$SPY, $GLD Surprise, after all of the ‘bunk’ you have heard since early October, do not be shocked that there will be no additional Fed rate hikes, a 20% S&P 500 rally and no recession.. Byron Wein defines “surprise” as an event that the average investor would only assign a 33% chance of taking place […]
$DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX The US economy is expanding at a 3.0% annualized rate in Q-4 based on steady retail sales growth and stronger-than-forecast industrial output in November, the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow forecast model showed Friday. This is faster than the 2.4% pace for Q-4 GDP (gross domestic product) that the Atlanta Fed’s […]
US Household Wealth +$2-Trillion in Q-3 Driven by Stocks and Real Estate $SPY The stock market rally since 8 November 2016 drove US household net worth to a record high of $109-T in Q-3 The Fed said Thursday that the value of Americans’ stock and mutual fund holdings soared $1.2T. Home values rose $200-B. Other […]
“Growth ‘Cracks’ Will Shape Fed Funds Rate Debate” $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX For the past 2 years we have seen the Fed move ahead with steady rate increases in an economy that has done better than many had expected, boosted by government spending, tax cuts, and global growth. The easy part may be over, […]
Strengthen Gratitude, Boost Happiness In this piece there are an array of practices, recommended by various experts and researchers, that can boost our gratitude and happiness quotient. You can also get more ideas from Robert Emmons’ lecture below, take the time, it a over an hour, and it is worth the listen. Mr. Emmons, a […]
Buybacks to Top Use of S&P 500 Companies’ Cash in 2019 $GS, $SPY S&P 500 companies will increase cash spending by 13% to $3-T in Y 2019, with buybacks again expected to represent their largest use of cash, according to Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS). Of the estimated cash spending in Y 2019, S&P 500 companies will […]
The Trump Effect: Americans Working, Higher Wages, Booming Manufacturing The Trump Effect has Made America Great Again, and Is Keeping America Great! The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell to a near 49-year low last week, pointing to sustained labor market strength, which continues to underpin economic growth. The labor market, which is […]
US Economic Growth: Consumer Spending Up, Inflation Moderate US consumer spending saw a steady increase in August, supporting expectations of solid economic growth in Q-3, while a measure of underlying inflation remained at the Fed’s 2 percent target for a 4th month running. Friday, economists said the report from the US Commerce Department should allay […]
The Trump Effect: DJIA, S&P 500 Mark Record Highs $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX Thursday, Wall Street delivered another set of milestones as buying drove US stocks due North, driving the DJIA above the all-time high it closed at in January, marking the 100th record high for DIA since President Trump took the Oval Office […]
No Provision for Wall, No Spending President Donald Trump Thursday hammered an extensive continuing resolution passed by the Senate earlier this week, calling it “ridiculous” and demanding to know where the money for border security will come from. “I want to know, where is the money for Border Security and the WALL in this ridiculous Spending Bill, […]
The Trump Effect: US economy Poised for Strong Growth in Q-3 US economy is expanding at a 4.4% annualized rate in Q-3, the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow forecast model showed Friday despite retail sales recording their smallest gainer in 6 months in August. Consumers cut back on purchases of motor vehicles and clothing, but upward revisions to […]
The Trump Economy Is ‘Killing It’ Right Now $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow urges all Americans to give President Donald Trump’s negotiating strategy more time because the “entire world” will benefit if all goes if planned because he “is doing the Lord’s work.” As evidence, Mr. Kudlow offers the […]
Atlanta Fed Lifts Q-3 GDP Prediction to 4.7% $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX The next GDPNow update is Wednesday, 5 September. The US economy is growing at a 4.7% annualized rate in Q-3, the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow forecast model showed on Tuesday, following the latest data on construction spending and factory activity. This is now […]
MAGA Effect:Household Income Spikes US median household income is at all-time highs US median household income has risen more than 4% since President Donald Trump took office on the overall strong economic growth and robust optimism. Inflation-adjusted median household incomes in July hit $62,450, according to the latest release from Sentier Research. “That’s the highest level […]
