09 Oct 2009

Posted at 14:36h in The Friday Brief by
Economic recovery will be in the eyes of the beholder for months to come. From the perspective of employment, the economy may remain anemic for months. And Washington’s stimulus efforts are having no discernable impact. Alternatively, the corporate sector seems to be showing life on several fronts including exports, inventory replenishment, and earnings from increasing sales.

02 Oct 2009

Posted at 14:42h in The Friday Brief by
The long and mostly uninterrupted rally took a breather this week as investors wondered if the economic recovery might be losing steam. Some wonder if the market might be ahead of itself, given the anemic nature of the recovery. But it is not news that the recovery is going to be bumpy and uneven. The perennial doomsayers continue to harp on the bad and the perennial optimists harp on the good. Today, we’ll simply report the week’s economic news and let you decide.

28 Aug 2009

Posted at 15:56h in The Friday Brief by

On Wednesday our nation was saddened by the death of Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy who succumbed to brain cancer in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. With 47 years of service in the US Senate he was one of the most influential and accomplished lawmakers of our time. Ted Kennedy was the only one of four distinguished brothers to die of natural causes; President John F. Kennedy, and Senator Robert Kennedy were assonated and Joseph Kennedy Jr., a naval aviator, was killed in action during World War II. The service and sacrifice of this remarkable family to our country is gratefully acknowledged and deeply appreciated.

The persistent rise in stock prices rolled on this week as investors continue to believe the economy is rising from recession, despite ever-present news of bank failures, sluggish consumer participation, and huge looming federal deficits. In spite of it, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced yesterday for the eighth straight day, each to new highs for the year, and representing the longest winning streak since April 2007. The MSCI World Index of 23 developed nations added 0.9% yesterday extending its seventh weekly gain. Copper, among the very best indicators of global growth, jumped to the highest intraday price since Oct. 1st on the London Metal Exchange, while oil climbed 0.9%. The early re-appointment of Ben Bernanke to a second term also gave markets a boost.

21 Aug 2009

Posted at 16:15h in The Friday Brief by
Our government was designed with great care by the Founding Fathers to protect “We the people” from the tyranny of majorities or loud and powerful minorities. Our system of “checks and balances” is not perfect, but it has served an ethnically diverse nation well these 230 plus years. However, one glaring omission threatens to ruin it all. Fundamentally understood and respected by the Fathers, but nearly lost on today’s leaders is the idea of fiscal discipline, or spending no more than is received. Indeed today’s Senators and Congressmen are richly rewarded by “we the people” through longevity of office and growth of power, to take from one class and give it to another. Our leaders write larger ‘checks’ against ever-decreasing asset and ever-increasing liability ‘balances’ with no end in sight. Perhaps “we the people” are finally rising up to say enough is enough?