Category: Economic
62 posts categorized as "Economic"
20Jul
July 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
In our view, the U.S. economy is well on its way to cooling to its pre-pandemic potential, and a soft landing (with stable payrolls and slightly above average inflation) is more likely today than in the recent past. Refraining from over extrapolating any given data point will be important going forward – the economy, and…
11Jul
Will the Unemployment Report Change the Fed’s Course?
Astor’s CEO Rob Stein and CIO John Eckstein discuss if the unemployment report will change the the fed’s course in our latest podcast! Listen now! Episode 124 MAS-M-400563-2023-07-10
20Jun
June 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
The U.S. economy has continued its normalization over the past month, with key measures of output and labor moving towards the pre-pandemic trend. For the pessimistic, there are plenty of cracks in the data to support a narrative of underlying weakness, but the overall picture is one of robust demand and gradual cooling. The The…
5Jun
Tune in for A Succinct Rundown of the Latest in Inflation Trends and Economic Growth
Astor’s CIO John Eckstein and Portfolio Manager/Vice President – Research, Nick Porter provide insights on inflation trends and economic growth. MAS-M-388004-2023-05-29
15May
May 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
The general economic outlook for the U.S. economy is essentially stable, with the labor market moderating and inflation coming down slightly from its recent peak. The Astor Economic Index® remains at a level consistent with below-average economic growth and has been supported by continued growth in employment, although somewhat weakened by softer data like PMIs….
11May
Employment Trends meets Federal Reserve Decisions
Astor’s CEO Rob Stein and CIO John Eckstein explore the interplay between employment trends and Federal Reserve decisions. MAS-M-380952-2023-05-08
4May
Staying Ahead of the Curve: Navigating Fed Policy, Robust Inflation, and the Economy
Astor’s CIO John Eckstein and Portfolio Manager/Vice President – Research, Nick Porter provide insights on the current economic landscape and the challenges the Fed is facing in controlling inflation. MAS-M-378863-2023-05-02
27Apr
Inflation & Duration: Navigating Rising Fixed Income Volatility
One can be forgiven for looking back on Fixed Income markets in the period between the Global Financial Crisis and the pandemic with something approaching fondness. The Great Recession and the period thereafter were dominated by concerns about the lower zero bound for rates and the need to stretch duration to get anything approaching reasonable…
19Apr
April 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
The data for the month of March showed a slight cooling of the U.S. economy but wasn’t fundamentally view changing for the domestic near-term trajectory. The Astor Economic Index® stayed in the same range that it began in 2023, at a level consistent with below-average growth. One of the big puzzles of the current macroeconomic…
24Mar
March 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
Harold Wilson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said (probably apocryphally) that “a week is a long time in politics”. In economics, a day can prove to be a lifetime, as recent events have shown. Banking sector stress over the past week has led to a dramatic repricing across the fixed-income world, and…
21Mar
Banking Crisis 2.0
As the recent bank failures hit the news wires the headlines became sensational, with some commentators claiming that the system was imploding. Ironically, just weeks ago, the banking system was characterized as ‘bulletproof’. To be clear, this is not 2008. That was a true banking and financial crisis with a complete breakdown of the banking…
15Mar
What does the Latest Employment Report implies to Fed?
Astor’s CEO, Rob Stein, and CIO John Eckstein analyze the latest employment report and discuss what it implies to the Fed. MAS-M-360082-2023-03-14
10Mar
Get up-to-date on Economic Conditions in the U.S.
Astor’s CIO, John Eckstein, and Portfolio Manager/ VP – Research Nicholas Porter get you up-to-date on the economic conditions in the U.S. MAS-M-357438-2023-03-07
14Feb
February 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
The U.S. economy is not in want of compelling data points of late, with prints in all sorts of indicators well outside of historical norms. The challenge, of course, is that many of these series are in open contradiction. For its part, the Astor Economic Index® (AEI) indicates an economy that is cooling (or has…
7Feb
Breakdown of the Latest Employment Report & What it means to the Fed?
Astor’s CEO, Rob Stein, and CIO, John Eckstein break down the latest employment report and what it means for the Fed. MAS-M-346515-2023-02-06
24Jan
Get up-to-date on Inflation and the Fed
Astor’s CIO, John Eckstein, and Portfolio Manager/ VP – Research Nicholas Porter get you up to date on Inflation and the Fed. MAS-M-339921-2023-01-20
18Jan
January 2023 Update on the U.S. Economy
Another year is past us, and 2023 has begun with the promise of new macroeconomic trends and data to digest. The Astor Economic Index® ended the year up slightly from months prior but still at a level consistent with below-average growth. The key questions going into 2023 are the persistence of strong labor market trends,…
17Jan
The Case for Active Fixed Income
The Case for Active Fixed Income: The End of the Era In Which Rates Only Went Down Fixed income had been deemed a dull affair for much of the past four decades. It was considered by many as something of an afterthought compared to the time many spent on the minute handcrafting and tweaking of…
13Jan
FAQ 2022 – 2023
A Q&A into what we saw and where we are going. This frequently asked questions guide is an overview of 2022 and a look into 2023. CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO READ.
20Dec
Outlook for inflation and the Fed
Astor’s CIO John Eckstein and Research Associate Nick Porter share their thoughts on inflation and the Fed. MAS-M-330565-2022-12-16