Thursday, December 26, 2024
Dear Investor, Last week, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), better known as Freddie Mac, reported that the average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages jumped to 3.45%, up from slightly more than 3% a month ago, and 2.79% one year ago. Higher rates hurt traditional mortgage companies – refinancing business dries up, and […]
With earnings season coming up, we’re seeing some unusual action in big bank options. The expected rate increases from the Fed in 2022 mean that banks could see greater profitability from their interest rate spreads. This is leading to expectations of strong guidance from banks during earnings season. One strategist is using a covered call […]
The banking sector can be challenging to trade when interest rates are near zero. On the one hand, banks tend to earn more profits when interest rates are higher. On the other hand, if low interest rates lead to economic improvement, that’s good news for banks. The reason ultra-low interest rates are typically not the […]
The Federal Reserve’s ultra-low interest rate policy and quantitative easing programs are regularly debated among economists, armchair analysts, and everyone in between. Monetary policy can be pretty complex, with hundreds of variables to consider. So, it’s not a huge surprise that there’s so much disagreement on policy. Most studies have shown that the Fed’s increasingly […]
As low as interest rates have been lately, it doesn’t seem to have diminished investors’ appetite for government bonds. A yield under 1.50% for 10-year Treasury notes is not a detriment, apparently, when the rest of the developed world is also in an ultra-low rate cycle. Bond investors may have assumed the looming threat of […]
As a youngster, every Saturday we would head to the movies for a double feature of cowboy movies; all for the price of a quarter. Sandwiched between the storyline we saw scenes of cowboys rounding up cattle, herding them toward parts unknown. That was before McDonald’s, and we never saw them marching to the slaughterhouse. […]
Why do retirees crave guaranteed fixed income? It’s simple. Retiring comfortably is having enough money to enjoy your lifestyle, without constantly having to worry about money. Prior to the 2008 bank bailouts, Certificates of Deposit and top-quality bonds filled that role well. Current interest rates are pathetic. At current rates, CDs and quality bonds are guaranteed […]
Casual investors will be aware of what happens in the stock market, but may not be as well informed about the current state of interest rates. Retirement plan experts recommend allocating a large portion of 401(k) accounts to bonds, and those building for retirement using their company 401(k) plans may not be aware of how […]
Times are chaotic! Historically, when chaos reigns and emotions are turbocharged, there are winners and losers. Despite the stress, winners manage to see things clearly and keep their wits about them. Recently we interviewed John Williams at Shadowstats. He said government unemployment and inflation numbers are bogus. He also tells us: – Worst U.S. Economic Activity Ever Reported […]
Global pandemics and civil unrest don’t seem to impact stock prices, but it remains challenging to find yield in a world of near-zero interest rates. Central banks are doing everything they can to keep global economies from crashing (which is the main reason stock prices are stable), and the result is that yield can’t be […]
