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.

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Jeff For Banks

JANUARY 18, 2014

To put that GDP growth into perspective, consider that, in the three years following the recovery which began in June, 2009, real GDP averaged +2.2%. 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.

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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.

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Jeff For Banks

JUNE 2, 2023

When the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 passed, the top capital gains tax rate was lowered, providing yet another incentive for equity speculators to pour money into the fledgling internet industry. We knew there was tremendous hubris in the subprime market. The Y2K scare also had companies pouring money into tech firms. What caused it?

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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. The so-called recovery that began in June, 2009 has produced growth rates only about one half of “normal” recoveries since WWII. At least we are not in Boston. We need a change of seasons! Thanks for reading!

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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?

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Jeff For Banks

APRIL 5, 2012

They embarked on quantitative easing, or “QE,” programs twice in 2009 and 2010, buying up $2.3 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.

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Jeff For Banks

FEBRUARY 3, 2017

His election has already brought change to the financial markets, sending stocks rising 6%, as measured on the S&P 500 index, and sending interest rates to their highest levels in years. Clearly, the markets expect change. Since the recovery began in June, 2009, real GDP growth has averaged 2.3%.

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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.

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Jeff For Banks

NOVEMBER 16, 2020

The markets are taking it all in stride, rallying strongly for most of this week and they seem more grateful for the prospect of a divided Congress, i.e, The markets believe the chance of tax hikes, repeals of tax cuts, and gigantic initiatives are greatly diminished. The housing market is robust across the nation.

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