Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 15th, 2015
March 15, 2015
Clarksville, TN – Retail sales results for February continued to disappoint and consumer sentiment slipped unexpectedly, but weather may have been a factor. The reports on import prices and producer prices both showed significant disinflationary pressure (which may be seen as delaying the Fed’s initial hike in short-term interest rates). Stock market volatility was elevated, with sharp moves day by day.
Market participants have grown increasingly worried about exchange rates. Around the world, exchange rates mostly fall under the jurisdiction of finance ministers (the Treasury in the U.S.), not the central banks.
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 11th, 2015
March 11, 2015
Clarksville, TN – The economic data were mixed, but the February Employment Report was stronger than expected. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 295,000 (±105,000), with a revision to January of -18,000. The BLS indicated that the payroll survey missed most of the bad weather that hit last month.
The household survey showed that 328,000 could not make it to work due to bad weather, which is about average (it was 601,000 in February 2014). Average weekly hours held steady (no weather impact).
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 1st, 2015
March 1, 2015
Clarksville, TN – Greece’s reform proposals were accepted by European finance ministers, effectively kicking the can down the road for another four months.
In her monetary policy testimony, Fed Chair Janet Yellen signaled that the Fed will begin to consider raising short-term interest rates on a meeting-by-meeting basis. Before then, the Fed will change its forward guidance (currently, the language suggests that the Fed can be “patient” in deciding when to raise rates).
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of February 22nd, 2015
February 22, 2015
Clarksville, TN – The minutes of the January 27th-28th Federal Open Market Committee meeting showed officials continuing to make preparations for policy normalization.
There was some debate about the risks of moving either too late or too soon. “Several” Fed officials feared that waiting too long to raise rates would risk higher inflation, but “many” (which in Fedspeak, is more than “several”) worried that a premature increase in rates could dampen the economic recovery and leave the Fed with limited options to correct course.
Frazier Allen
September’s Market volatility extends into October
October 15, 2014
Clarksville, TN – The two weeks of trading this month took investors on a wild ride. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for example, posted its biggest point gain and loss back to back for the first time since 1997, according to the Wall Street Journal
Last Tuesday’s 273-point “Dow Dive” was reversed by Wednesday’s 275-point “Dow Wow.” But then the Dow slumped again, dropping 335 points on Thursday.
Frazier Allen
Second Quarter ends Strong, but Investors remain Cautious
July 2, 2014
Clarksville, TN – While the markets managed solid gains over the last three months, investors continue to measure their enthusiasm as the U.S. economy maintains a less-than-robust growth trend heading into the second half of the year.
After a hesitant start to 2014, the markets gained momentum as the winter doldrums gave way to slow spring growth. But ever-present concerns over the Fed’s imminent move to wind down its quantitative easing program and eventually raise rates again have kept stock market euphoria at bay.
Frazier Allen
Fiscal cliff may derail Market momentum gathered in November
December 5, 2012
Clarksville, TN – Even though the market indexes showed little change in November, the end of 2012 looks promising as the U.S. economy rebounded despite a highly contentious election cycle and the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy thanks to some encouraging numbers from key indicators.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a post-election trough and ended the month north of 13,000, but still flat compared to the end of October. The NASDAQ mirrored the DJIA, bottoming at 2,837 on November 15th to close at a near month-high at 3,010. Likewise, the S&P 500 rallied from a low of 1,353 for November to end the month at 1,416. [Read more]
APSU to hold August 31st symposium, ‘Economic Terrorism’
August 28, 2012
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University Department of Public Management and Criminal Justice and the Institute for Global Security Studies will host a symposium, titled “ Economic Terrorism,” this week.
The symposium, open to the public, will be held from 11:00am-3:00pm, Friday, August 31st in room 201 of the Austin Peay Center at Fort Campbell building on Bastogne Avenue at Fort Campbell, KY. [Read more]
Volatile October Ends Five-Month Down Trend
November 2, 2011
Clarksville, TN – October was a volatile month in the markets. The beginning of the month saw stocks move higher on mostly upbeat third-quarter earnings reports, eased recession fears and optimism on progress toward resolving the European debt crisis.
Toward the end of the month, U.S. stocks again rallied on news of a Greek debt deal that expanded the region’s bailout fund and on news that U.S. gross domestic product grew faster than in the previous period. [Read more]
Stocks Fluctuate Sharply on Oil News
June 25, 2011
Fed’s Lower Economic Projections
Clarksville, TN – Stocks fell broadly before recovering in late trading Thursday as investors reacted to negative news on a number of fronts. On Wednesday came a downbeat assessment of the U.S. economy by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, and on Thursday a surprise announcement that the U.S. would tap into its Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of an international effort to counteract oil shortages stemming from the ongoing conflict in Libya and unrest elsewhere in the Middle East.
The Dow Jones Industrials, which had been down almost 235 points during midday trading, finished 59.67 points lower at 12,050. Other major averages traced similar moves. [Read more]