France’s Socialist Experiment Has Collapsed Its Economy “This is going to be a real bloodbath for the state and the public services,” French President Emmanuel Macron’s government must tackle social spending in the next wave of its reforms even though France will face a weaker growth outlook in next year. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said […]
US GDP Growing on Strong Domestic Demand The US economy set to charge ahead as fresh domestic demand carries it past some softening overseas, keeping the Fed on course for further interest-rate hikes later this year Households have more cash to spend than thought, thanks to pools of savings and President Donald Trump’s tax cuts. […]
Americans are Dining Out and Spending the Most on Record Americans spending at restaurants spiked over the past 3 months by the most on record, making it both a bright spot for the economy. Sales at food-service and drinking establishments rose 1.3% in July to $61.6-B,the US Commerce Department reported on Wednesday.That brought the 3 […]
The Atlanta Fed Lifts Q-3 GDP Growth View to 5% The US economy is growing at a 5.0% annualized rate in Q-3 following the latest data on construction spending and manufacturing activity, the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s most-recent GDPNow forecast model showed. That is faster than the 4.7% pace calculated by the regional Fed’s forecast program […]
US Consumer Spending Rises, Inflation Continues to Strengthen Consumer spending increased solidly in June as US households spent more on restaurants and accommodation, building a strong base for the economy heading into Q-3, inflation rose moderately. The Commerce Department said on Tuesday consumer spending, which accounts for nearly 70% of US economic activity, rose 0.4% last […]
President Trump Hails the “Amazing” 4.1% Q-2 Economic Growth Rate “the President’s policies are working,and not just on the top line, but in the details” Friday from the White House, US President Donald Trump hailed the “amazing” 4.1% Q-2 GDP rate, as the fastest pace since Y 2014, as proof that “we’ve accomplished an economic […]
Atlanta Fed: “US Economy Growing at 4.5% Annualized Rate” $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX Monday, the Atlanta Fed announced that the US economy is growing at a 4.5% annualized rate in Q-2 following the latest data on strong retail-sales data, the GDPNow forecast model showed. The latest estimate on GDP growth is faster than the […]
President Trump: “NATO Stronger Now Than it Was 2 Days Ago” Thursday, US President Donald Trump that the United States’ commitment to NATO “remains very strong” after a summit in Brussels at which he said allies had made unprecedented commitments to increase spending on their own defense. “NATO is much stronger now than it was […]
President Trump: NATO Allies Should 2X Defense Spending Targets President Donald Trump has proposed 2X’ing the 2% defense spending targets for the NATO alliance. His suggestion was informal and made in a closed-door session of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO Summit in Brussels Wednesday, the suggestion was not designed ease tensions in a forceful […]
President Trump Hammering NATO Allies Right ‘Off the Bat’ In a very forceful start to his NATO visit, US President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that a pipeline project has made Germany “totally controlled” by and “captive to Russia” and blasted NATO allies’ defense spending, opening what is expected to be a Summit with a list […]
President Trump: “Massive US Spending on NATO ‘Not Acceptable’” Monday, President Trump blasted North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members for what he described as their measly spending, asking them to increase their contributions to the alliance, reiterating past criticism ahead of his trip to a NATO Summit this week. “The United States is spending far […]
The Trump Impact: NATO Allies are Hiking Defense Spending Sunday, US NATO Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison praised President Donald Trump for “making an impact,” and is the 1st in 3 administrations to get allies to hike their defense spending. In an interview Sunday, Amb. Hutchinson remarked “I’ve worked for 3 presidents, all of whom have […]
More Tax Cut Legislation on ‘Fast Track’ House Republicans unveiled a Y 2019 budget proposal Tuesday to send a message to their core supporters that repealing Barack Obamacare, cutting taxes and partially privatizing Medicare remain high on their agenda. The budget, which claims to balance by Y 2027 through $8-T in spending cuts, seeks to […]
The Trump Effect at Work: US Household Wealth Tops $100-T $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX US household wealth topped the $100-T mark for the 1st time in Q-1 of Y 2018, the Fed reported late Thursday. The Fed said the net worth of the nation’s households and nonprofits rose to $100.8-R in the 1st frame of the year, […]
The US Economy is Rolling Along on Truck Tires Real GDP may be starting to do so at a faster speed now, exceeding the so-called 2% “stall speed,” which was the so-called “New Normal” from mid-2010 through Q-1 of Y 2018 Consider the following: A Supercharged Quarter: Friday, the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model boosted the Q2-2018 real […]
