Recent Data Reaffirms Pause The latest snapshot of the U.S. economy rattled stock and bond markets with two bits of potentially disappointing data: slower economic growth and still-firm inflation. Gross domestic product expanded at a 1.6% seasonally and inflation adjusted annual rate in the first…READ MORE
First Quarter Wrap Up Many investors had high hopes going into 2024. The market’s robust first-quarter rally still managed to surprise them. Everything from stocks to bitcoin to gold marched to new records. With one trading session to go, the S&P 500 is up 10% in…READ MORE
Fed Hints at Prolonged Pause Economic data released over the last three weeks has further underscored why Fed officials were skeptical of investors’ expectations of an imminent and sustained interval of rate cuts. The Labor Department said the economy added twice as many jobs as…READ MORE
How Many Cuts? The economy has cooled gradually, a trend that Wall Street expects to continue. A belief that the Fed would cut interest rates aggressively this year sparked a rally across all asset classes to end last year. But investors have lately dialed back…READ MORE
Outlook For Pause Turns To Cuts The members of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) “pivoted” to a more dovish stance in their last meeting of the year on December 13, holding rates steady and signaling that the inflation outlook has improved more quickly…READ MORE
