The Independent Market Observer

Monday Update: Consumers Confident, Business Investment Slowing

March 5, 2018

There were five major economic reports last week, which gave us a detailed look at both the consumer and manufacturing. This week, we’ll see three major reports, which will give us a view of the service sector, trade, and the job market.

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What the Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Mean for Your Investments

March 2, 2018

Yesterday, President Trump announced that the U.S. will be imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. This shocked markets here in the U.S. and around the world, driving them back down just as it looked like they were recovering from the downturn last month. What happened? And is this a more serious threat going forward? In a word, yes.

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Monday Update: March Rate Hike Seems Likely

February 26, 2018

Last week was a slow one for economic data. But this week, we’ll have five major economic reports that will give us a detailed look at both consumers and manufacturing. Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

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Monday Update (on Tuesday): Inflation Rising, Data Weak

February 20, 2018

Last week’s data covered wide slices of the economy and was generally weak, while the week ahead will be a slow one. Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

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Monday Update: Service Sector Strong, Trade Data Weak

February 12, 2018

We had only two major economic news releases last week, but the week ahead will be a busy one.

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Monday Update (on Tuesday): Strong Data and Upside Surprises

February 6, 2018

Last week was a big one for economic data, with four major reports. Despite the weaker tone of the data in recent weeks, the latest news was quite positive. All indicators either met or beat expectations—sometimes by a lot.

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Jobs Report: Good, But Not Perfect

February 2, 2018

Today’s big news is the jobs report. It is the single most informative and important economic report there is. As such, it always gets a great deal of attention. In general, the news this month is quite good—but not perfect.

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Monday Update: Strong Data Continues, Despite Some Weakening

January 29, 2018

The government reopened quickly after a brief shutdown, so last week’s economic data was released after all. It included big-picture news from across the economy, with the signals remaining positive overall despite some weakening in several areas.

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What Does the Decline of the Dollar Mean?

January 26, 2018

One of the dominating economic headlines of late has been the weakness of the dollar. These stories have been exacerbated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s comment that the “dollar is not a concern of mine.” Reading through the news, there is certainly a great deal of concern over whether a weak dollar is a sign of trouble ahead and whether the decline could get even worse. So, should we as investors or as citizens be worried? In a word, no.

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Should We Be Worried About a Trade War?

January 24, 2018

With the news that President Trump has imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines (an interesting combination), the prospect of a trade war has moved to the front of the risk parade. What do these tariffs mean for your investments and the economy? Should we be worried? Despite the headlines, the answer is “not yet.”

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