The Fed Funds Rate, which is controlled by the Federal Reserve Board (also known as the Fed), is the interest rate at which banks charge each other to borrow money. This year, the Fed has continued to aggressively increase the …
Unemployment Claims On The Rise – Labor Market Overview
Unemployment claims reached their highest level since late November 2021, and have steadily increased throughout the year. As of the week ending on August 6th, the job market saw initial unemployment claims rise to 262,000. This was an increase of …
Housing Affordability Series 1 of 2: Rising Mortgage Rates Deter New Buyers
The 30-year conforming mortgage rate has a profound effect on the prices of homes and the rate at which interest is collected on mortgages. This rate is increasing, which has an inverted effect on home prices, causing them to drop …
Euro and Pound Plummeting in Value to the Dollar
The European economy is currently experiencing turbulence due to the Ukrainian conflict and Russian supply cuts. On the other hand, high-interest rates have increased the strength of the U.S. dollar, resulting in historical lows in the exchange rates of the …
Fixed Income Update
U.S. Treasury bond yields rose in August, with the 10-year Treasury ending the month with a 3.15% yield. Treasury bond yields flattened as well, with the shorter-term 1-year treasury finishing the month at 3.50%, nearly identical to the 20-year treasury …
Equity Review
U.S. equities began August in rebound mode but reversed course to end the month in negative territory. Continued Fed rate hikes and recession fears weighed on equities. Company earnings are increasingly becoming a focal point as shrinking margins are becoming …
Personal Savings At Lowest In 14 Years
During the peak of the pandemic, uncertainty over the job market and elevated unemployment caused consumers to save at heightened rates. In addition, “going out” became extremely limited as restaurants, stores, and vacations were off the table for a majority …
Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment Sees Huge Jump
Many rely on Social Security and the annual increases known as the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to keep up with inflation. The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) occurs annually and compares the 3rd-quarter Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage …
Macro Economic Overview – September 2022
Recession fears pressed on markets as equities pulled back from a mid-summer rally that many analysts suspected was short-lived. U.S. equities began August in rebound mode but reversed course to end the month in negative territory. Crude oil and gasoline …
What Is ESG- Why Corporations Follow It – Part 3 of 3 Series
As previously discussed in the other two parts of this series, ESG is a financial philosophy where investors investigate three non-traditional aspects when choosing whether to invest in a company. These aspects are environmental consciousness, social treatment, and governance efficacy. …
Wage Increases Don’t Necessarily Mean More Money In Your Pocket
A jump in inflation could mean that even with a pay raise, you could have less money in your pocket. To evaluate wages, there are two factors to consider, nominal wage growth and real wage growth. A nominal wage is …
Equity Indices Mover Higher In July – Domestic Equity Overview
Stock earnings have become indirect indicators of where the economy may be headed. Companies that have thus far released earnings for the 2nd quarter are revealing slowing growth trends and heightened expenses hindering profitability. Various companies have announced pullbacks in …
Bond Yields Fluctuate As Fed Hikes Rates – Fixed Income Overview
Overall bond yields fell in July, as uncertainty surrounding the economic environment was more concerning than inflationary pressures. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond fell to 2.67% in July, down from 2.98% in June. Analysts expect the Fed to …
Copper Down On Possible Global Economic Slowdown
Copper is amongst the most actively traded commodities worldwide, and is a vital piece of global economic growth. It is a crucial commodity in major industries like construction, power generation & transmission, transportation, and technology. Copper’s price per pound as …
Rapid Growth Of The Money Supply Has Fostered Inflation
Since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the U.S. money supply has grown at an above-average rate. M2, which measures the supply of U.S currency in circulation, is essential to analyze why there has been a jump in the money …
Euro Hits Parity With U.S. Dollar
Not since 2002 has the euro been valued equally with the U.S. Dollar. This equal valuation is known as parity in the currency markets. Since a peak of one euro equaling 1.23 dollars in December of 2020, the euro has …
Household Wealth Skewed Towards Homes
Household wealth data released by the Federal Reserve showed that U.S. household net worth climbed to over $149 trillion in the first quarter of 2022. The two biggest components of household wealth are home equity and retirement accounts. Since homes …
Rising Global Food Prices Pose A Risk
In the U.S., as well as other advanced economies around the world, much of the public is not fully aware of the severity of the world’s hunger crisis. Not only has this crisis been prevalent, but it has increasingly worsened …
Macro Economic Overview – August 2022
Recession concerns are rising as company earnings, employment data, and economic growth estimates continue to demonstrate an expected slowdown in the economy. Second quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) released in July showed a -0.9% decrease in GDP, following a -1.4% …
Yields Hold Steady Until Fed Decides – Fixed Income Update
The yield on the 2-year Treasury bond fell to 2.84% on July 1st, the biggest drop since March 2020. Yields on the 5, 10, and 30-year Treasury bonds also fell, indicative of deflationary trends. Many analysts expect the Fed to …