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 [...]
A Tough Time For Fixed Income Investors: Time to Abandon Ship?
Core bond investors have experienced one of the worst starts to the year ever, potentially calling into question the validity of bonds in a portfolio. Despite the poor start, the value proposition for bonds has not changed much. Moreover, with yields on most fixed income markets moving sharply higher, [...]
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 [...]
Federal Reserve Rate Hike: What Does it Mean?
The events of the past week bring one word to mind: finally. Last Wednesday, the Federal Reserve (Fed) finally raised the target for the federal funds rate by 0.25%. By raising this key overnight borrowing rate, the Fed raised interest rates for the first time in nine years—an event that [...]
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 [...]