Living in the Trump Era of Optimism, Prosperity and Strong Economic Growth $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ Just in case you missed this at the weekend, and remember Optimism leads to Power! Friday’s blockbuster NFPs (jobs) data capped a long string of recent strong economic reports which has led to much brighter forecasts for American growth under […]
Populist Government Takes Power in Italy “Populism is the new organizing principle.” The new government has pledged to pursue a host of populist policies, including reclaiming national sovereignty from the European Union over issues ranging from border protection and immigration to economics and finance. For now, however, it has abandoned previous plans to hold a […]
The Trump Effect: US Companies Seen Investing More $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $AAPL US companies are seen investing more of the money saved from sweeping Trump tax cuts into businesses later this year, perhaps even surpassing a jump in Q-1 capital expenditure that was the highest in nearly 7 years. Higher spending on technology, equipment […]
Record Numbers of America’s Small Businesses Are Boosting Profits US small businesses increased hiring and profits amid a record-level of optimism in the economy. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) said its Small Business Optimism Index sustained record-high marks increasing to 104.8 in April, driven by reports of improved profits, the highest in the NFIB Small […]
American Consumers are Borrowing More Americans increased their borrowing by $11.6-B in March as a big increase in the category that covers auto and student loans offset the largest monthly drop in credit card borrowing in more than five years. The Federal Reserve says the March increase in total debt was below the $13.6-B increase in February […]
US Economic Growth ‘Robust’ and On Track Strong business borrowing, rising consumer spending, plus tight labor markets indicate the US economy remains on track for continued growth, the Fed reported Wednesday, the risks of a global trade war the only outlier. In its periodic “Beige Book” summary of contacts with businesses in its 12 regional districts, the […]
US Retail Sales UP on Trump Tax Cuts, Consumer Spending Strengthens US retail sales rebounded in March after 3 straight monthly decliners as households boosted purchases of motor vehicles and other big-ticket items, suggesting consumer spending was heading into Q-2 with momentum. Fears of a trade war between China and the United States have roiled […]
President Trump’s Tax Cuts Seen Halting a 3-Month Retail Sales Slump $SPY For sure President Trump’s tax cuts have given a boost to Americans’ take-home pay this year. The Big Q: Will the US consumer putting the extra cash toward savings and debt, or using it to go shopping? The Big A: We here a […]
US To See Massive Corporate Spending in Wake of President Trump’s Tax Reform Corporate America strongly backs The Trump Administration’s tax reform, and is driving spending plans to multiyear highs. Wednesday, in a Quarterly survey released by Deloitte LLP, a record number of CEOs & CFOs said that now is a good time to take […]
China Has Launched Its Gold-backed ‘Petroyuan’ $CNY, $USD, $USO, $OIL, $GLD For the last few years, I have been writing about China’s coming Gold-backed ‘petroyuan’ and that it was imminent, few thought is possible. On 26 March China launch an RMB Yuan-dominated Crude Oil futures contract, it had tried before, but, now the contract has gotten […]
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Has 10X the Data on American’s than Facebook $AMZN, $FB, $ORCL, $GOOGL Amazon has 10X the data on American consumers and owns the Washington Post a left wing political newspaper, always critical of President Trump and his administration. Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) disengaged with Washington’s biggest lobbying firm and brought on new advisers following […]
US Jobless Claims Fall, US Stocks Soar $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Markets in the US and Europe will be closed tomorrow for Good Friday and some world markets will also be closed on Monday. Oversold technology shares bounced Thursday, leading a broad rally on Wall Street, as investors kicked off the extended Easter weekend on […]
US Economy Strong in Q-4 Consumer spending on goods also saw its biggest Quarterly bounce in more than 11 years after an upward revision to 7.8% growth. The US economy grew significantly faster at the end of Y 2017 than previously reported, with revised data showing stronger consumer spending and business investment, the government reported […]
The $1.3-T Omnibus Bill is NOT a Federal Budget After 2 day’s of research on ‘The Art of the Deal’ The Big Q: Why is the Omnibus Spending Bill going no where? The Big A: It is NOT an official US Federal Budget. So, here we have it, US President Donald J. Trump outsmarted the […]
