Even if it were wrapped in shiny paper with a big red bow on it, virtually everyone would have guessed at this year’s Christmas present from the Federal Reserve Board.…
Taper Tantrum Two
Call it Taper Tantrum Two. Two of the 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee suggested on Thursday that it’s time to raise interest rates, causing the Dow Jones…
A Way Out for the Fed
The economy grew at a tepid rate of 1.5% during the third quarter. More than 100 million Americans aren’t working. And the inflation rate is near zero. That’s after seven…
Big Board Floored
The Big Board is not so big anymore. A decade ago, it accounted for 80% of stock trades. Today, it accounts for 20%. There are also far fewer publicly traded…
How Low Can You Go?
The weather has done it again. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics last week reported annualized growth of a piddling 0.2% for the first quarter of 2015. The culprit, of…
Bubble Busters
“I had a stick of CareFree gum, but it didn’t work. I felt pretty good while I was blowing that bubble, but as soon as the gum lost its flavor,…
Another Year of ZIRP?
When the economy recovers, interest rates will go up, right? That’s been the Federal Reserve Board’s line for years now. Yet as the Fed gushes about an allegedly booming economy,…