A resurgent U.S. economy in the first half of the year and forecasts for strong growth in the back half sustained the momentum that started in the fourth quarter of 2019. … READ MORE >
financial markets
RSM UK Financial Conditions Index: A milestone after 7 years of stress
Despite the public health risks around the delta variant, financial conditions imply rising risk appetite and are supportive of growth as the economy enters the third quarter of 2021. … READ MORE >
A 2021 ‘taper tantrum’? Not likely, but requires monitoring
The potential pulling back or altering the composition of the Fed’s accommodation to the economy via the financial channel will have an impact on interest rates that will directly affect what consumers pay for homes, autos and credit card interest. … READ MORE >
SPAC IPO market pauses as investors and regulators reevaluate
Now that the SPAC boom and its mid-February crest are behind us, what should we make of the current pause? How do we make sense of the slowdown? What forces will shape what happens next? … READ MORE >
5 key themes from SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s House testimony
With Gary Gensler sworn in as the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission in April, the direction of the agency under his leadership is now beginning to take shape. This was especially clear during a House Financial Services Committee hearing Thursday on the unprecedented surge in social media induced meme stock trading this year. … READ MORE >
Trump tests positive: Assessing its impact on the economy via financial markets
At this point, we think that any impact on the economy can be measured through the financial channel, the confidence channel and through consumer spending, with a lag. … READ MORE >
U.S. and global financial conditions imply economies at risk
Global financial conditions continue to flash red as global central banks acted forcefully to address the economic and financial effects of the COVID-19 virus. The Federal Reserve put a punctuation mark on monetary policy, dropping the fed funds rate back to the zero lower bound (ZLB) boosting asset purchases, opening dollar swap lines and reducing the rate it charges at its discount window. … READ MORE >