Rising prices seem to be at the top of everyone’s mind. From Social Security recipients wondering if the cost of living adjustments will keep up their actual expenses, businesses and employees wondering how to factor in wage increases, or everyday consumers struggling to keep their energy and food costs under wraps. Congress even joined in with concerns. Last week at the Senate Banking Committee meeting, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told lawmakers,
Category: Economics
Quarter in Charts – Q3 2021
According to NPR’s Rob Elving “The Basics” explainer on the Debt Ceiling, congress will likely raise our nation’s imaginary borrowing “line in the sand” for nearly the hundredth time since 1917.
Quarter in Charts – Q2 2021
As we close out the first half of the year, significant headlines continue to surround the Pandemic. Concern has shifted to the impact on the labor market, inflation, interest rates, and housing.
Quarter in Charts – Q1 2021
So much over the last year has felt like it belonged in a movie rather than real life. From COVID to the election, from social unrest to working and schooling from home.
Quarter in Charts – Q2 2020
So, How Was Your Day? Your Quarter? Your Year? It’s hard to wrap my mind around the wildly different experiences we’ve all had over the last four months. For every quarantined person who has learned to bake sourdough, many more kids aren’t getting their school lunches. For anyone who has realized they can do their
Quarter in Charts – Q1 2020
From an economic and investment perspective, saying that the first quarter (particularly March), was without precedent is an understatement. Investors experienced the fastest bear market (from Peak to -20%) ever recorded in US stocks. But it wasn’t just down days that we experienced; we had plenty of dramatic positive days as well. As Nick Maggiulli
Small Business Focus: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES)
UPDATED: Note the updates to the PPP Section Disclaimer: We’ve pooled together some resources to give you a comprehensive look at the new developments in tax, lending, and employment law changes since the onset of the Coronavirus. However, do not consider any of this to be tax, legal, or financial advice. We would be happy
Do I Belong Here? – All-Time Market Highs and The Good Place
“On December 31st, the S&P 500 Closed at 3227.57, Within 0.35% of its All-Time High…” I would bet that reading the above headline tells you something. Maybe “Finally, I made it” or “How long can we keep this up?” or maybe even “There’s nowhere to go but down.” When my wife suggested that we start
Quarter In Charts – Q4 2019
It’s interesting to think about what an impact Julius Caesar had on the calendar and from that, our lives. I remember when I started at Smith Partners Wealth Management (then Jonathan Smith & Co.) in 2005. The great Legg Mason Value Trust mutual fund manager Bill Miller was in the middle of his 15th consecutive
The Quarter in Charts – Q3 2019
I come from a long line of people who can’t keep track of their things. When I was a kid, it was my soccer cleats or my homework. My dad (you might know him as Jonathan) would try to help. He would ask if I looked in the den or on the back porch. When