The Retired Investor: A Different View on Interest RatesBy Bill Schmick, 04:41PM / Thursday, February 13, 2025 | |
Scott Bessent, the nation's new Treasury secretary, is a product of the investment world. His private sector background brings to the government a different set of tools and ideas that may lessen the burden on the Federal Reserve Bank in its fight against inflation.
For decades, politicians of both parties with few exceptions have left it up to the Federal Reserve Bank to curb inflation while maintaining employment. It has been a tough job, especially when fiscal policy is working at cross purposes with their mandate. The fly in the ointment over the last several decades has been that while the central bank has been largely insulated from political pressures and has 0 Comments Read More >> |
The Retired Investor: Here Comes Super Bowl 59By Bill Schmick, 04:28PM / Thursday, February 06, 2025 | |
Game Day is just around the corner. On Feb. 9, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, the Philadelphia Eagles will face last year's winners, the Kansas City Chiefs. America is gearing up for the biggest game ever.
Grocery stores are stocking up on chicken wings, nachos and soda. Consumers are shopping early and spending more while companies are breaking records on ad spend. And for many viewers, the Chief's tight end's romance with Taylor Swift will add a dose of human interest to the festivities.
This year the heavy demand for ads had some 30-minute spots selling for more than $8 million versus $7 million last year. It is probably the only TV 0 Comments Read More >> |
The Retired Investor: Trump and the China tradeBy Bill Schmick, 04:20PM / Thursday, January 30, 2025 | |
It was supposed to be Agamemnon. Sixty percent plus tariffs on all Chinese products imported into the U.S. levied on Day One. What happened? Nothing.
Investors are still waiting for the first shoe to drop on the world's second-largest economy and America's No. 1 enemy. China has been the nation's punching bag ever since Donald Trump first acted against that country in his first term.
His actions resounded favorably with most Americans. China-bashing took on a life of its own. Decades of losing U.S. jobs and investment to China took its toll on both Democrats and Republicans. President Biden took up the baton and in the name of national security 0 Comments Read More >> |
The Retired Investor: Food Prices Are Climbing AgainBy Bill Schmick, 04:19PM / Friday, January 24, 2025 | |
Eggs, fruit, vegetables, chocolate, cereal, and all kinds of protein — wherever you look — prices are rising faster at grocery stores than anyone may have imagined. The bad news is that consumers can expect this trend to continue.
Food prices jumped by 1.8 percent year-over-year at the close of 2024. That was the fastest increase in over a year, according to the Labor Department. In the last two months of the year, grocery prices climbed by 0.4 percent in November and 0.3 percent in December. Expectations are that January will see another rise.
Most voters will immediately point to corporate greed, grocery gauging, or as a last resort, the 0 Comments Read More >> |
The Retired Investor: Economic Growth Versus Government EfficiencyBy Bill Schmick, 04:13PM / Thursday, January 16, 2025 | |
We grew up with tales of $500 toilet seats and bridges to nowhere when describing the abuses of government spending. In a few days, Americans will get our first taste of what it will mean to make our government efficient once again.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not an official government department. That would require an act of Congress. Since members of that august body have been the major contributors to decades of inefficient use of government funds, it probably was a good idea to bypass a vote on making DOGE "official."
Instead, it will operate as an advisory body, run by two of President-elect Trump's closest allies 0 Comments Read More >> |
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