How That $1.3-T Omnibus Spending Bill Got Passed, Amazing! “All you need to know why this was a bad bill is to look at the roll call,” a Republican insider e-Mailed me Saturday. And, yes he is right. US President Donald Trump, faked a veto, then reluctantly signed the $1.3-M spending bill Friday. Now, a […]
This Omnibus $1.3-T Spending Bill, Much More of the Same The Big Q: Why is our President afraid of a government shutdown? Friday, our President reached out to the Democrats, gave them what they wanted (could never gotten under Hussein Obama) and sent an Olive Branch at Robert Mueller. And in return for what? Thus, […]
Jack Dorsey, “Bitcoin Will Be the World’s Single Currency” $BTCUSD , $TWTR, $SQ Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) and Square (NYSE:SQ) CEO Jack Dorsey recently had very positive remarks about Bitcoin. He predicted the future of finance, suggesting that the “father of cryptocurrencies” is likely to become the world’s only currency within the next 10 years. Mr. Dorsey declared: […]
Seeing US GDP for Q-4 Being Revised Upward US economic growth for Q-4 Y 2017 is likely to be revised upward after data Thursday indicated more spending on services than previously estimated by the government. The Commerce Department’s quarterly services survey, or QSS, added to December data on construction spending and manufacturers inventories in suggesting that gross […]
FOMC Eyeing Inflation, ‘Strike a Balance’ with Rate Hikes Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, pledging to “strike a balance” between the risk of an overheating economy and the need to keep growth on track, told US lawmakers Tuesday that the central bank would stick with gradual interest rate increases despite the added stimulus of tax cuts […]
President Trump’s Tax Cuts Benefit America’s Working Wage Earners President Trump’s tax cuts on businesses will mostly benefit America’s workers and wage earners. Economist Larry Kudlow made the remarks while debating the effects of tax reform with Gene Sperling, the economist who worked for the Clinton and Hussein Obama Administrations, on TV Wednesday. Mr. Kudlow […]
US Economy Can Handle Trump Budget Deficits The US economy can handle the trillion-dollar deficits that are forecast to result from President Trump’s budget proposal released Monday. “The deficit is going to be 5.5% of GDP for FY 2019. Over 10 years, it’s going to average about 3.5% ,” economist Larry Kudlow said pointing out […]
President Trump’s Federal Budget is the Start of Reduced Spending President Donald Trump’s spending plan is the “start” of the government reigning in spending, particularly in entitlement programs, according to Republican National Committee (RNC) spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany. “We think this budget is the 1st start” of reigning in spending, she said, pointing to a proposed […]
Millennial’s Spending Hobbled by Student Debt Millennial’s spending habits have been driving business leaders crazy, but not because the youngest generation in the workforce is irresponsible with their cash. On the contrary, millennials are turning out to be the most frugal demographic since the so-called Greatest Generation that came of age during the depression. That […]
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Burning Money, Posts Biggest Quarterly Loss Ever $TSLA, $GM, $F Wednesday, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) said it has revised production targets for its Model 3 electric sedan, posting its worst-ever Quarterly loss, and warned that its spending would increase this year. Money-losing Tesla’s long-term ability to survive depends on annually selling billions of dollars […]
The Trump Economy has Traction, is Gaining Momentum Last week’s Q-4 GDP report showed a gainer of 2.6% (SAAR), following gains of 3.2% and 3.1% the prior 2 Quarters, which was the 1st time in 3 years that GDP posted 2 consecutive Quarters of 3.0%+ growth. Note: Nothing close to that ever happened in the […]
This is a Strong Start for The Trump Economy Beginning last Spring, US GDP has averaged about 3%, that is much stronger than either during the Bush (43) or Hussein Obama (45) Presidencies. This Winter, consumers are likely to pull back some and pay off credit-card balances accumulated during the holiday shopping season. Then, with […]
Week 13: NFL Attendance Crisis Continues Empty Seats Greatly Outnumber Spectators last week Week 13 does not appear to be the National Football League’s (NFL) lucky number as photos of stadiums across the league still show an awful lot of empty seats. Meanwhile, the sad in-person attendance mirrors the continually plummeting TV ratings. With last […]
US Construction Spending Rises 1.4%, Best Gainer in 5 Months U.S. construction spending surged 1.4% in October, the best gain in 5 months, with all major categories of building posting gains. The October spending increase was the 3rd monthly gainer after more modest advances of 0.3% in September and 0.5% in August, the Commerce Department said […]
