The U.S. economy, like The New England Patriots last year, did not perform at its best during the first quarter. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at a 2.3% annual rate,…
Inflation Almost There, But Interest Rates Are Not
The Federal Reserve Board acknowledged at its meeting last week that the rate of inflation is “almost” at its 2% target level. The last impediment to raising interest rates to…
Deflation Isn’t Always Bad
As we noted yesterday, the Federal Reserve Board’s attempt to avoid deflation has resulted in lowering income for those in the bottom 25% of the income scale. But we likely…
Fed’s Inflation Focus Hurting Average Americans
While we’ve written in the past about the perils of deflation, we’ve also noted that the Federal Reserve Board’s target of 2% inflation is random and dangerous, as the Fed…
The Ghost of Ben Bernanke
“The good news is bad news.” …
Powell Appointment Could Mean Less Regulation
If Congress approves President Trump’s choice of Jerome H. Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve Board, it could mean more of the same. But maybe not. As The Wall…
Gold Can Be Fickle
“Nobody really understands gold prices, and I don’t pretend to understand them either.” …
Rates Rising, Yet Bond Buying Sets Record
Rising interest rates, higher inflation and tighter monetary policy should be bad news for bonds. Yet investors have been buying record volumes of new bonds. Highly rated U.S. companies issued…
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
For the past eight years, the Federal Reserve Board has been the primary force behind the U.S. economy. That hasn’t worked out so well. Now President Trump is in charge…
Good News: Fed Predicts Slow Economic Growth
We can now be assured of improved economic growth in the years to come. Why? Because the Federal Reserve Board is predicting slow growth. And the Fed is always wrong.…