Inflation

Like the first crisp breeze that signals summer’s end, the Federal Reserve’s decision to lower the overnight interest rate on Wednesday suggests a chill in the economic air, one marked by growing concern over the labor market. 

The calendar has turned, and we find ourselves on the backside of Labor Day.  Halloween, however, is nearly two months away.  America finds itself in a sort of doldrums.  Summer is unofficially over, yet the holiday season has not arrived.  Many Americans resort to Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSL) as a way of taking the edge off of this uneventful period.  If that’s you

The Federal Reserve heavily influences the American economy.  Every six weeks the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) gathers to determine the correct course for monetary policy; they do this by setting the Fed Funds Rate (the amount charged for overnight loans between banks).  In short, they are trying to strike a balance between controlling inflation and supporting the labor market

According to chiefexecutive.net, optimism remains stubbornly low in America’s C-Suites (the group of senior executives in a company whose titles typically start with "Chief”).  Each month they conduct America’s largest monthly poll of CEOs.

From time to time, Atlas will look at consumer attitude data.  Recently, the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment release caught our attention.  In particular, inflation expectations made a dramatic move higher.  Those surveyed in February 2025 believe inflation will climb 3.5 percent per year over the next five years.  This is up from 3.2 percent in January and

Last week Atlas sent a note called How Did We Get Here?

In recent years, America has experienced higher inflation than we've seen in a long time.

On Wednesday, America’s central bank made its first downward adjustment to its Federal Funds Rate since the pandemic was just getting started back in March 2020.  This interest rate is what banks charge each other for overnight loans when their cash reserves aren’t adequate to meet weekly regulatory requirements.  While it does not impact other rates directly, the Fed Fund

As the Fourth of July approached, America’s sky prepared to display vividly colored fireworks in rhythmic fashion, a spectacle that reminds one of the ebbs and flows of our economy.  Just as fireworks launch into the night, so too does our economic activity, bursting with energy and brightness during periods of prosperity.

Shrink is an interesting word.  For a simple, monosyllabic word, it has many meanings.  More and more, it is used frequently in the fields of economics and finance.