Economic Conditions

In October, US producer prices came in lower than expected amid a drop in services for the first time in almost two years. The numbers showed that inflation was slowing down, raising speculations that the Federal Reserve would ease interest...

This Sunday, the UK government announced major impending tax hikes that will hit the entire country, and especially the wealthy, as part of the plan to repair the current economy. The country was left in a bad state following the...

The easing inflation in the United States is leading to wealthy investors jumping back into the market again. However, these investors are still concerned about how long stocks will keep up the uptrend without other factors showing that the consumer...

Environmental activists trouped in their hundreds on Saturday to the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to protest against climate change. They wore white overalls and were visibly seen in an area holding private jets at the airport. They also sat in...

True to its recent habit, the US dollar is finishing the week on a firm note.  On the month, though, the greenback has fallen against most of the majors, but sterling, the Canadian dollar, and the Swedish krona.  True to...

The US dollar has firmer against most major and emerging market currencies.  It remains well within its well-worn ranges, which continue to be narrow.  A notable exception today is the yen's weakness.  The US dollar has firmer against most major...

The US dollar is enjoying a firmer bias today, but it remains narrowly mixed on the week.  It is within well-worn ranges.  Of the several themes that investors are focused on, there have not significant fresh developments.  The US dollar...

The US dollar is narrowly mixed.  The euro, yen and Swiss franc are higher, while the dollar-bloc and sterling are softer.  The moving element here is not so much the greenback, which serving more as a fulcrum, but idiosyncratic, country-level...

As Nassim Taleb instructed, we should not be fooled by randomness. If you see six red results in a row at a roulette table, do not conclude the game is rigged.  If you flip a coin, and it is tails...

The US dollar has lost another 0.5% against most of the major currencies today, as Asia and Europe respond to the Fed's decision.  There are few exceptions to this generalization.  The Norwegian krone has gained nearly three times as much,...

The US dollar, which finished last week on a firm note, is under pressure to start the new week that features Bank of Japan and Federal Reserve meetings.  The slighter stronger August CPI reading helped lift the greenback ahead of...

Yellow lights are flashing.  Bonds remain heavy despite a weak spate of data that would seem to remove nearly any chance that Fed will hike rates next week.  The implications of the disappointing retail sales data indicates that estimates for...

Looking at the diary, today is the most important day of the week. The Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank meet.  The UK reports retail sales.  EMU reports CPI figures.  The US reports retail sales, industrial output, and...

The markets are trying to catch their collective breath after yesterday's dramatic moves.  The sharp slide in US equities may have weighed on Asian markets, but losses are mild. Still, the MSCI Asia-Pacific Index was off 0.8%, the fifth consecutive...

Stocks and bonds have begun the new week much like last week ended.  Sharp losses are being recorded.  The US dollar is mixed, with minor losses against the euro, yen, and sterling, but a firmer tone is evident against the...