QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The road to success is always under construction” – Lily Tomlin
TECH CORNER
The Fed met last Wednesday and Chairman Powell threw a wet blanket on Wall Street by saying it is doubtful that there would be a rate cut in March. He said the Fed will follow the data on inflation and employment. The best I can estimate is a possible rate cut in May. Inflation picked up slightly in January so I think the Fed doesn’t want to cut too soon and have inflation come back again.
The stock market as per the S&P 500 took a nose dive on Wednesday as the news came out but rallied on Thursday gaining back the loss. As of today (Tuesday) the market is at the same level it started at on Wednesday of last week, the day the news came out.
The employment report for January came out and it was much better than expected at 355,000 new jobs. This is good news and bad news. If the job market is strong that is good for the economy, but possibly bad news for wage inflation which the Fed watches closely as that is a sign of future inflation. If the wage inflation increases, that would delay the Fed cutting rates. Remember that higher interest rates are in essence a tax on the economy.
I can detail many data indicators that show the economy slowing but I have done so in past letters and nothing has really changed. The recession isn’t here yet, but if the trend continues it is right around the corner.
We are positioned in a US government money market and a small position in short term US Government bonds in the managed accounts. In the variable annuities we are positioned in high quality intermediate duration bond funds. Now is not the time to be taking on risk.