Managing Equity and Markets

We have an important week ahead of us. The Fed is meeting this week and announcing its rate decision on Wednesday. Markets are betting that there will be close to a 100% chance of a 25bp rate hike. Housing data last week showed signs of slowing from the month before. Economic indicators are lower...

We are coming off a rebound week with regard to interest rates. The week before we saw a jump in rates due to the strong labor market numbers. Remember, the Fed wants a weaker labor market before it cuts rates. Right now, the labor market remains the main data point for the Fed to continue its r...

  Annual inflation in the US rose 3% in June, marking the smallest year-over-year rate increase since March 2021, according to government data released yesterday. On a monthly basis, inflation grew 0.2% in June. Both figures are lower than analyst expectations of 3.1% growth year-over-year and 0....

In a development that raises a glimmer of hope for those pushing for the Federal Reserve to leave its benchmark interest rate alone, consumer prices saw their smallest annualized gain in more than two years in June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.The Consumer Price Index (CPI), ...

This past, short week was a very rough one for interest rates. ADP employment came in way higher than expected (close to 200k jobs over estimates) and the Fed’s minutes from June showed a very hawkish tone. Friday’s unemployment rate came in a tic lower at 3.6% too. The 10-year jumped up (will sh...

Mortgage rates fluctuated significantly to open 2023. In the first half, the average 30-year fixed rate went as low as 6.09% on Feb. 2 and climbed up to 6.79% on June 1, according to Freddie Mac.The range can be largely attributed to the Federal Reserve’s ongoing fight against inflation, juxtapos...

Last week Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated what he said the week before when the Fed paused rate hikes. He said that there can be 2 more rate hikes this year. Although the Fed raised rates at a record pace last year it takes a while for the economy to really feel the effects of the increased ra...

I am often frustrated by perceptions that drive Mortgage rates that are contrary to reality. Reactions to things that have no basis have caused everything from huge rallies to collapses.But this morning I realized that things completely out of your control can severely harm a company.Logitech mak...

First of all, I wanted to quickly say Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers and father figures out there. Hopefully, you were all able to spend the day with loved ones.Next, let’s hop right in.The Fed did exactly what 90% of the market was expecting it to do. It paused rate hikes. I was in the m...

I feel like the FED is brain-dead. This is what I wrote on Monday! "I know the markets want a pause, and the Fed will spook markets with a raise (which may be reason enough to halt the hikes), but if the Fed is serious about its mission, there’s no reason to stop just yet.Trust me when I say that...