With Holidays Ahead, Can Consumers Keep Carrying the Economy?

With Holidays Ahead, Can Consumers Keep Carrying the Economy? Approximately two-thirds of the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP) is fueled by consumer spending, highlighting its significant influence on either propelling or hindering economic growth. Despite the challenges posed by sustained high inflation and increasing interest rates over the past year and a half, American […]
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A Question of Balance

A Question of Balance Balance Sheets are the Rodney Dangerfield of finance – no respect. Everyone pays attention to income statements. Did earnings miss or beat expectations? Balance sheets, on the other hand, are rarely, if ever, discussed. The U.S., like corporations, sets a budget each year, but unlike corporations, there is often little regard […]
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Rising Oil Prices Could Pose the Latest Threat to the Economy

Rising Oil Prices Could Pose the Latest Threat to the Economy Oil prices have surged by over 17% since late June, causing transportation costs for both consumers and businesses to rise and unsettling financial markets. On September 27, West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. oil price benchmark, surpassed $93 per barrel, reaching its highest point […]
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We Didn’t Start the Fire

We Didn’t Start the Fire… The whole world appears to be burning these days. Ukraine remains embroiled in war; the Middle East is erupting (again); mortgage rates hit 8%; inflation; the President is a bit fuzzy; the Republican House can’t find a Speaker; crime is up; the U.S. (and the entire world) is drowning in […]
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Week of Reflection

A Week of Reflection It has taken a week to process the unspeakable acts of last weekend. Despite the lessons of history, we are always shocked at man’s ability to be inhumane. We pray for and support the Jewish community and Israel. We pray for the many innocent victims of the past week and the […]
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The One to Watch

The One to Watch  In the face of ’no news’, we have seen a continuing rise in long term treasury bond rates (and decline in bond prices). This week, markets were squarely focused on the potential for this trend to continue that sent stock prices reeling once again, putting a crimp on diversified portfolios. So […]
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Under My Thumb

Under My Thumb Fed meetings usually focus on the change in current interest rates, but this week the focus was on 2024. Current rates were left unchanged, but the Fed doubled down on the ‘higher (rates) for longer’ theme. Chair Powell repeated at least a dozen times that the Fed will “proceed carefully” from here, […]
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