Many market agents seem vexed by the VIX. Their recent lessons include a dramatic spiking of volatility, the reactionary pricing of an exchange-traded note (ETN), some forced liquidation, and a blisteringly fast correction in stock prices. The average stock dropped 14% in only a few weeks.…

Eurozone equity markets have declined in step with global markets in a widely expected market correction. While there has been some recovery in the first two days of this week, it is not yet clear that the correction has run its course. Concerns that interest rates in both the United States and…

One of the characteristics of a struggling republic is the inability to separate its central bank’s resources from the fiscal largesse of the federal government. Using central bank resources to avoid addressing funding of the government is a sure path to runaway inflation, economic decline, and…

The President’s infrastructure vision is now in the hands of Congress, which is tasked with devising a plan that promotes investment in our nation’s well-being. The vision includes over $1 trillion in investment over the next ten years. Infrastructure investment is sorely needed, as is…

“Yet there is also good reason to worry,” wrote the Economist on a page 10 editorial dated February 3, 2018. We agree.

First we must say that we think the market is now very oversold and panicked.  That is why we were on the buying side today and especially so in the last hour. Most of the cash in the US and US Core ETF portfolios is deployed as of 4 PM today. The quantitative Lev Vol and Vol strategy…

Economic and financial issues will be thoroughly discussed on February 22 at USF Sarasota-Manatee. The confirmed lineup includes Sara Banaszak of Exxon Mobil, who has expertise in the energy sector. Everything from Puerto Rico Electric Power to offshore drilling to national constraints is on the…

The bond markets have experienced a hiccup in the first part of this year, with the 10-year bond rising 45 basis points in yield, to 2.85% from 2.40%, and the 30-year bond rising 37 basis points in yield, to 3.11% from 2.74%. Our feeling is that these yields are rising in one measure to compete…

Fierce forces at work on interest rates … or are we just seeing a mild adjustment? There is no way to know. We are referring to US Treasury interest rates on bills, notes, and bonds. Some bullets follow.

1. It is clear that the newly installed leadership of the Federal Reserve want to…

We have now confirmed a bipartisan congressional panel for the February 22 “Cuba and the Caribbean: What Now?” event. Florida Congressman Carlos Curbelo, whose district includes the Keys, which bore the direct hurricane hit, is joined by Virgin Islands Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett. The…