by Mark Chandik | Aug 26, 2024
Fed Chief Powell’s much-anticipated speech against the picturesque backdrop of the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole, WY, virtually assures that the Fed will reduce interest rates next month. In a short 16-minute speech, Powell said the magic words. “The time has come for...
by Mark Chandik | Aug 19, 2024
Markets settled down in Japan, and the latest economic reports in the U.S. aren’t signaling that the economy is headed for an imminent recession. These factors sparked a strong rally in U.S. stocks last week. Led by a 3.6% rise in auto sales, the U.S. Census Bureau...
by Mark Chandik | Aug 12, 2024
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...
by Mark Chandik | Aug 5, 2024
As expected, the Federal Reserve kept its key rate, the fed funds rate, unchanged at 5.25 – 5.50%. After holding the fed funds rate steady for a year, Fed Chief Jay Powell twice-mentioned that a September rate cut is on the table at his press conference. The Federal...
by Mark Chandik | Jul 29, 2024
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the largest measure of goods and services, expanded at a brisk annualized pace of 2.8% in the second quarter. That’s up from 1.4% in the first quarter and well ahead of...
by Mark Chandik | Jul 22, 2024
…And they all come to the same conclusion. What’s going on? The labor market is moving back into balance. No longer do we come across articles touting the Great Resignation. In 2021 and 2022, it was ‘advantage employee.’ Employees still have some leverage, but the...
