13 Mar 2015

Posted at 12:26h in The Friday Brief by

At some point, the Federal Reserve will begin the measured process of raising interest rates. No one denies it. The unprecedented condition of near zero rates must be manipulated back to levels deemed 'normal' and soon as the economy continues to improve. Another undeniable fact is that as interest rates rise, bond prices will fall. So doesn't...

27 Feb 2015

Posted at 16:50h in The Friday Brief by
Last week during her Congressional testimony before the House, Fed Chair Janet Yellen did a good job of expressing the Central Bank's view that interest rates needed to rise eventually and she did so without jarring the markets. Since the financial crisis of 2008 and 09 the Federal Reserve has pulled out all the stops to keep the US economy moving ahead. The last and most controversial phases of their policy were labeled QE1, 2, and 3, short for Quantitative Easing.

13 Feb 2015

Posted at 15:13h in The Friday Brief by
Two and a half years ago we published a Brief titled with the same question. Remarkably, it still attracts readers to this day. The question is both a simple one, often evoking just as simple and quick an answer "NO," while at the same tugging at our logic, values, beliefs, and view of the world.

06 Feb 2015

Posted at 15:20h in The Friday Brief by

Whether planning for it years ahead or slamming into the possibility through an unexpected layoff, retirement can be a scary concept for most of us. There are the obvious questions of wealth: specifically, will we have enough to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for our remaining years,...