Inflation in the U.S. skyrocketed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it did in many other countries worldwide. Disrupted supply chains, rising energy costs, and an unprecedented amount of government spending all combined to create significant inflationary pressures. By June 2022, the annual inflation rate in the U.S. peaked at 9.1%. Understandably, [...]
There has been much discussion in the media recently about how the Federal Reserve (the Fed) has successfully managed to direct the U.S. economy to a soft landing. But what does that actually mean and, ultimately, how does that impact investors? Here, we find out. What a soft landing looks like In economic terms, [...]
Last week, the Fed made a 0.5% cut to its rate. Its decision meant that one of the most highly anticipated monetary policy decisions was finally made. In fact, it came many months later than the market had thought; at the end of last year, investors believed a cut would arrive as soon as [...]
It’s looking increasingly likely that the much anticipated Federal Reserve rate cut will happen this September. The Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, recently gave a speech at Jackson Hole highlighting the cooling jobs market and downward payroll revision in addition to his confidence in inflation moving towards the Fed’s 2% target. Taken together, these factors [...]
In the last few weeks, the markets have experienced a level of volatility not seen for an incredibly long time. Even though volatility isn’t a new idea for investors, and historically markets have eventually always returned to upward trajectories, sharp movements have also always had the potential to spook. In fact, sometimes, periods of [...]
Last week, the US Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price index edged up to 0.1% month-over-month for June 2024. It follows a flat reading in May, with the June increase in line with forecasts. Within June’s rise, prices for services increased 0.2%, while the cost of goods decreased 0.2%. When food and energy prices are [...]
At the time of writing, the crude oil market - like many other markets around it - is highly volatile thanks to the uncertain economic backdrop within which we currently live. At the moment, the world is characterized by a number of short term influences that are impacting the prices of many asset classes [...]
Hurricane season typically runs from June to November. For 2024, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned of an ‘extraordinary’ Atlantic season. In fact, NOAA has forecast eight to 13 hurricanes - with four to seven of those being deemed as ‘major hurricanes’. Furthermore, NOAA has said that there is an [...]
U.S. Retail sales figures were released this week and revealed yet another sign that consumer sentiment is cooling. While sales did grow, up 0.1% month-over-month in May 2024, it was still below forecasts of 0.2%. Importantly, the figure also follows April’s figures, which showed a decline in sales. Taken together, this would indicate that [...]
The impending release of the latest US employment data, scheduled for this Friday, carries significant weight. According to US News, economists are projecting the addition of 190,000 jobs in May, which would maintain the unemployment rate at 3.9%. Following April’s gain of 175,000 jobs, this anticipated increase in employment signals growth and is technically [...]