Strong US Consumer Confidence Cheers Retailers Black Weekend indicated US Consumers shopped for the real deals. Having just gotten through a huge Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, news that consumers did not go out and shop ‘till they dropped in October was not something for retailers to worry about. After splurging on […]
Inflation is Back, Meaning Growth is Back $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Underlying US consumer prices increased in October on the back of a pickup in rents and healthcare costs, bolstering the view that a recent dis-inflationary trend worrying the Fed probably had ended. The rise in the consumer price index, excluding the volatile food and […]
US Seeing Highest Spending Since 2009 Stimulus Real federal spending in FY 2017 was the 2nd highest in the history of the United States, topped only by Y 2009, when former president Barack Hussein Obama’s $840-B stimulus law was enacted according to reports. Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 also saw the 2nd highest real federal individual […]
Strong Business Spending Driving the US Economy New orders for US-made goods rose in August and orders for core capital goods were stronger than previously reported, suggesting strong business spending to offset some of the economic drag of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Factory goods orders in August increased 1.2% as demand for a range of […]
US Stock Indexes Post Record Highs Despite Las Vegas ‘Horror’ $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX The S&P 500 and the DJIA traded just below record highs touched at the open Monday, in a strong start to Q-4, boosted by financials and healthcare stocks and after economic data pointed to underlying strength in the economy. Shares of […]
US Manufacturing Beat Estimates in September, Hit 13.5 Yr Highs September ISM Index (actual: 60.8 consensus: 57.8; prior: 58.8) August Construction Spending (actual: 0.5%; consensus: 0.2%; prior: -1.2%) A measure of US manufacturing activity surged to a near 13.5-year highs in September as disruptions to the supply chains caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma resulted in […]
US Consumer Comfort Falls After 7 Straight Weekly Gainers $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Americans’ confidence eased from a 16-year high last week, though relatively high optimism should continue to support spending, according to the Consumer Comfort Index figures released Thursday. Highlights of Consumer Comfort, Week Ended 3 September Consumer comfort measure fell to 52.6 from […]
US Factory Orders Post Decline in July $BA New orders for US-made goods recorded their biggest drop in nearly 3 years in July, but orders for capital goods were stronger than previously reported, pointing to robust business spending at the start of Q-3. Factory goods orders fell 3.3% amid a slump in demand for transportation […]
US Consumer Spending Up, Inflation Down, USD Falling $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US consumer spending rose a bit in July and annual inflation increased at its slowest pace since late Y 2015, diminishing expectations of a Fed interest rate hike in December. Inflation remains low even as the labor market is near full employment, a […]
US Consumer Confidence at 16-Year High, Sign of Sustained Spending $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Consumer confidence, including views about the US economy, last week marked a 16-year high, indicating spending will remain solid. Confidence among Republicans rose to an almost 10-year high, while comfort of independents was strongest in more than 16 years, Democrats are […]
Housing is The Top Consumer Spending Category in the UAE Among GCC countries, consumer spending per household in the UAE was highest during Y 2016 at $103,000 Consumer spending in the UAE is expected to exceed $261-B in Y 2021, compared to nearly $183-B in Y 2016, according to research released by the Dubai Chamber […]
Keeping America Safe, WH Beefs Up The Defense Sector $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an ER (executive order) that will direct a review into whether United States military suppliers would have the ability to keep the military stocked during wartime. Nextgov reports that the Pentagon will lead the multi-agency review, […]
June US Consumer Spending Near 9-Yr Highs Consumer spending in the US rose was $103 a day in June, the best performance for the month since Y 2008, according to a survey by Gallup. The daily spending in May was $104. Americans’ reported daily spending has averaged $100 or more since February, the longest stretch of […]
Lots of “Fast Growth” Ahead for the US Economy $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Economists and pundits daily nay-say President Donald Trump’s economic agenda and forecast of 3% growth as fantasy. The consensus is that the economy “can’t possibly grow at 3%,” according to The Wall Street Journal. “Slow growth is the new norm, so get […]
