Apart from covid and inflation, one of the most talked-about issues in financial markets these days is the Fed’s “taper.” People reference the “taper tantrum” of 2013, a period of market turmoil that many think could be upon us. What exactly is the “taper” we are now facing? Should investors be concerned? More generally –…
Derailed by Delta?
Just as the US and many parts of the world are nearing a return to normal, a new covid variant has emerged – the so-called “Delta” variant. How concerned should we be about Delta? What impact might Delta have on the global recovery? At least domestically in the US, the outlook is encouraging. The rest…
Coronavirus: Light at the End of the Tunnel
It’s been just over a year since COVID halted life as we know it worldwide. It seems like an eternity. With the light at the end of this tunnel finally visible, let’s take a deeper look at the current state of the virus and the outlook ahead. Current Cases As we finally approach herd immunity…
Who’s Afraid of the Big Blue Wave?
Capped by stunning victories in the Georgia Senate runoff races, the Democrats have now swept into control of government. With the Presidency and both houses of Congress under their command, the legislative ability of the Democrats has undoubtedly grown more powerful that in would have been with a GOP-controlled Senate. But what does this really…
Wanna Bet? Trump v. Biden Edition
Wanna bet on who will win the election this year? Indeed, many do. The presidential election betting market is actually quite large. What’s more, you can use the betting market to gauge the probability – at least, according to those putting their actual money on the line – of who will win the election. Put…
A Tale of Two Economies
As the world continues its battle with coronavirus, equity market performance has been starkly different across the globe. Take a look at the US major equity indices – the S&P 500 and NASDAQ – versus the major indices for Europe. This is year-to-date performance for US stock indices and France (CAC 40), Italy (FTSE MIB),…