June 2017
FOMC Raises Interest Rates, Sets Path for Balance Sheet Normalization
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) last week decided to raise its target federal funds rate again, to between 1% and 1.25%.
The Forgotten Victims of Puerto Rico’s Bankruptcy
The US territory of Puerto Rico declared bankruptcy in early May. The island’s government has more than $70 billion in debt that it cannot pay, along with $49 billion in unfunded pensions.
Spanish Bank Fails – Harbinger of Things to Come?
Last week Spanish bank Banco Popular was in danger of failing and was purchased by Banco Santander...
Arizona Is Latest State to Adopt Pro-Gold Reforms
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey recently signed into law HB 2014, a bill to eliminate capital gains taxation on gold and silver coins...
Investors Spooked by Gold, Bitcoin, and Stocks Rising in Unison
Some investors are getting nervous that prices of gold, silver, Bitcoin, stocks, and bonds are all rising at the same time. That isn’t supposed to happen. Gold is supposed to do best when stocks and bonds aren’t, and vice versa...
Negative Interest Rates, the Federal Reserve, and Your Retirement
Recent news reports have indicated that President Trump has filled two of the open positions on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. One of them, Randal Quarles, was formerly involved in the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, a.k.a. the Plunge Protection Team. The other, Marvin Goodfriend, is an enthusiastic advocate of negative interest rates. If these picks for...
What Will You Spend Your Money on in Retirement?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent Consumer Expenditure Survey provided many insights into the spending habits of Americans...
5 Financial Landmines Facing Retirees
Even though retirement planning is the most prominent financial issue facing seniors, it isn’t the only one...