FIRESIDE CHARTS
Record Wealth Creation, Consumption Trends and Disconnects, and Accelerating Buybacks Drive Equity Gains
It’s no secret that a staggering amount of wealth was created during the pandemic and the M2 money supply has hit record highs (in what may be a precursor to some painful times ahead…). However…
Industrial Production Surprises to the Downside, Slowing GDP Growth Here and Abroad, and a Look at Sector Dispersion
U.S. industrial production declined in September and has slipped below its pre-pandemic level, pushing the nation back into slow-growth mode and—when paired with sinking GDP projections—reigniting…
BCM 3Q21 Market Commentary: A Feedback Loop — What could cause the economy to stray from the pre-pandemic status quo?
Nearly a year has passed since Pfizer and BioNTech announced successful Phase 3 trial results for their groundbreaking mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine. The effort to develop, produce, and distribute these…
“Transitory” vs. “Sticky” Inflation, Unbalanced Balance Sheets, and Record Earnings Beats
This may come as a shock, but inflation is brewing across the globe. As small businesses plan to raise prices to cope with a tight labor market, beleaguered supply chains, and climbing production…
A Jobs Report Whiff, Climbing Yields, and More Inflationary Pressures Accumulate
The U.S. added only 194,000 jobs in September per Friday’s DOL report, far below the expected 500,000. Labor force participation also declined, keeping payrolls well below the pre-covid trend…
The $73.3 Billion Trade Deficit, Surprising Payroll Gains, and Skyrocketing Commodity Prices
Despite a strong recovery in manufacturing activity, the U.S. trade deficit climbed to a record high of $73.3 billion in August. Sentiment is already split on what to expect from Q3 GDP, and a…
Unemployment and Wage Inflation, Equity Market Trends, and a Rising Rate Environment
Unemployment remains a persistent problem in the U.S. as new claims remain elevated and continuing claims prove more stubborn than expected in the face of waning pandemic-era programs. Already facing…
Double-Digit Rent Inflation, Equities & Household Net Worth, and a Brewing Energy Crisis
The age of the pandemic discount appears to be over as rent inflation gains a double-digit foothold in the U.S. So far, the housing boom as flown largely under the CPI radar—will soaring equivalent…
“Stagflationary” Signals, Suppressed Consumer Confidence, and the Bond-Yield Spike
Manufacturing activity is slowing across the U.S.—including slipping into contraction in the Mid-Atlantic—and paired with climbing prices, it’s sending ominous “stagflationary” signals of what…
Unprecedented Options Volume, Hints of a Market Top, and Evergrade Goes Past Due
Retail investors are at it again and have helped push daily stock options volume to unprecedented heights. With the broad U.S. corporate debt-to-equity ratio falling to historic lows as valuations…