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  In most developed countries, an important public utility like power or water is always available with the flip of a switch or the turn of a knob.  As consumers, we have grown so dependent on these reliable services that we hardly think about how they work.  The… More >>

  The latest Employment Situations report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Friday, March 8, 2019, suggested the economy is in the midst of a massive cooling down. The United States economy added a mere 20,000 jobs versus the 181,000 that economists were… More >>

  One of the most astonishing economic miracles I have seen in my 30-plus years of professional investing is the possibility of our economy receiving a second wind. That’s right! Considering the length of this economic recovery compared to past recoveries, this… More >>

  Investors have been working new funds into both equities and fixed income.  Yet these two markets are forecasting widely different outcomes for the future of the U.S. economy.  Ultimately, like any clash of two titans, only one of them will win. [i]     As many… More >>

  In last week’s market commentary, “Retail Therapy,” I wrote about the advanced look at retail sales numbers for December 2018.  The underlying takeaway from this post was that the advanced look could provide investors insight into whether good or bad times lie ahead.… More >>

  On Thursday, February 14, 2019, investors will get an advanced look at retail sales numbers from the December 2018 holiday shopping season.  Retail sales numbers are one of many economic indicators to which investors should pay attention.  Retail sales provide a unique… More >>

  When I wrote the “Here’s What I Know” blog, I was trying to prepare investors for some of the realities associated with taking equity risks.  Little did I know that just a few weeks later, investors would experience one of those core tenants of equity risks.  That… More >>

  With a temporary reprieve from the longest shutdown in our government’s history, from an investor’s perspective, it makes sense to examine the costs of the shutdown and what those costs mean for investors going forward. [ix]     According to Thomson Reuters, the… More >>

    In today’s investment landscape, the specific focus on China has leapt to the top of the list.  The nonstop trade-war rhetoric between the United States and China is driving this focus. Those talks are ongoing but are expected to conclude before the end of March.… More >>

  Two weeks ago, equity markets were in free fall, with the S&P 500 index posting its worst December since the Great Depression in 1931.  [i]     Today, just two weeks into the new year, equity markets are on the rebound.  The S&P 500 has rallied 10.43… More >>