Not a George Bailey Moment

Not a George Bailey Moment

Weekly Market Commentary George Bailey is the fictional character in the 1946 classic It’s a Wonderful Life. Set mostly in the 1920s and 1930s, George runs the Building & Loan, a thrift that’s besieged by worried depositors. George appealed to his customers not to...
SVB Bank Failure and Bailout Dominates the Financial News

SVB Bank Failure and Bailout Dominates the Financial News

Weekly Market Commentary In the last 48 hours we’ve seen the 15th largest bank fail due to a lack of liquidity and then be bailed out by the Fed overnight. This crisis might stop the Fed from increasing rates next week.  The Fed is caught between two tough...
Pandemic Distortions

Pandemic Distortions

Weekly Market Commentary The economic distortions tied to that pandemic and the government’s massive response to prop up the economy have been far-reaching. Before continuing, let’s look at some facts and definitions. Consumer spending accounts for 70% of the total...
The No-Landing Scenario

The No-Landing Scenario

Weekly Market Commentary Last year, the economy appeared to be headed toward one of two scenarios. There was a narrow path to what is called a ‘soft landing.’ A soft landing is a slowdown in economic growth that leads to a slowdown in inflation. It’s accomplished...
The Long and Winding Road to Lower Inflation

The Long and Winding Road to Lower Inflation

Weekly Market Commentary The Fed’s road to 2% annual inflation took a curious turn last week, disappointing some investors that had been expecting continued progress on inflation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the January Consumer Price Index...
Housing Thaw

Housing Thaw

Weekly Market Commentary Rising interest rates are the result of the Federal Reserve’s campaign to snuff out inflation. The pain of rising rates has been felt in the financial sector. It has also been felt in housing. Housing sales tumbled since the beginning of 2022,...