global economy

August 28, 2020

Has the US Dollar Lost its Dominant Reserve Currency Status?

Is US dollar dominance poised to end, and what might it mean for your finances?  Uncertainties surrounding US dollar strength have been top-of-mind for some individuals for many years and for a good reason. A significant decline in our nation’s currency could lead to higher prices for the goods and services you consume and make it more expensive to borrow money for big-ticket purchases like a house or a new car.  Today, there is a sensible argument to be made…

March 16, 2020

When will they shut the markets?

Global risk assets continued to move lower on Monday, pushing the current selloff well into bear market territory and on pace with a level of volatility not seen since the market crash of 1987.  To be sure, the S&P 500 index shed over 12% in another unpredictable day of trading and follows the surprise FOMC meeting on Sunday that slashed the fed funds rate by 100 basis points and saw the restart of its asset purchase programs.  What has become…

February 27, 2020

Economic update: Downside risks still increasing

The outlook for the U.S. and global economy has deteriorated yet again.  Unsurprisingly, the culprit behind the outlook downgrade has been news of the coronavirus’ continued spread.  To be sure, risk assets sold off this week and financial market volatility increased as concerns about the virus and its potential impact on the global economy dented investors’ up-until-recent euphoric sentiment.  More importantly, worries about the coronavirus come at a time when economic conditions in the U.S. and around the world remain…

January 2, 2020

Brace for more uncertainties in 2020

An undercurrent of seemingly benign financial market and political developments are poised to move both prepared and unprepared households further away from their financial goals in the coming years. These issues include monetary policy-related financial market distortions, a drag from excessive global debt and the rise of geopolitical uncertainties. Households attempting to financially prepare for the future will need to contend with financial market distortions that induce greater risk taking, debt constrained growth that lead to increasingly more expensive investment…