Debt Ceilings, Sequesters & Shutdowns, Oh My!
Well, the U.S. has avoided a dreaded default on its obligations due to the debt ceiling limitation. But, for how long will the relative calm last? The good news is that the government shutdown is over for now and Social Security checks will continue to go out. Also Panda Cam which was a victim of…
Read MorePeer to Peer (P2P) Lending
Peer to Peer (P2P) Lending A possible alternative to Banks Lara Miller began showcasing her original fashion designs as a student of the Art Institute of Chicago. Six short years, a landslide of favorable press and 17 retail outlets later, the Lara Miller brand needed an influx of cash to keep up with demand and…
Read MoreTAPER, TAPER, TOIL & TROUBLE
Not to be confused with a tapir, which is a large browsing mammal similar in shape to a pig that roams the jungles of South America and Southeast Asia. The word taper or tapering has received a whole lot of attention lately after Ben Bernanke announced at the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting…
Read MoreIs The Great 30 Year Bond Bull Market Over – Part 2
What Effect Will It Have On Bonds and Bond Funds When the first part of this article was written back in the middle of February, everyone was screaming that interest rates were going to continue higher and the bond bull market that has lasted for over 30 years was over. My, what a difference two…
Read MoreThe Sequester: Everything You Could Possibly Need to Know
Two months ago it was the fiscal cliff, now we have the Sequester. If nothing is done by the end of today, we will have officially entered the reality of the Sequester. You can’t help to hear about it on the news, on late night TV, at the coffee shop, it is being talked about…
Read MoreIs the Great 30 Year Bond Bull Market Over?
Is the Great 30 Year Bond Bull Market Over? Recently, interest rates have begun to creep up as the U.S. economy appears to be improving. Corporations are earning record profits, housing is showing some life and consumers appear to be spending more on things ranging from clothes to autos. Since the beginning of December, 2012…
Read MoreSO, WE AVERTED THE FISCAL CLIFF, NOW WHAT?
In the last 2 weeks, we have survived the Mayan Apocalypse and the dreaded Fiscal Cliff as we watched 2012 draw to a close. So what does it all mean? Well, since we all survived the end of the Mayan calendar, the world as we know it will carry on. But what does surviving the…
Read MoreMore Fiscal Cliff Notes
More Fiscal Cliff Notes By now you have to believe that everyone is tired of hearing about the “Fiscal Cliff”. We know there is a good chance that this will drag on well beyond the New Year and the effects will likely impact almost everyone in some way. However, the media has really pumped this…
Read MoreAre We Headed Off the Fiscal Cliff?
Maybe December 21, 2012 (the date the Mayan Calendar supposedly says the world ends) shouldn’t be the date everyone worries about. Perhaps January 1, 2013 is a greater concern. By now you have most likely heard of the term “Fiscal Cliff” that has been tossed around by just about everyone. I don’t know about you,…
Read MoreQE III, So what is all the fuss about?
By now you likely have heard about the latest economic stimulus program that Ben Bernanke & the Federal Reserve have embarked on, known as QE III (Quantitative Easing III). We have previously discussed what Quantitative Easing (QE) is. In a broad sense, QE is essentially a form of open market operations that are supposed to…
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