In recent weeks markets have encountered turmoil with prospects for growth around the world being slashed as debt issues in Europe weigh on investors. As investors continue to flee the euro, many are flocking towards the relative safety of the U.S. dollar, further driving up the greenback and dragging down commodity prices. In addition to basic metals, one of the most heavily impacted commodities has been oil, which has plummeted as of late. Traders have seen the price of crude slump from close to $90/bbl. to now down around $70/bbl.–and some see no end to the slide in sight. While this could translate into good news for consumers at the pump, it has been a negative development for oil production firms as well as currencies that are highly dependent on commodities. [click to continue…]
Equity markets are suddenly enduring a rocky April. Stocks were off to a good start last week following strong earnings reports from Intel and JP Morgan, but poor numbers out of Bank of America and fraud allegation at Goldman Sachs sent major indexes sharply lower (see ETFs With Exposure To Goldman). With another week of [...]
After plunging in mid-week trading, equity markets climbed back to finish up last week. Commodity markets were also in focus, as oil stayed flat and a sinking dollar caused gold to gain almost $50/oz. in trading over the course of the week. Bond yields also slipped with the benchmark 10 Year T-Bill falling by close [...]
After struggling for much of 2009, the U.S. dollar is back on the upswing thanks not to overwhelming strength in the domestic economy, but sovereign debt issues in Europe and a subsequent “flight to quality” from international investors. Although the mounting debt of the U.S. government presents potential debt problems down the road, the dollar [...]
Federal Reserve meetings are always among the most anticipated and closely scrutinized events in the investment community, as specific decisions on key interest rates and more general observations on the state of the economy have the power to set off waves of either buying or selling on Wall Street and around the globe. Central bank [...]
With a roller coaster six months behind us that saw no shortage of interesting twists and turns and unsuspected headlines, we’ve finally reached the midway point of 2009. Ahead of us is the highly anticipated “second half of 2009,” which for months we’ve heard will hold returns to growth, a recovering economy, and enough green [...]