US Home Construction Stalled, Continuing Growth in Question $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX May Housing Starts and June Preliminary Consumer Confidence Starts: -5.5%; 1-family: -3.9% Permits: -4.9%; 1-Family: -1.9% Consumer Confidence: down 2.6 points The downward trend in home construction does not augur well for growth in 2-H Business leaders and owners, whether they are involved […]
US Retail Sales Miss, Fall 0.3% in Biggest Decline in 16 Months US retail sales marked their biggest decline in more than a year in May amid declining purchases of motor vehicles and discretionary spending, which could temper expectations for a sharp acceleration in economic growth in the 2nd Quarter. The US Commerce Department said […]
President Trump and The Economy of Mass Prosperity The next phase of Capitalism is coming, if its evolution is allowed After proposing $1 trillion investment into infrastructure, the Trump administration is harnessing the brainpower of renowned experts to unlock the insoluble problem of how many jobs will be created for each billion dollars of spending. […]
Economic Outlook is Bright, Consumer Spending Rising $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US consumer spending is stable and relatively high as Americans are more positive than negative about the national economy and fewer adults are unemployed than at any time in the past 16 years, Gallup reports: Their daily self-reports of spending averaged $104, similar to […]
The US Entitlement State is Not Sustainable $AAPL, $AMZN, $FB, $GOOG The US government’s entitlement programs: Social Security and Medicare, down to food stamps and spending on the arts are closing in on 70% of our spending. Add in interest our increasing debt, and very little of what the government spends money on goes to […]
President Trump’s Budget Is Pro-Taxpayers, Pro-Jobs, Pro-Growth President Donald Trump’s proposed Y 2018 budget will help to accelerate economic growth by 3.5 to 4% a year “Roll back regulations and grow, grow, grow. 3%, in my opinion, is minimal. They can do 3.5 to 4% if they get the tax cuts through ASAP,”Larry Kudlow, the […]
President Trump Right on Tax Reform, Slashing Regulation & Government Spending President Donald Trump has the right ideas about cutting taxes, regulation, and government spending. “If we want faster growth, the only recipe that gives you faster growth in the long run is increasing the productivity, the efficiency of your economy: Getting more output from […]
World War 3: Stocks for a “War Portfolio” $LTM, $GD, $BA The Key US defense contractor stocks are up on President Trump’s strong stance against, ISIS’ waring in Syria and North Korea’s ballistic missile threats. The group has been running since the election on President Trump’s campaign promises to boost military spending. Now, the outlook […]
US Durable Goods Data Indicates Increased Business Spending $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX New orders for Key US-made capital goods rose less than expected in March, but a 2nd straight monthly increase in shipments suggested business investment accelerated in Q-1 behind a recovering energy sector. While other data relieved Thursday showed a bigger-than-expected increase in 1st-time […]
The Trump Rally Resumes on Tax Cut Outlook $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US President Donald Trump’s signaled Monday that his focus for now is on significantly cutting tax rates. President Trump directed aides to move quickly on a plan to cut the corporate income tax rate to 15% from 35%, a Trump Administration official said […]
Commentary: The Continuing Funding of the US Government We are all aware that next week Friday, 28 April the US government funding for the remainder of Y 2017 runs out. My prediction is that Congress, coming back this coming Monday from 2 weeks off, will pass a 2 week CR (continuing resolution) to give them […]
US Construction Spending at 11-yr Highs US construction spending in February rose to the highest marks in about 11 years on a spike in the building of homes, highways and schools across the nation Construction spending rose 0.8% in February to the highest marks since April 2006, after 2 months of declines, the US Commerce […]
Rising Student Debt Hurts Housing and Consumer Spending Rising student loan debt looks to harm the overall US economy, especially home ownership and consumer spending, a top Federal Reserve official said Monday. The rising debt also might erode colleges’ and universities’ ability to elevate lower-income students. New York Fed President William Dudley cited research from […]
Gold Miners “Magic” Triggers $24-B Exploration Race $GLD, $EXCFF, $RIO, $BHP $SLW The sector is coming off of the bottom of the Bear Market cycle A rebound in exploration by global miners could see spending hit C$24-B by Y 2025 with China the front runner in the search for a new generation of giant discoveries. […]
Some Secrets to Success From Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) Collector David Lee $RACE Ferrari collector David Lee is a man who understands the secrets to success. The Big Q’s: How much of these are actually secrets? The Big A: The secrets to success are not actually secrets at all. Mr. Lee was recently interview by author R.L. Adams […]
