Tariffs On, Tariffs Off, Tariffs Back On (Sort of)

Tariffs On, Tariffs Off, Tariffs Back On (Sort of)

“The new Administration is in the process of implementing significant policy changes in four distinct areas: trade, immigration, fiscal policy, and regulation. It is the net effect of these policy changes that will matter for the economy and for the path of monetary...
A Whiff of Uncertainty

A Whiff of Uncertainty

There are times when the economic data is strong, and when considered together, the economic reports surpass expectations. Such cycles run their course, and the economic reports turn softer. That overperform/underperform cycle can repeat itself multiple times during...
Then and Now

Then and Now

Overbuilding, speculation, and easy access to credit encouraged a housing boom and a bust in the 2000s. Sales cratered later in the decade, and along with it, prices tumbled. Today, housing sales have plummeted once again. According to the National Association of...
A Rollercoaster and the Carry Trade

A Rollercoaster and the Carry Trade

Ask the average investor what inflation or unemployment is, and they can probably give you a good working definition. Ask them about the ‘carry trade,’ and you’ll likely get a blank stare. Even the term itself isn’t intuitive. But a sudden unwinding of the carry trade...
A Rollercoaster and the Carry Trade

A Steady-as-She-Goes Fed and a Tame Inflation Report

Weekly Market Commentary As expected, the Federal Reserve announced last Wednesday that it held its key rate, the fed funds rate, unchanged at 5.25 – 5.50%. The Fed left the door open to a cut in rates later in the year if inflation makes meaningful progress toward...