Interest Rates

Jury duty is a civic responsibility where citizens are randomly selected to serve as jurors in legal trials.  Having served as a jury foreman about a decade ago, I can attest to the deliberative process Americans are fortunate to have when considering the facts of important moments in the lives of the parties involved in a case.  As of this writing, I just finished my day of jury duty

Vigilantes are not something one ties to the boring old bond market very often.  However, a well-known economist, Ed Yardini, coined the term back in the 1980s when bond market investors protested against what they perceived as inflationary or fiscally irresponsible government policies.  They could be causing a stir once again. 

Breakup songs that make their way into pop culture have a way of staying relevant by transcending time and touching the hearts of generations.  Who can listen to Etta James sing “I’d Rather Go Blind” and not feel the pain of losing the one you love?  Who can resist singing along with the Righteous Brothers whe

Interest rates are crucial to economic activity.  They impact the costs and therefore the incentives of financing the three pillars of the American economy: consumption, investment, and government spending.  Borrowing is done over various durations, from short to long.  Costs of loans are typically found on a menu known as a yield curve.

“Move fast and break things” was the motto Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg created to describe the characteristic of processes he wanted implemented at the company.

Housing is a primary driver for wealth here in America.  Many leverage their balance sheets and buy a home, anticipating the value will rise, pushing their net-worth higher.   Take a look at any chart of recent home prices, and it looks like this strategy works.  Yes, there are periods when the values of homes fall (e.g., the Great Financial Crisis), but for the most part th