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.

Interbank market: Federal Reserve rates for a holiday shortened week and Fed clarity.

Today’s rates … 30-Day Federal Funds Futures: 94.70. Effective Federal Funds Rate: 5.33%. Interest on Reserve Balances: 5.40. Discount Window: 5.50%. EUR/USD=1.0923. USD/JPY=149.4885. Today’s definition …. interbank market– “The interbank market is a global network utilized by financial institutions to trade currencies and other currency derivatives directly between themselves. While some interbank trading is done by banks on … Continue reading Interbank market: Federal Reserve rates for a holiday shortened week and Fed clarity.

A reduction in the interchange fee cap may not hurt debit card transactions activity….

The takeaway … Back on 25 October 2023, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System voted to reduce the cap on the interchange fee, a fee received by debit card issuers. 12 CFR 235.2(j) defines the interchange fee as “any fee established, charged, or received by a payment card network and paid by … Continue reading A reduction in the interchange fee cap may not hurt debit card transactions activity….

No surprises as the Fed keeps rates the same. If there is a pivot, it is coming from the media not the Fed…

The takeaway … I listened to Jerome Powell’s press conference held yesterday after the release of the Federal Open Market Committee’s decision on the federal funds target range. The FOMC decided to maintain the target range at 5.25% to 5.50% by keeping its administered rates, the discount window and the interest on reserve balances, at … Continue reading No surprises as the Fed keeps rates the same. If there is a pivot, it is coming from the media not the Fed…

Something stands out about foreign exchange broker spreads for the US dollar and Moroccan dirham.

The takeaway … I received a view of my blog from Morocco. That is the cool thing about this blog; I get to engage with people from around the world. I have never been to Morocco or the African continent for that matter. My son has been to Morocco and I have family in The … Continue reading Something stands out about foreign exchange broker spreads for the US dollar and Moroccan dirham.

Foreign exchange, fed funds futures, and bond yields as of 9:35 am EST

The takeaway …. The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to announce no change in the target range for the federal funds overnight rate. The current target range is 5.25-5.50%. The federal funds rate is the rate banks charge for lending their reserves to each other overnight. The current effective (weighted) rate is approximately 5.33%. … Continue reading Foreign exchange, fed funds futures, and bond yields as of 9:35 am EST