Category Archive: Finance
Ford’s Europe Sales Volume Outpaces Industry In February
Ford Motor Co. (F – Analyst Report) recorded an 18% year-over-year rise in sales to 91,700 vehicles in its 20 traditional European markets (Euro 20) in Feb 2016. With this, the automaker’s monthly sales surpassed the industry sales growth of 14%. This is the best February sales for Ford since 2010. Considering all the 50 European markets, Ford’s […]
Dividend Paying Stocks Held Up Better In The Market Downturn
An attractive aspect of owning dividend paying stocks, specifically, dividend growth equities, is the fact they tend to hold up better in down market environments. The favorable result from this characteristic is it takes a smaller upside return to make up the losses incurred in a market decline. As far back as 2010 I wrote […]
US Bond Market Week In Review: The Fed Should Let Wages Rise A Bit More Before Hiking Rates
Last week, I argued that due to weaker economic data since January 1, the Fed should hold off on raising rates. However, over the last few weeks, several very credible commentators argued that higher inflation readings would put a rate hike into play. While inflation measures are increasing, rising wages are the primary reason for […]
Euro Up On European Central Bank Rate Decision
The euro hovered near a three-week high on Friday as European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi released a bold easing package, cutting rates and expanding asset buys, at the same time undoing the very stimulus he hoped to achieve by suggesting there would be no further cuts. The euro gained against the dollar and prompted […]
EUR/USD Sees Bullish Offensive On Rally
EUR/USD: Having closed higher the past week, we envisage further bullish offensive in the new week. Support lies at the 1.1100 level. Further down, support lies at the 1.1050 level where a violation will aim at the 1.1000 level. A break of here will aim at the 1.0950 level. Conversely, on the upside, resistance comes […]
Why Oil Producers Don’t Believe The Oil Rally: Credit Suisse Explains
For the past month, the price of oil has soared by a 50% on no fundamental catalyst; in fact, the “fundamental” situation has gotten progressively worse with the record oil inventory glut increasing by the day even as US crude oil production posted a modest rebound in the past week after two months of declines, […]
EC Five Central Banks Meet As Monetary Policy Is Downgraded
Fixed exchange rates limit the degrees of freedom for policymakers. The breakdown of Bretton Woods in 1971 removed this constraint on official action, and the results were larger budget deficits and higher inflation. The zero bound on interest rates also posed a constraint on behavior. Until this year, despite the long struggle against deflation, the Bank […]
Draghi Calls ‘Helicopter Money’ ‘An Interesting Concept’
It’s debatable whether or not the most recent move of the European Central Bank was unexpected, but it certainly sparks a lively discussion on the open market. Not only did the ECB reduce the lending rate on the refinancing facilities from 0.05% to 0% which basically means the banks that are part of the Eurosystem can borrow […]
As Stocks Continue To Climb, Investors Await Next Fed Move
U.S. stock markets have made considerable gains over the past month, but investors await the Fed’s next move before feeling confident. The most recent economic reports have reduced concerns that the United States might be heading for a recession and have helped fuel the benchmark S&P 500 index’s 11 percent recovery since mid-February. However, rather […]
