Open Door Policy

Open Door Policy China’s Zero-Covid policy could not last forever, but the suddenness of the reversal was unexpected. China’s doors are opened once again. The initial reaction is one of optimism for global economic growth, but hurdles remain. If we have learned anything about Covid, it is that once released, it spreads quickly. The Lunar […]
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What Do You Think?

What Do You Think? Our inboxes are full of market and economy projections for 2023, most of which are completely worthless. In early December, 2021, Reuters ran a story with this opening line: “The S&P 500 will gain 7.5% between now and the end of 2022 to finish at 4,910, driven by earnings and economic […]
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What Does a Strong Dollar Mean for the US Economy?

What Does a Strong Dollar Mean for the U.S. Economy? In late September 2022, the U.S. dollar hit  a 20-year high in an index that measures  its value against six major currencies: the euro, the Japanese yen, the British pound, the Canadian dollar, the Swedish krona, and the Swiss franc. At the same time, a […]
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China as a Catalyst | October 29, 2022

China as a Catalyst This week’s headline could easily be construed as a commentary on the potential for an armed conflict, but in this case, we are on a completely different track. With the economic situation in the States appearing increasingly dire (weakening economy, high inflation, massive debt, & higher interest rates) it is rather […]
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CHIPs and Science Act Aims to Preserve US Technology Edge

CHIPs and Science Act Aims to Preserve U.S. Technology Edge The CHIPs and Science Act of 2022, signed into law on August 9, is a bipartisan legislation package that provides more than $50 billion in direct financial assistance for semiconductor companies to increase U.S.-based design, research, and manufacturing capabilities. In addition, the legislation authorizes nearly […]
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Sheltered from the Storm | September 24, 2022

Sheltered from the Storm The bear market rally in July and August had many people hopeful, but that rally has now disappeared and we are essentially back at the June lows on the S&P 500. All this has happened as the Fed has consistently raised interest rates to address inflation, which has sent the bond […]
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Is Energy Inflation Tamed? | September 10, 2022

Is Energy Inflation Tamed? Spot WTI crude prices are down about 29% from the Ukraine Invasion peak back in March. Retail gasoline prices have come down about 25% from the peak earlier this year and diesel prices are down almost 13% from the peak. Those are all very meaningful declines, but all three are still […]
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