Having just hit record highs following an historically impressive 13-day winning streak, stocks are susceptible to a pullback or, at a minimum, consolidation. Beyond the direction over the next week or two, the bigger question is what comes after that. The answer to the question will present itself over time. However, in the meantime, we […]
On Tuesday, Kevin Warsh appeared before the Senate for his nomination hearing for the Fed Chair. The biggest takeaway is Warsh’s desire to “reform” the Fed. Based on his appearance, reform seems to cover the following three areas: Regarding current monetary policy, Warsh believes inflation is lower than official indicators state. We have noted this […]
Our title above about Avis Budget Group (CAR) shares is a gross understatement. Since March 20th, CAR has risen nearly 500%, as we share below. While there are, and were, some favorable tailwinds driving the upward trend, such as rising used-car prices and elevated rental-car usage during the TSA-related problems, the most glaring factor is […]
Since the start of the year, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Sector Index (SOXX) is up 33% compared with the broader market, which is up only 4%. The primary rationale for the significant outperformance appears to be the insatiable demand for AI and a shift in its usage. Unlike the past couple of years, in which Nvidia […]
As shown in the graph below, the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment gauges tells us that consumer confidence is now the worst its been since the survey began in 1952. Despite the confidence gauges being lower than during peak Covid shutdown, the GFC, and the 1970s oil crisis/inflation outbreak, the economy (GDP) and the employment […]
Allbirds, the sustainable sneaker company, has recently fallen on hard times, with revenue down by more than 50% from its peak. To help right the ship, Allbirds is rebranding itself as NewBird AI. Allbirds closed all of its U.S. stores and sold its intellectual property for $39 million. They are also raising $50 million in […]
On Monday, our Commentary, The Market Knows What You Don’t, shared an important lesson about how markets function. The message was timely, as fear and volatility over the prior few weeks had caused great anxiety among many investors. We wrote the following to help investors maintain a north star during these challenging times: Market prices […]
Diana Choyleva wrote an excellent editorial for the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Iran War Is A Boon For The Petrodollar.” She pushes back against claims that the Iran conflict is accelerating the death of the petrodollar. Instead, she argues the opposite: between Iran and Venezuela, the U.S. is defending and bolstering dollar dominance in […]
A battle is raging in the Halls of Congress between the banks and the crypto industry. The spark was a judgment by the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, which recommended that stablecoins be allowed to pay interest to their holders. As a result of the Genius Act, passed almost a year ago, stablecoins are […]