by Mark Chandik | Aug 5, 2026
“All hat and no cattle” is a traditional cowboy phrase—especially popular in Texas—describing someone who is basically a poser: plenty of talk, lots of sparkle, but little to back it up. It’s all talk and no action, and that’s the takeaway from Federal...
by Mark Chandik | Jul 27, 2026
The 2026 OASDI Trustees Report presents a sobering assessment of the financial outlook for Social Security. The trust fund that supports Social Security retirement benefits is projected to be depleted in the fourth quarter of 2032. At that point, ongoing revenue from...
by Mark Chandik | Jul 20, 2026
Since the most recent market low at the end of March, semiconductors (microchips, commonly called chip stocks) have been a very popular trade. In less than three months, the PHLX Semiconductor Index has more than doubled—see Figure 1. Investors are expecting a...
by Mark Chandik | Jul 13, 2026
Just before the start of the war, WTI crude oil traded at about $67 per barrel, according to MarketWatch. By last week, the price of oil had fallen to within about $1 of its pre-war price. However, the same can’t be said for the average U.S. price of regular gasoline,...
by Mark Chandik | Jul 6, 2026
The recent pickup in job growth is welcome news for job seekers. But June’s jobs report left more questions than answers. Here’s why. Nonfarm payrolls rose by a smaller-than-expected 57,000 in June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In...
by Mark Chandik | Jun 29, 2026
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding—a milestone known as the Semiquincentennial—the Declaration of Independence remains as important as ever. The treasured document declared the 13 colonies’ independence from Great Britain. It...
