Over the past several weeks, you have probably noticed widespread news coverage about the risks of rising prices in 2021 and ultimately higher inflation rates potentially for years ahead. The recent publicity about higher prices has been as sudden [...]
Is The Stock Market Partying Like It’s 1999?
If you are like the many people I talked to over the spring and summer months, you might be questioning the rationality of the stock market. Millions of Americans are unemployed, some large and small businesses have been closing or filing for bankruptcy in the wake of the Covid-19 [...]
A Recession Is Here
The economy has halted for the past several weeks, and with it the longest economic expansion ever has ended, meaning we are now in a recession. What makes this recession unique is the government intentionally brought it on, with the chances for an economic bounce back later this year high [...]
Should You Worry about a Federal Reserve Interest Rate Hike?
After years of record-low interest rates, at some point this year the Federal Reserve is expected to begin raising its target federal funds interest rate (the rate at which banks lend to one another funds they've deposited at the Fed). Because bond prices typically fall when interest rates rise, any [...]