Media – Blog
October 15, 2026
September CPI: Price Pressures Persist The September CPI report, released October 14th, showed higher prices across most major categories. Headline CPI rose 0.6%, in line with expectations, driven largely by higher energy prices. Core CPI increased 0.3%, matching August’s reading but exceeding expectations of 0.2%. On an unrounded basis, core
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October 2, 2026
A Slowing, but Stable Labor Market The September employment report showed slower-than-expected job growth, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by just 29,000 versus expectations of 90,000. In addition, the prior two months were revised down by a combined 60,000 jobs, including a notable revision to July, which was revised from a
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October 1, 2026
Fed President Williams: “No need for urgency” Comments from several FOMC members have remained hawkish, but it was recent remarks from New York Fed President John Williams that prompted a meaningful repricing in rate expectations. In a September 29th speech, Williams said, “If the economy evolves in a manner broadly
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September 15, 2026
Core CPI Strengthens Case for Rate Hike The August Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in above expectations at the core level, providing additional support for a potential Federal Reserve rate hike at its September 16 meeting. Core CPI is a key inflation gauge for both markets and the Fed, and
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September 9, 2026
Key Takeaways Introduction One of the biggest concerns for investors right now may be the rise in interest rates. The sell-off in long-term bonds dates back to 2021, but the recent reacceleration is catching market participants’ eye given the economic backdrop: For investors, the implications may extend beyond the bond
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September 2, 2026
Warsh Signals Hawkish Bias At the Jackson Hole Symposium, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh reiterated themes from his recent FOMC press conferences, emphasizing that inflation remains the Fed’s primary focus. He also used the speech to clarify several issues raised at the July FOMC meeting that had generated questions among market
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August 17, 2026
Softer Data Makes a Fed Rate Hike Less Urgent Economic data released this month increasingly supports the Fed remaining on hold, with weaker labor market and consumer spending data accompanied by a second consecutive month of relatively benign inflation readings: Fed Funds Futures Pare Back Rate Hike Expectations As of August
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August 13, 2026
Headline Growth Masks Continued Selectivity At first glance, Q2 2026 looks like a dramatic reacceleration in lending activity, with total venture debt volume reaching $44.2 billion, up 129% from Q1. Unfortunately, this headline may be misleading. A single transaction – SpaceX’s $20 billion senior notes offering, priced in June to
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August 5, 2026
FOMC Update: Warsh Signals Patience At its July meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted 9-3 to leave the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%. The three dissenting members—Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, and Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari—favored raising rates by
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July 28, 2026
Key Takeaways If you’ve read the headlines lately, you might think the American consumer is finally buckling. In late May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the share of credit card balances at least 90 days past due climbed to 13.12% in the first quarter – the highest level since
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