Faster Growth Deceleration Prompts Increased Market Turbulence
Market volatility looks to have become the norm of late, with intraday swings of 500 points on the Dow Jones Industrials seemingly commonplace. The days of complacency and ever rising stock prices appear to be firmly in the rear-view mirror, now replaced by daily angst. And, with good reason. Markets have fully recognized that “synchronized” […]
On a Recession Watch
For the first time since the industrial revolution, the U.S. faces two significant growth issues: 1) a declining labor force; and 2) a job skills mismatch. The declining labor force is demographic in nature and is occurring in every industrial economy; likely a function of the long-term success of capitalism. The skills mismatch is a […]
“Normal,” It’s Not What You Think!
Most readers remember the pre-recession days of 4% GDP growth, interest rates at levels where savers had return choices worth pursuing (e.g., the 10 year T-Note at 4%), and workers could count on annual real wage growth. Today, many refer to this as “normal,” and there is a desire, if not a movement, to return […]
Will the Fed Cause Another Recession?
The Fed raised the Federal Funds Rate by 25 basis points (a quarter of a percentage point) to 1.0%. This is the anchor rate on the yield curve, and, most other rates respond to it, with shorter rates today responding more than longer rates. It appears from their communications that they intend to hike rates […]
Does 2.3 percent economic growth justify Dow 20,000?
A survey of 53 economists by Blue Chip Economic Indicators forecast 2.3 percent economic growth for 2017, up from an estimated 1.6 percent in 2016. While better, 2.3 percent is still low by post-World War II standards. Consensus found that inflation would tick up to 2.4 percent, industrial production would begin to grow again (+1.6 […]
Dealing with the ‘New Normal’
In ’09 and ’10, when Mohammed El-Erian and Bill Gross both worked at PIMCO, they put forth a concept they called “the New Normal.” It postulated that the economy would grow at a much slower rate than it had in the past, and therefore market returns – both equity and fixed income – would be […]