The Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Survey business conditions indicator measures activity in the following states: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, western Missouri, and northern New Mexico. Quarterly data for this indicator dates back to 1995, but monthly data is only available from 2001. New seasonal adjustment factors were introduced in January 2017 and slight revisions…
According to the financial press we have had some swell economic numbers in the last two days—so it’s giddy-up-and-go time for the stock market again. Thursday’s industrial production number was allegedly gangbusters and today’s housing start figure for October was described as a “boom” by the incorrigible headline writers at MarketWatch: The Commerce Department on Friday said October housing starts surged, rising…
“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” – Ecclesiastes 1:2, King James Version (attributed to King Solomon in his old age) This week’s letter will take a look at the growing number of ridiculous, inane, and otherwise nonsensical absurdities that fill the daily economic headlines. I have gone from the…
Over the past few weeks, the U.S. dollar has struggled despite progress on tax reform and the prospect of a Federal Reserve rate hike next month. The market may be convinced that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in December, but the most recent economic reports have been far from encouraging. At the same…
There is a lot of advice out there about Social Security – most of which is based on Social Security being fully inflation indexed. However, as we will establish in this first in a series of analyses, Social Security is only partially inflation indexed. As a matter of design, it does not fully keep up with inflation….
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF reported robust third-quarter fiscal 2017, wherein both its earnings and sales beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved year over year. Notably, this was the company’s second straight positive earnings surprise and the third consecutive sales beat. Results gained from significant progress on its strategic initiatives and strength in Hollister as well…
U.S. mutual funds have witnessed steady growth in assets under management during President Donald Trump’s first year in office. Despite persistent doubts over the President’s ability to pass key political reforms, U.S. equity funds have registered strong inflows. Moreover, optimism over Trump’s infrastructure development and tax reform policies, indications from the Fed about an imminent…
There are several well known large cap stocks going ex-dividend next week including the following five Top 100 Dividend Stocks: Valero, Discover Financial Services, L Brands, Magna, and National Grid. Ex-dividend dates are important to dividend investors because one must own a stock on its ex-dividend date in order to be eligible to receive its next dividend. Any stock…
(Audio length 00:09:14) Doc joins me today to look at the charts of Uranium, TLT, and the US Dollar. We address some technical factors as well as touching on the fundamentals that are the long-term drivers. Also of note gold is starting to breakout. This happened after we recorded but is of note at $1,293…
Housing starts rose 13.7 percent from September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 1.290 million. This is the fastest pace since October 2016. The number of units is 2.9% below the 1.328 million estimate a year ago. Housing Starts 1960-Present The 13% jump is a huge surge but from hurricane depressed levels. It’s…
