interest rates

Uncategorized, Weekly Update

Explanations for the Market Drop

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Published October 19, 2018

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Our post last week noted that the October selloff in stocks likely had drivers other than the oft-noted rise in interest rates as some of the most interest rate-sensitive sectors, such as utilities, were holding up just fine. We also noted that the wave of geopolitical issues that seem to be ever-widening were unlikely to be a major cause of the selloff as investors were not pouring money into bonds, as they typically do during periods of angst. A recent note from Oppenheimer points to persistent and increasing weakness in non-U.S. economies as being the primary catalyst for the current stock market correction. (more…)

Uncategorized, Weekly Update

Where the Strength Is

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Published March 9, 2018

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While the stock market broadly continues to digest the solid gains of 2017 and investors ponder whether to add to those gains in 2018, we present some areas of the market where strength is being seen. (more…)

Uncategorized, Weekly Update

Higher Interest Rates Won’t Kill the Stock Market

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Published March 2, 2018

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This week we share some good information from a webcast given by Charlie Bilello of Pension Partners. The first chart shows the downward trend of the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield. Note the green arrows as the yield hits the upper portion of the channel. We are sitting right at the top of the channel. Do we want to see yields break through to the upside? (more…)

Uncategorized, Weekly Update

A Wall of Worry Is Building

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Published February 23, 2018

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A recent commentary from the folks at Schwab provides a good overview of where markets stand right now. We have pointed out in recent weekly blog posts the sharp rise in interest rates that has occurred since September. (more…)

Uncategorized, Weekly Update

Investors Begin Worrying About an Inverted Yield Curve … and Recession

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Published January 12, 2018

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With the global economy firing on all cylinders it’s hard to believe investors would find anything to worry about. But they have. For years now investors have wondered when and how the era of near-zero interest rates would end. Are we now on the cusp of seeing how the backside of the Fed’s unprecedented monetary policy easing impacts markets? (more…)

Uncategorized, Weekly Update

Late-Cycle Sectors Beginning to Shine

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Published January 5, 2018

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Over the past year, there have been numerous articles telling us that the U.S. economy is entering the “late-cycle” phase, a period of about 18 months characterized by rising inflation (and therefore rising interest rates), higher commodity prices, and positive though waning economic growth. (more…)

Weekly Update

The Fed’s Post-Crisis Strategy

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Published June 2, 2017

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We are now a decade into the Federal Reserve’s latest period of monetary policy seeking to stimulate the economy. Prior periods of monetary policy focused on pushing very short-term interest rates higher or lower to accelerate or decelerate the economy and/or inflation. The unprecedented impacts of the financial crisis forced the Fed to adopt additional monetary policy tools, such as “quantitative easing” or “QE” for short. (more…)

Weekly Update

Biotech About to Turn It Around?

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Published March 10, 2017

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In 2015, after more than quadrupling in price in a massive bullish run, biotech stocks hit a wall. Presumably undone by some comments from then-Senator Hillary Clinton that drug prices were too high and needed to be addressed, biotech stocks began wilting. Mrs. Clinton’s comments aside, the stocks had run to a point where they were just way overvalued and due for a rest. (more…)