It’s not often that I receive more client questions about bonds than stocks, but that has certainly been the case the past few weeks. Interest rates (and their relationship to bonds) has been the hot topic! Let’s look at a few things that have been discussed. Remind me the relationship between rates and bond prices? […]

The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate – keep prices stable (ie: fight inflation) and maintain full employment (ie: stabilize the labor market). In the past week, we received reports on both of these fronts. Last Friday, the July jobs report was released. Surprisingly, the US economy reported a loss of 23,000 in July. Expectations […]

The Federal Reserve Bank made their rate announcement on Wednesday of this week. The group was divided, with the majority voting to leave rates unchanged (3.5-3.75%) but with three members dissenting and voting to hike rates. Fed Chairman Warsh noted the group had a healthy debate but in the end, they voted to hold rates […]

Market participants received an update on inflation this week as the April 2026 reports were issued on both the consumer and wholesale pricing. Both reports showed signs of lingering inflationary pressures – potentially putting the US Federal Reserve – and the US consumer – in a sticky situation. Consumer Inflation On Tuesday, the Consumer Price […]

The Federal Reserve Bank of the US held the fed funds rate steady at Wednesday’s meeting. The fed funds rate remain at 3.5-3.75%. This was the expectation in the market and as a result, the reaction to the news was relatively muted. Chairman Powell’s commentary focused on two distinct but closely intertwined topics (1) the […]

During election years, there is always considerable discussion of a potential “October surprise” – meaning a major event that happens in the month before the election that has the potential to sway the vote. If that same term were used for markets specifically, perhaps the largest October surprise for investors has been the rapid rise […]

As you likely know by now, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.50% this week. While we have been under the impression that rates would fall for virtually all of 2024 (and have been having discussions with clients to that end for many months as a result), I certainly understand that things aren’t top […]

The biggest market event this past week was the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium last Friday, August 20th, 2024. At that meeting, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell spoke and provided the first definitive commentary that clearly signaled interest rate cuts are imminent. Powell made note of the consistent summer of slowing inflation (after some bumpier readings […]

This past week, Wednesday June 12th was a big news day for markets. It doesn’t happen often that a monthly inflation report (Consumer Price Index) and a Federal Reserve Rate announcement happen on the same day, but that is in fact what occurred this week. The result? Happy markets and happy investors. Let’s start with […]

Another week full of market moving news – Treasury Refunding Announcement, countless earnings releases, the end of April, and the Federal Reserve’s May rate decision (and by the time you read this, jobs data). The highlight of this busy week was Wednesday’s rate decision and the following commentary and press conference by Chairman Jerome Powell. […]