US data has revealed that the economy has its fastest six-month stretch of growth in three years despite a devastating period of natural disasters. This growth is followed by the 3.1% growth in the Q2, making it the first six-month stretch since 2014 in which US gross domestic product grew more than 3 per cent Read More…
National Bank of Greece Returns to The Bond Market
Greece’s Eurobank is entering the bond market for the first time in over three years, becoming the country’s most recent lender to sell a type of debt that will be bought by the European Central Bank. The NBG (National Bank of Greece) has commissioned several investment banks to begin selling the three-year “covered” bonds next Read More…
Bank of Japan Continues Quantitative Easing Efforts
An elusive 2% inflation target leaves Japan contrarian to recent ECB and Federal Reserve strategies. On October 15th Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda stated that the central bank would continue to pursue its “aggressive” quantitative easing strategy to boost inflation. Kuroda’s decision is based on recently implemented labor-saving efficiency improvements, which are believed to Read More…
U.S. May Soon Leave NAFTA Behind
As President Trump continues to threaten U.S. withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement, it could soon become reality. However, dismantling NAFTA would bring large changes for consumers and the global economy. Over the past quarter century, the agreement has reshaped the United States economy, and its demise could raise costs for North American Read More…
The Approaching Autonomous Future
Attitudes towards transportation have transformed toward additional choices; ride hailing, car sharing, and self-driving vehicles are undertaking a huge surge in demand. With the customer taking only part of the equation, automakers will be following suit. Competencies are likely to be focused on greater profits per mile or per trip, and monetizing time consumers might Read More…
TMT: Analysis on Industry Performance
TMT (technology, media, and telecommunication) companies #1 generation of economic profits over other industry sectors amounts to more than companies in aerospace and defense, automotive components, and food products combined. The profitability behind TMT is a result of advances in digital technology that provide access to new markets and stimulate corresponding growth, creating new leadership Read More…
Tax Cuts Inspire Wall Street Investments
Despite investors’ doubts on tax reform, Wall Street has been buying the stocks of companies that would benefit the most from a tax reforms: ones that currently pay the highest effective rates. Key investors believe that tax cuts have been completely discounted in market valuations, leaving options with great growth possibilities and limited risk. Those Read More…
Fiscal Year Comes To An End: Political Uncertainty Ensues
The end of September is a time where key political issues could increase volatility and shake up financial markets. With the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) running out of funds to deal with the aftermath of recent disasters, Congress went to work. A disaster relief bill was proposed. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin saw the Read More…
ECB Weighs its Options
In September, Eurozone inflation rose at an annual rate of 1.5 %, falling short of economists’ forecasts and leaving the ECB (European Central Bank) questioning whether the economy is strong enough to roll back its bond-buying program. Weak inflation in France and Spain, as well as fall in unemployment in Germany, indicates a strong eurozone Read More…
Portuguese Investment Bonds: A Sign of New Opportunities?
Portugal’s drastic reduction in its debt in 2017 and best growth in decades has rallied its bonds. The S&P and the IMF reinstated investment-grade credit rating to a country whose bonds were previously in junk territory. Overall, the country’s export performance has improved, investment increased, and growth accelerated. The S&P’s upgraded rating to BBB- from Read More…