STATUS CHECK: BITTER PARTISAN DIVISIONS ON DISPLAY; CONSUMER CONF DETERIORATES

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Tuesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes: A VIX somewhat more tense Tuesday, worsening 2.83% to 25.44, as U.S. stocks backed into the red by moderate amounts, worsening in a steep downdraft in the last hour of trading. The S&P […]

STATUS CHECK: FOMC; THE SHADOW VIRUS TASK FORCE; AS GOES BASEBALL …

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Monday’s’ status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes: A VIX improved by a large amount, 4.28%, to 24.74, backgrounded a mildly positive day for U.S. stocks, with the DJIA +0.43%/+114.88; S&P +0.74%/+23.78 and the Nasdaq +1.67%/+173.09. After-hours futures were much the […]

THE JULY FOMC AND BEYOND – WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FED

By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Even though the U.S. economy’s partial recovery has lately shown signs of faltering in face of renewed anti-coronavirus restrictions, it would be little short of astonishing if the Federal Reserve’s policy making Federal Open Market Committee were to announce any new monetary stimulus initiatives at the conclusion of its […]

US NABE SURVEY: ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT SEEN FROM NOW ON

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The National Association for Business Economics Monday published the latest survey of its members, the Business Conditions Survey, showing marked improvements compared to April’s previous survey and expectations of expansion through the second half of next year. The following are excerpts from the survey of 104 members through July 14:  “The July […]

STATUS CHECK: NEXT WK, FOMC AND US GDP. MORE NASDAQ WOES?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s’ status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes: The VIX stayed about the same at 25.84 Friday after U.S. stocks were modestly negative for a second day. The DJIA finished -0.68%/-`82.94 and off 0.76% for the week. S&P -0.67%/-20.03 and also […]

DATA PREVIEW: THE COVID BILL COMES DUE WITH Q2 US GDP

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – All throughout the COVID-19 shutdown, everyone from talking heads to economists to politicians spoke about second quarter GDP in ominous terms – a data point that was way down the road at the time. So now here we are. The advance estimate of second-quarter GDP will be released Thursday […]

STATUS CHECK: TRUMP: ‘WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER;’ GA VIRUS SHOWDOWN DELAYED

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Tuesday’s updated status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes: With the VIX down 1.6% to maintain moderately elevated 24.84, U.S. stocks had a mixed session Tuesday with a much different composition than Monday’s Nasdaq blowout. In fact the Nasdaq ended in […]

STATUS CHECK: NASDAQ WOWS; TRUMP REPEATS; SHELTON UP

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Monday’s updated status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes: With the VIX down 4.13% to a calmer 24.60, the Nasdaq set another record in a big way, gaining 2.51% or 263.90 on the back of Tesla (+9.47% to record high), Peloton […]

BOE’S HALDANE: MPC MULLING SUB-ZERO RATES DESPITE STRONG ECONOMIC RECOVERY

By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – The Bank of England is continuing to assess the efficacy of negative interest rates, despite a stronger-than-expected economy recovery, the bank’s chief economist said Monday. Sub-zero interest rates are “actively under review,” said Andy Haldane, addressing the UK’s Treasury Select Committee.  The bank could also consider expanding its quantitative […]

FED’S BEIGE BK: SOME BOUNCEBACK FROM STILL VERY LOW LEVELS

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The latest Federal Reserve Beige Book survey of economic conditions in all 12 Districts published Wednesday was particularly uninformative this time around, providing little insight beyond generally available information on what’s happening to guide the upcoming meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. The summary and District-by-District snapshots, assembled by the Chicago […]