• Fixed Income Overview

    Government and corporate bond yields saw a slight increase in July as the Fed raised short-term rates and increased government debt levels. Shorter-term bond yields remained higher than longer-term bond yields at the ...

    Published On: August 28, 2023Categories: Economy, Retirement

  • Dollar Losing Value as Fed Continues to Raise Rates – Currency Overview

    When the Fed began increasing its Fed Funds Rate in 2022, the U.S. dollar became stronger as higher rates attracted foreign funds. Other currencies, such as the euro, simultaneously lost value due to ...

    Published On: August 24, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Business Bankruptcy Filings Increasing – Economic Sentiment

    An indication of where the economy might be headed is business bankruptcy filings. Small and large businesses tend to react to economic changes via their business activity and financial conditions. Despite both 2021 ...

    Published On: August 22, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Macro Economic Overview

    The rating on U.S. government debt was cut from AAA to AA+ by Fitch, one of the three major credit rating agencies. Standard & Poor’s, another primary rating agency, cut its rating on ...

    Published On: August 11, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Wages Lag Behind Inflation in Nearly All U.S. Cities – Employment Update

    Real wages, or workers’ pay adjusted for inflation, have decreased for 26 consecutive months. Even when nominal wage growth has been significant, inflation has surpassed it and diminished workers’ purchasing power for over ...

    Published On: July 21, 2023Categories: Economy

  • America is Getting Older – Demographics

    The average age in the U.S. increased to a historic high in 2022, rising 0.2 years between 2021 and 2022 to reach a median of 38.9 years old. The average age has been ...

    Published On: July 13, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Macro Economic Overview

    Equity markets reacted to uncertainty in June as major indexes saw an increase in volatility. Earnings continue to be a critical focal point as companies struggle to maintain elevated prices while consumer confidence ...

    Published On: July 12, 2023Categories: Economy

  • U.S. Jobless Claims on Uptrend – Employment Market Overview

    Signs of a cooling economy are beginning to radiate throughout the labor market, which saw its highest level of weekly initial jobless claims since October 2021. While unemployment remains fairly low, this is ...

    Published On: June 30, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Recent History of the Debt Ceiling – Fiscal Policy

    In the decades following World War II, the U.S. has seen its debt level steadily increase as the government has faced growing financial commitments. More recently, however, government debt has been expanding at ...

    Published On: June 29, 2023Categories: Economy

  • More Women in the Workforce – Labor Market Update

    An increasing share of women are participating in the workforce, representing a strong recovery from a pandemic-era slump. With more job openings and recruitment of women alongside high inflation driving needs for supplemental ...

    Published On: June 27, 2023Categories: Economy