Searching for the Goldilocks Economy Provided by Marc Aarons Last week, the Federal Reserve took an aggressive stance toward inflation by raising the key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point.  A move unseen since 1994. With consumer prices soaring, pushing short-term rates higher is the Fed’s attempt to slow economic growth and rein […]

Inflation Creeping into Personal Finances Provided by Marc Aarons   If you have a balance on a credit card or an adjustable rate mortgage, you might be noticing changes in your payments. Higher interest rates are starting to ripple through the personal finance landscape, and it doesn’t look like that trend will change anytime soon. […]

In this Q1 recap: Global financial markets rattled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Inflation pressures rise as oil prices surge and supply chains become further stressed. The Federal Reserve is taking its first steps toward monetary normalization. Quarterly Economic Update A review of Q1 2022, Presented by Marc Aarons THE QUARTER IN BRIEF Financial […]

The Fed Makes Its Move Provided by Marc Aarons   The Federal Reserve recently announced that for the first time in three years, it would increase short-term interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point. In addition, the Fed has stated that it would like to see short-term interest rates near 2% by the […]

Powell’s testimony to Congress may be telling. Provided by Marc Aarons  If you weren’t paying close attention, you might have missed it. Fed Chair Jerome Powell dropped the word “transitory” when describing inflation during his recent testimony to Congress.1 Powell had told the story of transitory inflation for the past several months while the Consumer […]

In recent months, consumer confidence has been falling. Provided by Marc Aarons A confident consumer can be a powerful ally in an economy. But when the consumer starts to have questions, we can measure consumer confidence in everything from retail sales to home buying to the personal savings rate. In recent months, consumer confidence has […]

One lesser-known indicator is called the Baltic Dry Index.  Provided by Marc Aarons  You see it in prices at the grocery store and the gas station. You feel it in your monthly budget. So why don’t the financial markets seem too concerned about inflation? Remember, financial markets are considered “discounting mechanisms,” meaning they are looking […]

What to know as markets look forward.  Provided by: Marc Aarons  Are you having a tough time keeping track of inflation’s mixed signals? You’re not alone. Consumer prices in July climbed at their fastest rate since August 2008. Worse, producer prices, which can be an indicator of future price changes at the consumer level, rose […]

COLA and Social Security. Provided by Marc Aarons The news keeps getting better for Social Security recipients. It’s now projected that benefits will increase 6.1% in 2022, up from the 4.7% forecast just two months ago. That would be the most significant increase since 1983.1,2 It’s all about inflation. Social Security cost of living adjustments […]

Various factors drive used car prices.  Provided by Marc Aarons   Inflation is defined as the general upward price movement of goods and services in an economy. The key word is “general.” Inflation tends to be uneven and affects the price of some items more than others. If you’ve been in the market for a used […]