Few investors today would consider investing in long-term Treasury bonds. The yield curve, which measures the spread between interest rates for short-term and long-term bonds, is not as flat as…
Good Market Rigging vs. Bad Market Rigging
“The markets are rigged. … These firms make their money by front-running trades. They’re using their speed advantage to buy shares first and then selling them back at a higher…
Bully for 2013 … But What About 2014?
2013 markets were full of bull. The economy continued to sputter along, growing at about 2%, unemployment remained high and corporate profits were mediocre. Yet the S&P 500 index rose…
Paper Taper
So the taper begins in January. Big deal. That was the market’s initial reaction anyway. In fact, the market viewed this week’s announcement as a positive, setting yet another record. …
Define “Forever”
In May, when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said that quantitative easing could not continue forever, the stock market tanked and the word “tapering” became the most feared word on Wall…
At The Fed, Saying Trumps Doing
President Obama’s campaign slogan for last year’s election was “Forward.” The Federal Reserve Board’s slogan in the coming months may be “forward guidance.” According to Goldman Sachs, The Fed is…
The Off-On-Off Economy
The economy recently has been full of stops and starts, ups and downs, good news and bad news. Optimists will say that progress is being made, as we’ve moved beyond…
Keep On Easing
Ease on. That’s the message that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered this week, causing the bond market to rally, the stock market to hit new highs and the seas to…
Bad News Is Good News
Good news. The economy still stinks. In today’s economy, which is driven by The Federal Reserve Board’s quantitative easing (QE) program, bad news is good news and good news is…
The Second Housing Bubble
“Demand is artificially high … and supply is artificially low.” …