"In Sympathy...."
One of the odder habits in the investing world is when an individual stock will rise on a strong earnings report, and other companies in...
Oil Prices Fall.
August 30, 2021 West Texas Intermediate has dropped to ~63.00/bbl from it's $75/bbl high just 5 weeks ago. Should get relief at the pump,...
Consumer Confidence Plunges. And?
The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index dived 11 points in one month, which at first blush, gets your attention. But a little...
M2 Velocity Still At a Crawl
The velocity of M2 for the 2nd Quarter of 2021 was practically unchanged from Q1, and is still slower than a mule after a margarita. The...
Interesting Trends In EPOP
Since the COVID crisis began, traditional methods of measuring unemployment aren't terribly useful, since so many have left the...
Why the Angst Over Gasoline Prices?
I have to confess I don't know what the fuss about gasoline prices is all about, especially given the stoked media coverage ahead of the...
Unemployment Turns a Corner
April 15, 2021 With this week's Initial and Continuing Claims report, it appears as if the unemployment situation has begun on it's long...
Debt Service is Still Cheap
Interest payments on the national debt actually FELL last year, to $345 billion or 1.6% of gross domestic product. They’re on track to...
Last Index for 2020
The last Lewis-Mertens-Stock Index reading for the year. Still negative, progress has stalled, and the incoming administration has many...
Why There's No Inflation Threat
A few conversations about the fear of money supply expansion triggered this explanation, which was first pointed out (to my knowledge) by...
