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April 8, 2011
Stocks and oil both soared in the first quarter of 2011, although for much different reasons. Investors bid up U.S. companies’ share prices as evidence of the economic recovery continued via increased corporate earnings, employment and other signs of improved economic activity. We are now almost...
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January 10, 2011
The fourth quarter was defined by two big political events. First, the long-awaited November elections saw a shift in power. Republicans (with a push from the TEA Party) took control of the House of Representatives, while the Democrats held onto the Senate. Second, on December 23, Congress passed...
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October 6, 2010
On September 20 the National Bureau of Economic Research officially pronounced the recession which started in December 2007 ended in June 2009. At 18 months, this means the recession was the longest in the post-WWII period. It also means we can’t have a double-dip recession but instead, the next...
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July 10, 2010
Oil and fear everywhere! What is an investor to do?
It’s amazing how many significant events can be squeezed into a brief 90-day window. It’s also amazing to see how quickly investor sentiment can change. As the second quarter started the market was in the midst of a powerful recovery, up...
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April 10, 2010
Economic Summary
The economy is showing signs of life although the recovery will be painfully slow as we try to overcome the deepest, longest recession since the Great Depression. Final estimate of 4th quarter GDP (released on March 26, 2010) was an annual rate of 5.6%, up from 2.2% in 3Q-2009...
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January 6, 2010
By now you've probably seen countless headlines and news reports, proclaiming that stock investors lost money this past decade. Stories herald the fact that this is the first decade, since data began in 1926, in which the S&P 500 Index produced a negative return. Although it may be the first...