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Last week’s higher-than-expected inflation report was a game-changer for the Federal Reserve (Fed) and bond markets. With inflationary pressures continuing to run much hotter than the Fed’s 2% target, an even more aggressive rate hiking campaign was priced into markets.
The key to getting the market back into balance is a bigger labor force, and the economy is starting to experience a larger labor force as individuals come off the sidelines and rejoin the job market.
September is often a month to remember for investors—but for the wrong reasons. September has historically been one of the weakest months of the year for stocks.
Earnings growth of 6-7% doesn’t sound very exciting, but given the challenges corporate America has faced, we consider the nearly-complete second quarter earnings season a resounding success. The numerous challenges last quarter included a slowing economy, intensifying inflation pressures, ongoing global supply chain disruptions, and a surging U.S. dollar.
Regardless of what you do or how much you earn, you deal with money on a daily basis. The more you understand about finances, the more effectively you will be able to manage yours. Yet, many people lack financial literacy skills. One study of 15-year-olds found that 18% had not learned fundamental financial skills to use in everyday life, like comparison shopping and creating a budget.
Existing home sales fell 5.9% in July, the sixth consecutive month of declines as higher interest rates weigh on housing affordability and prospective buyers. As the housing market slowed, so did prices. The median price for a single family home was $410,600, a decline of roughly $10,000 from June. However, homes do not stay on the market long. Over the last two months, homes were on the market for an average of only 14 days, three days shorter than a year ago.
