Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast

Recent sharp increases in energy prices have caused pain at the pump and pushed the inflation gauges higher. Couple this with student loan repayments, and what, then, is the state of the U.S. consumer heading into the holiday shopping season? When things get tight, what gets the ax? Is it travel? The movies? Restaurants? Or is everyone different? Further, what impact would this have on overall U.S...

After years of pandemic-related moratoriums on the repayment of student loan debt, the clock has finally stopped ticking. Unless something dramatic happens, people will have to start paying back what they have borrowed. Have they budgeted for it? Not likely. If they haven't, what expenditures get the ax? Essentially, what can younger people cut out of a monthly budget when there is a serious need...

It seems COVID is rearing its ugly head again. As a result, more and more people are wearing masks in public and consciously keeping their distance from others. It begs the question: what would the public's response be to future mask mandates, economic shutdowns and shelter in place orders? Would we acquiesce as quickly as we did in 2020? Or will people push back on the government this time around...

Everyone knows lower interest rates are supposed to stimulate economic growth. If that is the case, the inverse must also be true. However, is that really the truth? After all, the Japanese have had manufactured low interest rates for almost three decades, and where has the growth been? The same could be said for the Europeans over the last decade or so. Shoot, even the American economy seemed to...

The Chinese have been reducing their holdings of U.S. Treasury securities. The Federal Reserve has stopped adding huge amounts to its balance sheet. However, Washington will still have to borrow trillions of dollars over the next decade. Will we be able to finance at 4% if the Chinese and the Fed are on the sideline? What will individual U.S. investors need to see before they go back to bonds? 5%...

After a positive July, the dog days of summer have shown up in August. The heat has been oppressive, Fitch downgraded U.S. Treasury debt, Moody's downgraded the banks and the tech stocks have fallen apart. Is it time to worry? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, John and special guest Grace Schlenker discuss why things seem to be boiling over during the hottest time of the year.

This week, the Fitch Rating organization downgraded U.S. Treasury debt from its highest rating of AAA to AA+. But what did it accomplish? Is the U.S. Treasury market no longer the world's most liquid? Is the U.S. dollar no longer the world's primary reserve currency? Did the U.S. financial system suddenly become more opaque? Is the U.S. Treasury in danger of defaulting on its debt? Or is the bigge...

For much of 2023, commentators have been wondering about the health of the domestic movie industry. Actor and screenwriter strikes aside, a lot of tried-and-true formulas weren't performing as well as the studios wanted. Was this a change in consumer preferences? Had streaming killed the movies? Or were viewers just bored? Then came along a strange combination of the world's most famous plastic do...

Although the economic data has been a little cooler recently, the temperatures outside have been blisteringly hot. What are people doing to escape heat? Further, what can governments around the world do to combat what seems to be more volatile weather patterns? Can they do anything at all? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney and John discuss the current heatwave and how they are try...

Recently, Gallup released the results of its annual survey tracking Americans' faith in their public and private institutions. Not surprisingly, the results were pretty disappointing. It seems, we don't place a lot of trust in much in 2023. However, this has been a trend going back decades. But where did our trust go and why? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney and John discuss thei...

Considering all of the advancements in artificial animal protein products, are they logical substitutes to the real thing? After all, all of that soy and pea proteins have to come from somewhere. That doesn't even include the palm and coconut oil many of these companies use. Further, are animals really as bad for the environment as many would lead you to believe? Then, (and finally) are American c...

Last week, the terrible saga of the OceanGate Titan made global headlines. Will this put an end to commercial exploration or give it a spark? What's more, who should pay for search and rescue missions when things go awry? Finally, is there any real difference between hubris and risk taking? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney and John discuss the recent disaster and what it would ta...

It seems there is always a 'gotcha' hidden fee whenever you purchase anything. From thinking you are getting a good deal to sticker shock, this has been a bane for consumers for years. A fee here, a fee there and you are in the poorhouse before you know it. How can companies get away with all of the hidden costs? Or is it the consumer's responsibility to find out all of the costs before making the...

Recently, the Administration has pushed for the eventual elimination of natural gas stoves. Intuitively, this could eventually entail hot water heaters, furnaces and other gas powered appliances or products. Is this feasible? Who will produce all of the necessary parts, wires and final products? How much additional electrical capacity will we need? Can the current grid even withstand a mandated up...

From Dothan, Alabama, to Edinburgh, Scotland, it seems good help is hard to find. Despite soft economic data, the labor markets remain surprisingly strong. This is especially true for hourly workers. Why are they in such short supply? Are there just not enough people to do the work? Or is there something else happening here? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney and John discuss chron...

Americans currently aren't having enough children to replenish the population. Fortunately, immigration should be able to make up some of the domestic shortfall. What is the cause of this? Is it economic in nature? Or is it societal? Essentially, why are Americans waiting longer to have children and having fewer of them? What are the financial implications of more or less children? Are there any l...

At a recent presentation, someone asked John what kept him up at night. Was it the debt ceiling imbroglio? The Federal Reserve? The potential for a recession? War in Asia? War in Ukraine? With so many different problems from which to choose, what keeps you up at night? Is it one of these things or something completely different altogether? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney and Joh...

Currently, four of the five big professional sports leagues are in action. While these depend on the common man for success, the money the athletes make is anything but common. The numbers boggle the mind. The question remains: "how much longer will the American public continue to pay the bills?" After all, a trip to the ballpark for a family of four can be an expensive undertaking. In this week's...

While the rate of inflation has recently gone down, prices remain higher than where they were this time last year. Will this impact any summer vacation plans? If so, how? Will more folks have staycations? Or will people make more PB&Js to take to the beach while on vacation? After all, the wallet might not be as thick in 2023. In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney and John discuss how...

The US dollar has been the preferred reserve currency and method of international exchange since the end of WWII. How much longer can this continue? After all, the rest of the world wants a say about how the global financial system works. But is there an alternative to the greenback? Also, should Sam and Courtney get euros and pounds now or later? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam, Courtney...

Over time, the government has gotten more involved in the lives of American citizens. It seems there is a law, ordinance or tax on just about every action and transaction we make. While the argument is always that they are in "the public good," at what point should that supersede individual rights? Are there any generational or gender differences in opinion? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sa...

Recently, Bud Light has made a lot of headlines for using social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote its product. This has unleashed a firestorm of opinion on the role of influencers in general. Are they effective? Are they cost efficient? Are they the wave of the future as marketing departments get more granular in attracting specific demographics? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam,...

Anyone who has been in the market for a new or used car lately knows they have gone up sharply in price. Inventories are still extremely low for both and borrowing costs are substantially higher. Can potential buyers still get the car of their dreams? Or is the dream becoming a nightmare? If so, when will it end? Will car prices ever come back down to a manageable level? In this week's Trading Per...

The U.S. labor markets have been incredibly strong for the last couple of years. However, a few months ago, cracks began to show as tech companies started to let workers go. For a while, the job losses seemed relatively contained to the sector, but they seem to be popping up everywhere. How much longer will it be before they hit your industry and your town? In this week's Trading Perspectives, Sam...

It seems every movie is a sequel or another rendition of long established characters and stories. The same could be said for music as well. Is our entertainment industry in a collective funk? Why do we keep seeing the same old same old, but only with new actors? Has creativity bottomed in the United States? If so, what does that say about the future? Or is there something else happening? In this w...