The knee-jerk market response that sent the 10-year Treasury yield to 1.54% during Thursday’s speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell implies that the Fed may have to act to dampen yields at the long end of the curve. That may be necessary to reinforce its policy regime of flexible average ... READ MORE >
coronavirus
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of March 1
In this week’s roundup we look at new data coming out of the United Kingdom and Israel on their COVID-19 vaccination programs’ results. The U.K. reported last week promising data on the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine after just one dose. We also highlight improvements in public perception of the ... READ MORE >
February jobs preview: Winter doldrums ahead of a springtime rebound
We expect a total increase in employment of 105,000 jobs for February with the unemployment rate holding steady at 6.3% when the Labor Department releases its monthly data on Friday. The primary narrative for the month will be the contrast between the true level of unemployment in the economy and the ... READ MORE >
RSM UK Financial Conditions Index is positive as budget is introduced
While the medical and life sciences communities were doing the remarkable work of developing three effective coronavirus vaccines over the past year, global monetary and fiscal authorities have been laying the groundwork for an economic recovery. With the introduction of the latest U.K. budget, we ... READ MORE >
U.S. inflation outlook: Don’t believe the hype
The reflation of the American economy following the debilitating effects of the pandemic has begun. Recent increases in growth forecasts, the January jump in retail sales, trillions of dollars in fiscal aid and stimulus, as well as the prospect of a household-led boom over the next two years, have ... READ MORE >
3 things to know this week in energy: Texas’ grid, oil prices and Canadian crude-by-rail exports
All eyes remain on Texas and the state’s energy grid operator in the aftermath of a devastating winter storm, oil prices responded positively to the U.S. House passing a new COVID-19 relief bill, and Canadian crude-by-rail exports are rebounding after a rough 2020. Biweekly, we round up news and ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: A sustained recovery as rebound takes shape
The outlook for manufacturing in the United States continues to improve, signaling a robust rebound as the post-pandemic economy takes shape. For the seventh consecutive month, the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index increased, showing above-normal sentiment. It’s more evidence that the U.S. ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Closing out the gap year
A recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found sharp downturns last year in enrollments of freshman at four-year and two-year public colleges, and a moderate downturn at private four-year nonprofit colleges. There were fewer returning students (upper classes), but the decline was not ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Feb. 22
In this week’s roundup we look at two important developments in the ongoing response to the pandemic. The first is the likelihood that Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine could be approved under an emergency use authorization (EUA) as early as this weekend. The second is a major new effort by the U.S. ... READ MORE >
Low interest rates offer private equity firms a rare opportunity to invest
As the Federal Reserve maintains historically low interest rates, private equity firms in the middle market have an opportunity to make more affordable capital investments that will pay off in the future. It's the result of the unusual current environment on interest rates, with the yield on ... READ MORE >