It’s the simple things that we all have in common. Sometimes, all anyone wants at the end of the day is a sense of inner peace. Peace of mind, however, can be a scarce commodity. Nearly 40 percent of Americans have reported that politics have stressed them out. If you are stressed out about political turmoil, you are not alone. A recent study published in the Public Library of…
For the past year, we’ve heard various predictions and prognostications from economic experts about an impending recession. Some have called for a downturn by the end of this year. Others maintain that there could be a recession—along with a contentious election—next year. And yet another group of analysts are calling for the longest uninterrupted economic…
We all know that the financial markets cannot continue to climb indefinitely. Stocks have routinely collapsed throughout history, and bad things have been set in motion by a variety of factors, like speculation, inflation, asset bubbles, bank failures, mass unemployment, and geopolitics. Market crashes wipe out what’s called “paper wealth,” leaving a wake of decimated “paper millionaires” who, according to Investopedia, are individuals with “a high net worth as a result of the large total market value of the assets he or she owns.” Many of us with robust pensions or 401(k)s may…
Europe has just posted downright dismal PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) numbers. The Purchasing Managers’ Index is a leading indicator of manufacturing activity and a carefully watched barometer of economic health. The latest PMI flash data that covers 19 countries in the European Union suggests that the eurozone could be moving closer to recession. A PMI reading above 50 generally suggests an economic expansion, while anything below 50 indicates a contraction. The monthly flash report for September (an advanced indicator) fell from…
Baby boomers are the children of the Greatest Generation and most often defined as those born between 1946 and 1964 during the post–World War II baby boom that saw the U.S. population surge by more than 76 million. Boomers, however, have proven to be great in their own right. They’re a hardworking, entrepreneurial generation that…
In a year of dramatic stock volatility, trade struggles, profit worries, bond mayhem, and endless recession timelines, it’s easy to become immune to the various “dire” economic warnings that arise each week. But sometimes one indicator takes you by surprise. The Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Index fell to 49.1 in August, the lowest level…
For over a year, the U.S.-China trade war has been daily water cooler talk at every big bank and investment firm from Wall Street to Main Street. And with good reason. It has created uncertainty and volatility—and by many accounts, it has reduced global growth to a crawl. Each new round of tariffs unnerves the…
In October, the People’s Republic of China will turn 70 years old. It was established when the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) defeated the Nationalist Party during the Chinese Civil War (1945–1949). Mao Zedong, the leader of the PLA, formally declared the creation of a “democratic dictatorship” on October 1, 1949, and went on
Overinvestment, overindulgence, and fiscal binging—call it what you will, but it always seems to lead to a head-pounding day of reckoning. The “hangover theory” is a business-cycle philosophy that famed economist Paul Krugman summarized back in 1998: “In the beginning, an investment boom gets out of hand. Maybe excessive money creation or reckless bank lending…
“We may well be at the most dangerous financial moment since the 2009 Financial Crisis with current developments between the U.S. and China.” –Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers China’s move to devalue its currency sent markets reeling and gold soaring on Monday. The People’s Bank of China said the devaluation was “due to the effects…
Upbeat earnings, rosy job reports, rate-cut chatter, a red-hot labor market, and robust consumer spending—it certainly has been high times on Wall Street. One is reminded of the days of excess, the “greed is good,” white-collar culture of billion-dollar deals, spending benders, and banks behaving badly. The current appetite in stocks is nothing short of…
Gold has been making some big headlines lately, and while experts can’t quite figure out if it’s a rally or a realignment—they like what they see. The yellow metal is up more than 11% in the last 6 months and more than 16% in the last year. But that’s nothing extraordinary for the precious metal. A glance back at the end of the 20th century—which…
