Research & News
Daily Comment (August 23, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Trump attacks Washington and the media: President Trump made his first major speech on immigration yesterday in Phoenix, Arizona, during which he placated his base by threatening to shut down the government if the border wall isn’t funded, alluding to a withdrawal from NAFTA and attacking… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 22, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] The president’s address: Last night, President Trump announced that he would expand the U.S. role in Afghanistan but did not give any specifics of the plan. Additionally, the president stated that the U.S. will begin to pressure Pakistan to assist in the fight against terrorism as… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – Reflections on Nationalism: Part I (August 21, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady Over the last decade, the West has seen a series of tumultuous events. Of course, ten years ago the world was trying to cope with the Great Financial Crisis which raised fears of a repeat of the Great Depression. Although that outcome was avoided, deep underlying problems remain. Southern Europe faced a series… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 21, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Happy Eclipse Day! Here are the news items we are following this morning: Afghanistan policy: Tonight, President Trump will present his policy on Afghanistan. Already we are seeing the impact of Chief of Staff (CoS) Kelly; so far, there have been no leaks of his plans. … Read More »
Asset Allocation Weekly (August 18, 2017)
by Asset Allocation Committee A number of market commentators have suggested current conditions are similar to 1987. Complacency, shown by the low level of volatility and an elevated P/E, is rampant. On the other hand, there is no evidence a recession is looming and, although monetary policy is tightening, the Federal Reserve has been raising rates… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 18, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Yesterday saw a selloff in U.S. equities. We are not seeing much of a recovery this morning. Here is what we are watching today: Barcelona: Using rented vans, a group of terrorists who claimed allegiance to ISIS tore through a tourist area of Barcelona, killing 14… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 17, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] There is something of a negative tone to risk assets this morning but nothing that, so far, appears significant. Here is what we are watching today: ECB minutes: The main takeaway from the ECB minutes is that the recent rise in the EUR has caught the… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 16, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Financial markets are quiet this morning, consistent with the late summer lull. However, there has been a lot of news flow. Here’s what we are watching this morning: Fallout from the president’s press conference: President Trump’s press conference yesterday was highly controversial and has given the… Read More »
Daily Comment (August 15, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady and Thomas Wash [Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Markets are calming down. Here’s what we are tracking this morning: North Korea blinks: According to numerous reports, the military leadership of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) offered plans to Kim Jong-un for a missile test around the U.S. territory of Guam. After reviewing… Read More »
Weekly Geopolitical Report – The Qatar Situation: Part II (August 14, 2017)
by Bill O’Grady Last week, we discussed a short history of Qatar and its geopolitical imperatives. This week, we will analyze the events precipitating the blockade, the blockade itself, the GCC’s demands and the impact thus far on Qatar. We will examine how the situation has reached a stalemate and, as always, we will conclude with… Read More »