Jeff For Banks

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

After a lengthy stretch of strong economic growth and stock market gains, the inevitable correction arrived with force in the fourth quarter, culminating with a December that can only be described as “tres terrible!” Dorothy has been with Penn Community Bank and its predecessor since November, 2004. 50% between 2 and 10 years.

Marketing 60

Marketing Community Bank Community Risk Management 60

Jeff For Banks

OCTOBER 25, 2018

Economic growth picked up strongly in the second quarter, with a reading of +4.2%, as momentum from the tax cuts and deregulation pushed spending and investment higher. Fiscal stimulus in the form of tax cuts, especially for corporations, led to spikes in investment and spending. Economy The economy is on a roll!

Marketing 66

Marketing US Taxes Trends 66

Jeff For Banks

JULY 8, 2017

The markets continue to roll and bond markets continue to trade in a 25 basis point range, hitting the higher end when they think the economy is strong (why else would the Fed raise rates?) Presidential Agenda I am very surprised that the markets are not having fits over the lack of progress on the presidential agenda.

Marketing 60

Marketing Community Bank Security Data 60

Jeff For Banks

JANUARY 19, 2013

more “promises,” and a constant flow of new money into the markets. The biggest beneficiary of all this Fed activity has been the stock market—which ended the year at some pretty good “handles,” with the Dow above 13,000, S&P 500 above 1,400, and the Nasdaq above 3,000. Oh, wait, our Congress!

Taxes 71

Taxes Philadelphia DC New Jersey 71

Jeff For Banks

JUNE 2, 2023

percent in 2004, a decline of 1.1 By comparison, non-high-tech industries lost 689,000 jobs between 2001 and 2002 but recovered the lost jobs by 2004. Between 1995 and its peak in March 2000, the Nasdaq Composite stock market index rose 800%, only to fall 740% from its peak by October 2002, giving up all its gains during the bubble.

FDIC 78

FDIC Community Bank Regulation Lending 78

Jeff For Banks

APRIL 2, 2011

The World Around Us World events are impacting our markets. So far, about half of the positive economic impact of the surprise 2% reduction in social security taxes and small business tax cuts are gone because of higher gas prices. One of the Fed’s QE2 goals, as stated by Chairman Bernanke, was to improve the stock market.

Philadelphia 75

Philadelphia Taxes Marketing US 75

Jeff For Banks

JULY 9, 2012

On June 28th, the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act as constitutional, calling penalties on individuals for failing to purchase health insurance a “tax.” This decision sets in motion a series of steps to implement the law over the next few years along with the estimated $813 billion in taxes and levies over the next ten years.

Taxes 66

Taxes Washington Risk Management Marketing 66

Jeff For Banks

AUGUST 12, 2010

What’s Bothering the Markets? There used to be an old adage in the stock market: “sell in May and go away.” Stock markets did quite well this year into April then began to sell off relentlessly in May; in the meantime, bond markets moved higher, especially Treasuries, as investors sought the safety of bonds. Bummers all.

Taxes 60

Taxes Marketing Risk Management Groups 60

Jeff For Banks

JANUARY 18, 2014

She will continue your zero rate policy and will “taper” your QE 3 program, because the markets have already dismissed its impact and tightened long term rates despite your wishes. Mortgage rates rose just as much and they may potentially damage the housing market recovery. Stocks are supposed to have more risk. once again.

Philadelphia 83

Philadelphia Policies US Marketing 83

Jeff For Banks

JANUARY 19, 2011

Rates Give Us a Wild Ride Bond market behavior in the fourth quarter of 2010 was one for the record books. Congress entered the mix and extended the Bush tax cuts for two years and unexpectedly added new tax cuts for consumers and businesses. No wonder the markets are under pressure. So what happened? million homes.

Philadelphia 60

Philadelphia Taxes US Marketing 60

Jeff For Banks

JANUARY 12, 2015

The markets provide us with completely unexpected surprises and leave us scrambling to update our projections for rates and economic growth. I have always believed that cheaper oil and gas prices are like a tax cut that helps consumers save money on their “taxes” and spend it on other discretionary goods and services.

Philadelphia 60

Philadelphia US Policies Taxes 60

Jeff For Banks

APRIL 5, 2012

Last Fall, they embarked on “Operation Twist,” to sell shorter dated securities and buy longer dated ones in an effort to push long term rates down, especially to get mortgage rates lower to help the still struggling housing market. But we know that only three things in life are certain—death, taxes, and a Fed that goes too far.

Security 75

Security Taxes Marketing Policies 75

Jeff For Banks

JULY 21, 2011

Jobs were being created, stock markets were rising. Some of the factors that are causing this economic “soft patch” are temporary (including bad weather, Japan woes, and high oil prices) and some of the factors will linger, most notably stubbornly high unemployment rates and weak housing markets. Gas prices reached $4.00

Survey 66

Survey Taxes Groups Data 66

Jeff For Banks

APRIL 10, 2015

A New Year of Volatility 2015 ushered in a whole new season of volatility in the bond and stock markets. Oil Steals the Show The biggest story of the past year in the markets has to be the plunging price of oil, down 50% in 2014 to below $50 per barrel. Dorothy has been with First Federal of Bucks County since November, 2004.

Philadelphia 60

Philadelphia US Study Boston 60

Jeff For Banks

OCTOBER 21, 2010

What are the Markets Thinking? Bond markets have been the big winners in the third quarter. Rates have fallen to incredible lows; Pimco, a large money manager, has referred to them as “Eisenhower” lows because they were prevalent in the 1950s. As the outlook improves, these companies will seek higher returns through investments.

Taxes 60

Taxes Marketing Capital Policies 60

Jeff For Banks

OCTOBER 19, 2012

First of all, if they continue to buy securities, they are removing many of the high quality securities from the marketplace, possibly causing a disruption or shortage in the markets. We may be skeptical, but the markets keep telling us: Don’t fight the Fed! Dorothy has been with First Federal of Bucks County since November, 2004.

National 79

National Security US Massachusetts 79

Jeff For Banks

OCTOBER 11, 2011

Another Volatile Quarter I know I risk sounding too negative, but we cannot seem to shake the crisis mentality that keeps whipsawing bond and stock markets. There has been a lot of talk about rescues from the European Union, but the markets want action. So why were the markets disappointed in the Fed’s forward guidance?

DC 66

DC Security Washington Risk Management 66