Why has recession not happened? After all, the Fed raised rates the most and fastest in modern history, the yield curve inverted, and money growth turned negative. That severely curtailed bank lending, as it normally does. So where did the money come from to sustain economic growth? Source: Bob Doll Crossmark Investments Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific inves… View More
Equities posted their best weekly performance this year (S&P 500 +2.31%). The rally was sparked by dovish takeaways from last week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Best sectors were communication services (+4.78%) and technology (+2.94%); worst sectors were real estate (-0.38%) and healthcare (+0.40%). We expect sticky consumer inflation and resilient economic growth to eventually force the Fed to pivot to a less dovish stance. Given recent data, it is … View More
Stocks fell last week (S&P 500 -0.1%) and bonds fell (the 10-year yield was up more than 20 bp) due primarily to a higher-than-expected CPI. Best sectors were energy (+3.8%) and materials (+1.6%); worst sectors were real estate (-2.8%) and consumer discretionary (-1.2%). Last week's inflation reports evidence that the glide path for a return to 2% inflation is not unfolding the ways the bulls and the Fed have been anticipating. Rather, in the case of the U.S., underlying inflation has level… View More
Why is the economy so strong? This seems to defy the normal and needed market cycles. The market came into 2023 expecting a recession, but one was nowhere to be found. The market went into 2024 expecting six Fed rate cuts. That assumption would defy normal market cycles and conditions because you should never ease conditions into an economy that is not underwater or slowing dramatically. So, how did the market get it so wrong? The answer is surprisingly easy to reach. Too much government interv… View More
We’ve had 3 soft landings -- 1967, 1985, & 1995 -- and many investors believe 2024 will be added to that list. In today’s Narrative, we compare this cycle to 1995 and 1967, drawing some cautionary conclusions. To have a soft landing in 2024, additional fiscal stimulus would be needed (such stimulus definitely kept the economy stronger, longer in 2023). And Congress definitely has new stimulus teed up. If they enact that fiscal support, will the eco backdrop resemble 1995 or 1967? Ca… View More