Consumer spending dominates the composition of the U.S. economy, trending at about 70% of gross domestic product (GDP). But how have consumers fared in the aftermath of the Great Recession and financial crisis that began 10 years ago? Data show that...
BEIGE BOOK SUGGESTS CONTINUED MODEST ECONOMIC GROWTH The latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released Wednesday, April 19, 2017, continued to deliver a positive view of the U.S. economy. The Beige Book is a qualitative assessment of...
Minutes from the most recent Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting, released last Wednesday, sparked selling of stocks and bonds, as investors read that the Fed may reduce its $4.2 trillion balance sheet. Minutes also revealed that “some Fed officials...
April 2017 is a busy month, with several potentially market-moving global events to monitor closely. 2017 has seen global equity prices soar to new highs, with the S&P 500 Index up 5.5% in the first quarter, the best performance to start a year...
The NCAA College Basketball Final Four is set. Gonzaga, North Carolina, Oregon, and South Carolina are headed to Phoenix, Arizona to determine this year’s college basketball national champion. In that spirit, following our “Sweet 16” commentary...
Since FDR first popularized the concept at the start of his first term in 1933, the first 100 days of a president’s term is often seen as a benchmark date for early accomplishments that set the tone for the presidency. The first 100 days are...