Macro: Americas US Economy in Q1 2018 increased by a 2.3% annualized rate – not as good as first projected but recent history has the first quarter underperforming so not too much of a surprise. The survey pegged growth at +2.0% so it did beat expectations. The Atlanta Federal…
Reciprocal Tariffs between the US and China are still on the table but negotiations are under way – it is too early to tell the results. Pressure has been applied by both sides, with China banning/cancelling US soybean purchases in preference for other locations as well as harassment of US…
The VIX futures contract was launched by the Chicago Board of Options Exchange back in 2004. VIX, which stands for Volatility Index, shows the market’s expectation of the future 30-day volatility of the S&P 500. The value of the VIX is constructed using implied volatilities of a wide range of…
Macro: Americas US Economy is moving forward at a modest pace, with the Q4 2017 estimate increased slightly from +2.5% to +2.9% (annualized) at the most recent update largely on better than forecasted consumer spending but with small contributions across many areas. On the other hand, the Atlanta Federal…