Events
Don’s Notebook July 13, 2018

Don’s Notebook July 13, 2018

In an interview Thursday on American Public Media’s “Marketplace” program, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell gave an upbeat assessment of the U.S. economy but warned a sustained period of high tariffs on a wide variety of imports could be harmful to growth....

Recent IPOs Glowing Green

Recent IPOs Glowing Green

Tech IPOs may be showing signs of life. Stocks like Huya (HUYA), Pivotal Software (PVTL) and Iqiyi (IQ) rallied hard in May and early June after their initial public offerings (IPOs), only to pull back sharply. But now they're having positive weeks. Does than mean...

Don’s Notebook July 12, 2018

Don’s Notebook July 12, 2018

A big increase in the CPI would have emphasized ongoing inflation risks: a tight labor market, high energy prices, and the initial imposition of import tariffs. However, today’s report showed consumer prices edged only 0.1 percent higher overall in June and 0.2...

An Unexpected Positive in Housing

An Unexpected Positive in Housing

There was a rare green shoot in housing today. Mortgage applications for buying a home rose 7 percent last week (seasonally adjusted), according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. It was the biggest gain since an increase of 10 percent in mid-April. Another report...

Here Come Earnings

Here Come Earnings

It's hard to deny sentiment is building for a strong earnings season. Depending on who you ask, profits are projected to rise more than 20 percent. While the estimates vary, direction is positive because all the research shows consensus figures climbing in recent...

Don’s Notebook July 11, 2018

Don’s Notebook July 11, 2018

The June Producer Price Index (PPI) of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was announced at 8:30am ET. Services and metals are factors in June's producer price report where all three headline indexes -- overall, less food & energy, less food & energy &...

Don’s Notebook July 10, 2018

Don’s Notebook July 10, 2018

The Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) tracks monthly change in job openings and offers rates on hiring and quits. The JOLTS report is expected to show a 6.700 million total in June, little changed from May's record 6.698 million. The...

Don’s Notebook July 9, 2018

Don’s Notebook July 9, 2018

The market has consistently attempted to move higher and lower, but the trend ends quickly as it either reverses the same day or the next. The S&P 500 was finally able to push away from its 50-day simple moving average and closed above some resistance in the 2,740...

So Much for a Trade War Killing Stocks

So Much for a Trade War Killing Stocks

The economy is strong, earnings are near and a trade war might be priced in. That kept stocks rising last week. The S&P 500 climbed 1.5 percent in the holiday-abbreviated week between June 29 and July 4. More than four-fifths of of the companies in the benchmark...

Goldilocks Silences Jerome Powell

Goldilocks Silences Jerome Powell

Fairy tales keep coming true in the U.S. economy. Most people know the classic story of Goldilocks describing the porridge of the Three Bears: Not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Most people probably also know how it gets applied to finance: Inflation's not too...