Economy
Is Anything Weirder Than the Economy Right Now?

Is Anything Weirder Than the Economy Right Now?

Gross domestic product (GDP) is due tomorrow. It's a good time to examine just how weird the economic situation has gotten. Things look increasingly negative from one perspective, but surprisingly positive from another vantage point. It's confounding experts, but may...

What the Surge in Rails May Be Saying About the Economy

What the Surge in Rails May Be Saying About the Economy

Economists have worried about the economy slowing, but railroads are telling a different story. The Dow Jones US Railroads Index ($DJUSRR) rose more than 2 percent today to a new all-time high. They've helped the broader transportation index ($DJT) and industrial...

Naysayers Hapless as Worst-Case Scenarios Prove Elusive

Naysayers Hapless as Worst-Case Scenarios Prove Elusive

It's hard being a stock bear now because worst-case scenarios are simply not panning out. Take the economy. It was supposed to slow down because of trade wars and the fading "sugar high" from President Trump's tax cuts. On Wednesday, that had Federal Reserve...

‘Weak Dollar’ Trades Appear Before Powell and the Fed

‘Weak Dollar’ Trades Appear Before Powell and the Fed

The market's embracing a "weak dollar" sentiment, looking for more easy money from Jerome Powell's Federal Reserve tomorrow. Copper (@HG), crude oil (@CL), silver (@SI) and gold (@GC) rallied earlier this morning before giving up some gains. Exchange-traded funds...

S&P 500 Isn’t the Only Chart Hitting New Highs for 2019

S&P 500 Isn’t the Only Chart Hitting New Highs for 2019

Stock indexes, along with crude oil, just closed at their highest levels of the year. Is it the top, or the start of another rally as fear leaves the market? Let's review some of the key points with equities in the midst of their third straight winning month. One big...

Mr. Powell and the Punch Bowl

Mr. Powell and the Punch Bowl

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will answer a lot of questions in the Senate this week. But they all come down to one issue: Will he take away the punch bowl, or fill it up? If you don't know the lingo, we're talking about interest rates. The old saying is that...

Are Inflation Stars Lining Up for Leisure Stocks?

Are Inflation Stars Lining Up for Leisure Stocks?

Something unusual is happening with prices, and it's become good news for certain companies this year. Inflation data from the government shows the price of services rose 2.7 percent year over year in January, while commodities had their first drop since November...