Thought Leadership Archive
As featured in the Charlotte Business Journal. A couple of decades ago, while at a former employer, I wrote a piece about the potential economic impact a particular Category 1 hurricane would have on the Gulf…
If you only had one word to best explain the 3rd quarter of 2024, it would be finally. For close to two years, investors have been anticipating the start of the next Fed easing cycle. Put…
The 3rd quarter of 2024 was a nice change of pace from the first half of the year, at least in a few respects. You may remember our previous pieces on just how narrow the market…
INTEREST RATES After 18+ months of agonizing about when it would do so, the Federal Reserve finally cut the overnight lending target rate during the quarter. In truth, it was somewhat anticlimactic. The sun came up…
At the end of the 3rd quarter, The People’s Bank of China made several monetary policy changes to help to support the struggling financial system and economy in that country. At first, global investors cheered the…
Social media has emerged as a powerful force in investing and political engagement. What began as a way of keeping up with friends and family online has evolved into a platform that can guide individuals into…
As I sit down to type a review of the 3rd quarter equity markets on the first day of October, it strikes me what is currently going on around us: a good portion of the Carolinas…
Surprisingly, the 20th century unveiled some common economic trends between the United States and Midway through the century both countries had undergone a period of serious domestic turmoil, with The Great Chinese Famine occurring exactly 30…
In 2024, particularly during the 3rd quarter, the only economic releases that have truly mattered relate to either labor markets or inflation. Everything else has been almost irrelevant. The ISM Report(s)on business? Big deal. Durable goods…
This week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for September 2024. It reported the aggregate CPI was up 0.2% last month, and has increased 2.4% over the previous 12…