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Once again we need to fix our eyes around the corner from the recent banking turmoil. Last week we reviewed the fractional banking system. That was just the start to a deeper review. The real question I have been asking myself is what the second order effects of the… More >>

  By the time we publish this post the fallout from the failure of the 16th largest bank in America will certainly come into focus. Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB) is going to be the second largest bank to fail in American history. 1 While we have all been watching the “shiny… More >>

There’s only so much one can write about the ongoing battle between inflation, interest rates, and stock prices in the United States. The past several posts cover that topic with sufficient rigor. Perhaps I will pivot to the second largest economy in the world, China, and… More >>

Equity market volatility has spiked since the robust jobs report in January. Recall the U.S. economy added 517,000 jobs in January, kicking off the start of investor hope running into reality. 1 Since that announcement, we have had a Consumer Price Index reading… More >>

The latest readings on inflation and consumer spending confirmed one thing; the road back to a normalized inflationary and interest rate environment is going to be bumpy. Inflation posted a very modest reduction, and some would characterize it as “sticky.” It’s just not… More >>

If a recession is coming consumers sure don’t know it. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index increased for the third consecutive month, the number came in at 66.4 in February, up from 64.9 in January. 1 Yet corporate earnings in the fourth quarter have been… More >>

Wow! The U.S. economy added 517k jobs in January. This reversed a cooling trend and surprised everyone. 1 Oddly enough, wage growth continued to moderate in January in conjunction with the rapid expansion in employment. 2 The Fed has been on a warpath to cool the… More >>

The recent release of U.S. GDP growth confirmed we are far from an economic recession. The U.S. grew at an impressive 2.9% in Q4. An inventory buildup and some modest help from the consumer are keeping the economy on a growth track. 1 Consumers contributed 1.42% to GDP… More >>

Just as we digest the possibility of a soft economic landing later this year, we will face a perilous self-inflicted wound: the debt ceiling. The U.S. government reached its borrowing limit last week and Congress must contend with expanding the amount of debt the Treasury… More >>

The possibility of an economic soft landing vs. a recession later in the year inched closer to reality. Inflation moderated for the fifth consecutive month in December. Headline CPI slowed to 6.5% year-over-year in December vs. 7.1% in November. Core CPI slowed to 5.7% vs.… More >>