I see baby Boomers seeking yield. Will the U.S. central banking system accommodate them?

In comments made last week by a number of members of the Federal Open Market Committee, traders and investors should hold their horses on a cut in overnight banking rates anytime before June 2024. There appears to be some sentiment among Committee members that reducing the overnight lending rate between banks (federal funds rate) and … Continue reading I see baby Boomers seeking yield. Will the U.S. central banking system accommodate them?

Governments create bond markets and tax burdens. Keep your political activity within that parameter….

There was a scene in an episode of “Game of Thrones” where Jamie Lannister and his men sacked a castle and took off with loads of grain and other food stuff. That is how the vast majority of us feel during tax season: that the government, like Jamie Lannister, is coming around to haul away more … Continue reading Governments create bond markets and tax burdens. Keep your political activity within that parameter….

It’s post Super Bowl Monday. What options contracts are in or out of the money.

Underlying Future Monthly option price-February 2024 Strike price Spot price   EUR FX (6EH4) 1.0806 1.1000 1.0792 Call option: OTM, Put option: ITM JPY/USD (6JH4) 0.0067385 0.00695 0.006701 Call option: OTM, Put option: ITM           Source: CME Group, x-rates.com. At 11:39 pm EST United States 10-year bond Germany 10-year bund Japan … Continue reading It’s post Super Bowl Monday. What options contracts are in or out of the money.

How the Democratic and Republican philosophies differ on managing the value of the currency.

I liken the Democratic and Republican parties as two major management companies pitching their management styles as the best one for managing the political economy. Political campaigns between Democrats and Republicans are public battles over whose philosophy and narrative should be allowed to guide the nation-state. As “privateers” for the political economy, banks and their trading … Continue reading How the Democratic and Republican philosophies differ on managing the value of the currency.

The Court’s role in supporting monetary policy.

At times I think that traders and bank depositors operate in sandboxes oblivious to the rest of the playground that surrounds their play area. The media offers enough noise to distract market participants from the philosophy that orders the interaction between the State, the banking system, and transactional markets. I consider banks to be the retailer of … Continue reading The Court’s role in supporting monetary policy.

What is the federal funds rate? Should the Fed worry about not meeting its mandates under law?

Today’s rates …. 30-Day Federal Funds Futures: 94.69. Effective Federal Funds Rate: 5.33%. Interest on Reserve Balances: 5.40%. Discount Window: 5.50%. CME FedWatch: 96.8%. EUR/USD=1.0931. GBP/USD=1.2594. USD/JPY=149.6608. (Foreign exchange rates as of 7:38 pm EDT.) Today’s definition … Federal funds rate-the interest rate at which depository institutions lend reserve balances to other depository institutions overnight. … Continue reading What is the federal funds rate? Should the Fed worry about not meeting its mandates under law?