This Week with J. Mark Nickell & Co. – August 27, 2014

News from Jackson Hole, Wyoming leads off this week, where central bankers from across the globe met last week.  In addition,   the analysts from Charles Schwab provide a market perspective, and an overlooked vehicle for saving for retirement is examined. No rate change until U.S. has 2% inflation and strong job market.  Each year the

This Week with J. Mark Nickell & Co. – June 25, 2014

In our world of investment management and financial planning, uncertainty begets questions: sometimes the best reply to any of them is It Depends. This week we examine several current issues where It Depends.  When will the Fed hike rates?  It depends.  What will the conflict in Iraq mean for the economy and investors—it depends.  Will

This Week with J. Mark Nickell & Co. – May 14, 2014

The prospect of interest rates remaining low for longer has become clearer in the first 100 days of Janet Yellen’s leadership at the Federal Reserve.  At the same time the threat of new asset bubbles forming may have become more pronounced.  These are views expressed by faculty at the Wharton Business School.  While tapering of

This Week with J. Mark Nickell & Co. – January 15, 2014

Mixed signals—that’s the only term to describe it.  As the calendar turned into a New Year, signs looked promising that the economy was beginning to gain strength—to finally reach the point it does not require monetary stimulus.  Then, the Friday jobs report, which Mohammed El-Erian of Pimco called ‘strange and puzzling’, created doubt about the

This Week with J. Mark Nickell & Co. – October 30, 2013

Inflation rates—a general increase in prices--are very low.  With Fed officials talking openly about low inflation and the risk of deflation, it is appropriate to examine inflation risk and how to address it.  High levels of inflation erode purchasing power and the value of stocks and bonds. This week we review aspects of inflation.  The

This Week with J. Mark Nickell & Co. – October 16, 2013

I fondly remember “the good old days,” when government actually worked much of the time, when a conciliatory spirit was a badge of honor, and tough issues were resolved thoughtfully and with civility.  Howard Baker, Tennessee Senator from 1967 until 1985, exemplifies a leader who set the tone for those times. In his day he