The role of the commodity markets is to allow producers and users a method to hedge price risk. Commodity producers/users use exchange traded commodities to lock in prices of items they will bring to market or purchase from the market at some point in the future. Commodities that are popular…
If you have been in the market to buy a home recently, chances are you’ve noticed that mortgage rates have gone up from their lows many months ago. While this is causing some home buyers to lock up a mortgage due to fears that interest rates will continue to rise,…
As good as July was for stocks, the markets gave much of it up in August with S&P 500 down around -3% and EAFE down almost -2%. Bonds fared little better as the broad US-based Barclays Aggregate and 10-year European-wide sovereigns each lost -1% and the JP Morgan Emerging Market…
With only three FOMC meetings left this year, professionals and consumers patiently await to hear how the Fed will approach the current signs of an “improving” economy. Most recent economic data shows that America’s jobless rate has fallen nearly a percentage point over the last year, home construction has accelerated…