On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced that they will begin reducing the $120 billion monthly asset purchases soon. Economists and market participants welcomed their cautious approach for two reasons: (1) America’s growth [...]
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, chairperson of the Senate Housing and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy, has recommended that the 12 Federal Reserve Bank regional presidents stop stock trading by them and their staff. Her letter followed reports [...]
U.S. natural gas futures have soared to a seven-year high, almost doubling since the beginning of the year. Gas for October delivery recently reached $5.03 per million British thermal units, a level not reached since [...]
On Friday Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, sent a very strong message that our central bank could begin reducing its current $120 billion monthly purchases of bonds this year. The ultimate decision will depend [...]
On Wednesday, the Labor Department reported the core consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate rose 5.4% over the past year to the highest 12-month rate since 2008. Core inflation is a measure of the [...]
This April, the S&P Case-Shiller National Home Price Index posted the biggest annual percentage increase in 30 years of 16.6%. Housing prices have risen for 12 straight months, with the advances accelerating in all [...]
Unfortunately, America’s economic recovery is not indicative of the world economy. Federal Reserve officials will discuss measures to scale back our easy money policies because the U.S economy is doing so well and concerns [...]
In response to U.S. consumer prices (CPI) increasing the most in 13 years (4.5% year-on year), far beyond the Fed’s 2% guideline, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told lawmakers that he has concerns about [...]
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce awarded Team Tony Cancer Foundation the Small Business of the Year Award. For many years, I have been actively involved with Team Tony, CTAC (Coming Together Against Cancer) [...]
On June 21st, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testified that while the U.S. will experience some inflation post Covid-19, he does not anticipate prices to increase similar to our experience in the late 1970’s [...]
A recent Harvard-CAPS-Harris Poll reveals that Americans have concerns about inflation but are increasingly bullish about the economy. Fifty-six percent of respondents believe the economy is strong and their personal finances are improving. Americans [...]
The Dow Jones Industrial Index made its debut 125 years ago. The index of 12 smokestack companies opened at 40.94 on the first day. Over its life, the Dow has risen on average 7.69% [...]
Americans are confronting a new challenge of having to wait and pay more for products. Supply chain woes have negatively impacted makers of everything from cars and clothing to home siding and medical needle containers. Fed [...]
Colonial Pipeline paid DarkSide, who specialize in digital extortion, 75 Bitcoins or approximately $5 million dollars, to recover its stolen data. Hackers encrypt its victims’ records and threaten to release it publicly unless paid [...]
We need to remember the lamentation of President Harry Truman. Harry wanted a ‘one-handed economist’. Truman once complained, “All my economists say, ‘on the one hand, but on the other’.” On the one hand [...]
From economists to the man on the street, we now have concerns over a rapid increase in inflation. Those of us who lived through the 1970’s and early 1980’s remember how America suffered from [...]
Currently, we can have confidence that the world’s two largest economies, China and the United States, will bolster the global economy. The International Monetary Fund upgraded their global growth forecast to 6% for 2021. [...]
The International Monetary Fund projects 6% global growth in 2021. America is driving the globe’s economic bus. The recently adopted $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan has shifted the U.S. economy into high gear. The [...]
On Good Friday, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers added a seasonally adjusted 916,000 jobs in March. Economists expect further positive news as more people get vaccinated against Covid-19, states remove restrictions on [...]
The Biden Administration is evaluating a variety of possible tax increases, including boosting the corporate tax rate and the top marginal income-tax rate on wealthy individuals in order pay for its infrastructure, antipoverty measures [...]
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Could not put Humpty together again One year ago, the World Health Organization warned [...]
The oil and gas industry’s top lobbying arm, the American Petroleum Institute, is edging toward supporting a carbon tax. Later this month, API will issue a formal notification. Such a move would make fossil [...]
We are getting to the light at the end of the tunnel, but it is going to take longer. Part of the problem is that the United States participates in the global economy. Specifically, [...]
I recently read a book, "Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know," that was very helpful in providing an overview of very positive major developments for our planet. Contrary to public opinion, this book [...]
The U.S. automaker will manufacture only electric cars and trucks by 2035.
Chaos theory is the science of surprises. By understanding how our ecosystems and our economic systems are interconnected, we can hope to avoid actions detrimental to our long-term well-being. One example is the butterfly effect. [...]
Semiconductors have played a critical role in America’s economy, job creation, technology leadership and national security over the past six decades. They are the foundation upon which the operation of almost everything electronic is [...]
After 10 years, Jim Abbott retired in1999 with a career record of 87-108. Imperfect relates the spectacular story of Jim Abbott who was born with one hand and yet went on to pitch 10 [...]
The interest costs on Treasuries has widespread ramifications because money does not grow on trees.
By William Shirer “History never repeats itself, but it does rhyme.” --Mark Twain Introduction Over the past 50 years I have read this wonderful chronicle of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany from [...]
Over the years I have mentioned that Blacks were effectively denied suffrage in the South until 1944. The fifteenth amendment, providing male suffrage, was emasculated through a series of laws. The Civil Rights laws [...]
5G is the fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular network that phone companies began deploying in 2019. The Federal Communications Commission has to date received bids for 5G frequency that has exceeded $69.8 billion. Wireless carriers, cable companies and others critically need these airwaves to support [...]
Introduction: In recent years several people have expressed to me their desire for America to eliminate our Electoral College system for electing our president. Their reason is a recognition that given demographic changes the [...]
As we think about 2021, the words from Charles Dickens’ 1859 historical novel “A Tale of Two Cities” remain relevant: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ... it was the [...]
The year 2020 has been a banner year for IPO (initial public offering) pricings. Jay Ritter, “Mr. IPO,” in an interview said that the New Issue Market is “not as crazy as in 1999 and 2000, [...]
Introduction Animal Farm is an allegorical novel by George Orwell first published in England in August 1945. The book is both fun to read and informative. Orwell related how the ideal of the Russian Revolution [...]
