The world’s second-largest economy exhibited strong performance in the first quarter. Strength in consumer spending drove expansion and overshadowed the troubles facing the economy. However, this was not enough to convince pessimists of a brighter future, as they questioned the impact of the trade friction and high debt on the economy. Into the Headlines China’s…
IBM – time for it to leave the Dow Index?
The Donald took to some bragging during yesterday’s annual tax filing moment—-assuring America’s oppressed taxpayers that happier times beckon. In fact, he insinuated that MAGA is not just a slogan. By his lights, apparently, we are already living the dream. To wit: On this Tax Day, America is strong and roaring back. Paychecks are climbing. Tax rates are going…
With all the focus on bitcoin lately, we’ve added a new weekly update that tracks the three largest cryptocurrencies by market share: bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple. According to Wikipedia, a cryptocurrency is “a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions, to control the creation of additional…
Stocks Rally On Tuesday This week is shaping up well as the S&P 500 increased 1.07% on Tuesday, meaning it is 3.75% off the February 8th low. I still think the recent high of 2,787 is important. The S&P 500 is now 81 points away from that mark. The earnings season looks like it may actually be…
Alcoa Corp. (AA – Free Report) just released its latest quarterly financial results, posting adjusted earnings of $0.77 per share and revenues of $3.09 billion. Currently, AA is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), but that could change based on today’s results. Heading into the report, Alcoa shares had gained more than 23% over the last…
This article looks at a couple of key trends in asset allocation. We look at the evolution of investor portfolio allocations to stocks, bonds, and cash both across time and more recently. Importantly, we look at how it ties into the valuation picture against the backdrop of a coming full circle in the global monetary…
Lacy Hunt is in the very top rank of US economists. He would have made an excellent Fed chairman, if you ask me (no one did who mattered); but he goes on holding down the fort, along with partner Van Hoisington, at Hoisington Investment Management in Austin; and so you and I continue to have…
U.S. equity markets are facing widespread volatility, thanks to trade negotiations and recent geopolitical risks owing to the U.S. strike on Syrian chemical facilities. Although the markets shrugged off fears stemming from the Syria attack and proposed sanctions on Russia as the earnings season is underway, the long-term impact of such factors might increase the…
Natural gas prices started strong right out of the gate today, with the May contract rallying to the $2.79 level before reversing and settling just a single tick up on the day. This fit in perfectly with our expectations, as in our Morning Text Message Alert sent to clients early this morning we highlighted that…
