What if we all decided to ignore the central banks? Granted, they have provided material for this blog non-stop from the day it started. They keep financial journalists, economists, analysts,…
Set. Down. No Hike.
The economic outlook can be summed up in five words: Everything’s great, except what isn’t. We’ll lead with the “everything’s great” part, as seen through the filter of the Federal…
Mutually Assured Destruction
Iran, North Korea and the world’s other despots may be able to take over the world without going nuclear or even firing a single shot. That’s because much of the…
Making America Great Again
It’s clear that in spite of boisterous bad behavior, a lack of workable policies and a few very bad ideas, Donald Trump is the odds-on favorite to become the Republican…
Going Negative
“More money cannot cure what too much money created.” Frank Hollenbeck There’s nothing…
Nothing Lasts Forever
If the Federal Reserve Board has used all of its policy tools during the current expansion, what happens when there’s a recession? That’s a question worth asking, even as the…
The Big Disconnect
Imagine being stuck in a blizzard. You look out your window and can see the snow piling up outside, yet the meteorologist on your TV is forecasting continuing sunshine and…
Fed Policy Brings Record Stock Buybacks
Just once, we’d like to post that the economy is growing like pumpkins in September, that personal income is soaring (or at least not falling), that jobs are being created,…
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…
Show Us the Money
The bright spot in this limp recovery has been the unemployment rate, which has fallen to 5.1%. But don’t look too closely, or you’ll notice that the spot is not…