Category Archives: Fiscal Policy

Stocks drop on political and geopolitical uncertainties

Posted on December 19, 2011 by

Stocks opened the penultimate week of 2011 to the down side, with the S&P 500 losing 1.2% on Monday.

Posted in Fiscal Policy, Global, Stocks

Stocks end ungainly week with modest price gains

Posted on November 11, 2011 by

It certainly wasn’t pretty, but most of the world’s stock markets sandwiched four days of rising prices around a horrendous Wednesday, and most stocks came out ahead for the week.

Posted in Fiscal Policy, Stocks

The President’s Speech

Posted on September 8, 2011 by

Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke spoke today on the economic outlook and monetary policy, and unlike his remarks in August, today’s comments were met with an unappreciative decline in stock prices.

Posted in Federal Reserve, Fiscal Policy

Stocks are down again on slow GDP report and more debt wrangling in D.C.

Posted on July 29, 2011 by

Q: When can a GDP growth rate of 1.3% be considered a good report? A: When it follows a 0.4% rate in the prior period.

Posted in Bonds, Economy, Fiscal Policy, Stocks

Dueling Budgets

Posted on July 25, 2011 by

Ta da da, da da: the debt ceiling debate in Washington is the central story in the markets today and, we suppose, increasingly through August 2.

Posted in Bonds, Fiscal Policy, Stocks

Stock prices find reason to rally in prospective debt deal

Posted on July 21, 2011 by

U.S. stock prices rose sharply again on Thursday, following up on European share price gains that arose out of European Union efforts to aid Greece and put the Euro debt crisis to rest.

Posted in Fiscal Policy, Leading Indicators

Stock prices are quiescent while Treasury bonds sink

Posted on July 20, 2011 by

Stock price changes were relatively muted Wednesday, while Treasury bond prices moved violently lower, especially the long Treasury and the long TIPS bond.

Posted in Bonds, Fiscal Policy

Good, good, good, good vibrations

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

U.S. stock market averages enjoyed their best rally in at least four months, as the Dow advanced more than 200 points (+1.6%), the S&P 500 had a similar gain (+1.6%), and NASDAQ (+2.2%) experienced its biggest increase since October 2010.

Posted in Corporate Profits, Fiscal Policy, Stocks

Debt debate might be going to penalty kicks

Posted on July 18, 2011 by

Stocks started the new week by extending their downtrend another 0.8% to 0.9% on the major market averages, while investors awaited a resolution of the Washington debt debate and European credit concerns continued to roil international markets.

Posted in Corporate Profits, Fiscal Policy, Stocks

Plan B from Outer Space

Posted on July 15, 2011 by

As the week came to a close, something people are calling Plan B was looking more and more likely in Washington as the solution to the debt ceiling stalemate.

Posted in Fiscal Policy, Inflation