IRS Tax Refund Delay to Weigh on Consumer Spending Legislation aimed at preventing fraud is delaying US federal tax refunds and is likely to hurt consumer spending by as much as $21-B this month. The provision in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act passed by Congress near the end of Y 2015 will postpone funds […]
China’s Economic Recovery Spurs Luxury Buying $COH, $SWGAY, $LVMHF China’s recent recovery in luxury spending may boost sales of department-store operators and high-end retailers in the country, according to global ratings agency Fitch. Reports from international brands such as Coach (NYSE:COH), Swatch (OTCMKT:SWGAY) and LVMH (OTCMKT:LVMHF) suggest luxury spending in China is beginning to pick […]
President Trump in Action Put Washington in Cardiac Arrest $SPY, $QQQ Tuesday the Trump Rally extended and the S&P 500 finished at +14.87 at 2280.07 and the NAS Comp at +48.01 at 5600.95 all time highs. All of Washington DC is in in Cardiac Arrest over news reports that President Donald Trump is planning a budget […]
Trump Team, National Debt Needs Attention Fast US Pesident Donald Trump’s pick for budget director Mick Mulvaney said the nearly $20-T national debt is the equivalent of an ordinary American family owing more than a $250,000 on their credit cards, a problem that needs to be “addressed sooner rather than later,” aka FAST. “Families know […]
Trump Team Planning Huge Government Spending Cuts Donald Trump’s Administration staff is preparing to slash US government spending by $10.5-T over 10 years, and will start Friday, January 20th after his swearing in ceremony. Plans include privatizing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (PBS)and eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the […]
Consumer Confidence Driving Holiday Spending $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX A rise in consumer spending in the last days of December has offset the slow start to the US Holiday shopping season, and is likely to help many retailers beat sales forecasts according to the data. The December spending boost is in contrast to the soft […]
Obama’s Radical “Green”Agenda has Stalled US Infrastructure Development $COP, $TRP Oil and Gas company ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) requested a permit from the Obama Administration to launch an oil-drilling project in Alaska in early Y 2015. The drilling project, dubbed the Greater Mooses Tooth Development (GMTD), is located within the National Petroleum Reserve and would create thousands […]
Confident Consumers Do Not Always Spend More $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US Consumer confidence is on the rise, Friday the University of Michigan Indicator (MSI) marked a 12 year high. But, that does not mean that retailers should expect an overly merry holiday season, as far as actual retail sales and consumer-spending numbers are concerned. […]
Good News: US Economy Growing, Bad News: Very Slowly $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX More Americans sought unemployment aid last week, but the number of applications remains at a low level that suggests companies are still hiring. The surge in jobless claims is not worrisome, but trying to seasonally adjust weekly data is a pretty much […]
US Healthcare Spending Grew Faster Than Economy Under Obama The USA’s healthcare bill grew at the fastest rate in 8ht years in Y 2015, driven by the coverage expansion in President Barack Hussein Obama’s law (ACA) and by costly Rx drugs, the government said recently. The growth of 5.8% in Y 2015 boosted total healthcare spending […]
US Economy Gaining Momentum in Q-4 $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US factory activity at 5-month high in November due to a pickup in new orders and production, offering more evidence that the economy gained further momentum early in Q-4. Other data Thursday showed the number of Americans claiming unemployment benefits hitting a 5-month high last […]
Retailers Rally, Driving S&P 500 to Record Highs $BBY, $M, $HD, $AMZN, $TGT Wall Street expects consumers to open their wallets a little wider this holiday shopping season but bargains among red-hot retail stocks could be hard to find, especially as profit growth proves elusive for many big names. Retailers, including Best Buy (NYSE:BBY), Kohls […]
Holiday Shopping Expects the “Trump Bump” Retailers Happy $ADBE Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that’s been the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season, now it is no longer a 1 day event. The WS-J reported Thursday shoppers have already spent $27.2-B between 1 and 23 November, a 4.3% hike over the same frame […]
It is Time to Be Optimistic Again $SPY Donald Trump’s plans for the economy will boost deficits, interest rates and growth but also will create opportunities for ordinary investors, it is time for Americans to be optimistic again. Both Trump and Hillary Clinton promised sorely needed additional spending on roads and public structures, schools, railway […]