What Trump’s Plan to Stop Minting Pennies Means for Consumers President Trump said Sunday that he had asked the U.S. Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, part of an effort to cut down on what he called wasteful government spending. His remarks revived a long-running debate over whether to get rid of the smallest […]

Trump’s 2025 Executive Actions: How They Could Affect Financial Markets Introduction: Policy and Markets in 2025 Executive actions often serve as a window into a president’s policy priorities, and for financial markets, these decisions can be transformative. In 2025, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive actions that are already influencing the U.S. economy […]

Effective Federal Funds Rate Monthly Update: Key Insights & Analysis September 18, 2024 The Effective Federal Funds Rate is a crucial benchmark interest rate that influences the cost of borrowing and the overall financial landscape in the United States. Set by the Federal Reserve, changes in the Effective Federal Funds Rate can significantly impact economic […]

September 2024 Market Summary: Equities Gain Strength, Fed Cuts Rates, and Treasury Yields Decline Stocks fell in the first week of September but gained strength leading up to and following the FOMC meeting on September 18th. The S&P 500 rose 2.1% in August, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 2.8%. Emerging Markets was a big beneficiary […]

How do you feel about the state of the economy? In more contemporary terms, what are your “vibes” telling you? Are you feeling confident and comfortable? Or are you feeling a nagging worry that things aren’t going well? If you’re experiencing a disconnect between official economic data and your personal perception, you’re not alone. This […]

Clouds may be gathering. Should investors be worried about a storm? Let’s look at some factors that could trigger a market selloff in the weeks or months ahead. (Note: we’re not saying a selloff is definitely going to happen—we want you to be prepared if it does.) Factor #1: Stocks are trading near record highs […]

After months of simmering inflation reports, it looks like inflation finally eased slightly in April.1 Are prices stabilizing? Can we breathe a sigh of relief? Let’s dig a little deeper. What’s inside the latest inflation report? Economists typically look at two major inflation gauges: the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index […]

How did 2023 go for you? Let’s take a moment to review some of the year’s major market and economic trends. (Before I sign off, I’ll also pass along a few thoughts about what 2024 could have in store.) AI became a major tech trend1 After ChatGPT launched in late 2022, the AI space race […]

Quick question: What do you usually find yourself reading? News summaries, headlines, and quick bits to keep yourself updated? Or longer reads like books and articles? We’re ever more inundated with information that’s eager to capture our attention. We click because we want to stay up to speed and avoid missing out. The trouble is, […]