Aug 30, 2023

It seems COVID is rearing its ugly head again. As a result, more and more people are wearing masks in public and consciously keeping their distance from others. It begs the question: what would the public’s response be to future mask mandates, economic shutdowns and shelter in place orders? Would we acquiesce as...

Aug 23, 2023

Everyone knows lower interest rates are supposed to stimulate economic growth. If that is the case, the inverse must also be true. However, is that really the truth? After all, the Japanese have had manufactured low interest rates for almost three decades, and where has the growth been? The same could be said for the...

Aug 16, 2023

The Chinese have been reducing their holdings of U.S. Treasury securities. The Federal Reserve has stopped adding huge amounts to its balance sheet. However, Washington will still have to borrow trillions of dollars over the next decade. Will we be able to finance at 4% if the Chinese and the Fed are on the sideline?...

Aug 10, 2023

After a positive July, the dog days of summer have shown up in August. The heat has been oppressive, Fitch downgraded U.S. Treasury debt, Moody’s downgraded the banks and the tech stocks have fallen apart.

Is it time to worry?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam, John and special guest Grace Schlenker...

Aug 3, 2023

This week, the Fitch Rating organization downgraded U.S. Treasury debt from its highest rating of AAA to AA+. But what did it accomplish? Is the U.S. Treasury market no longer the world’s most liquid? Is the U.S. dollar no longer the world’s primary reserve currency? Did the U.S. financial system suddenly become...