Blog

As we approach the midpoint of the year, both the markets and the US economic outlook look significantly different than they did just six months ago. The volatility that has been the hallmark of the financial markets so far this year has had several causes, with a burgeoning trade war between the world’s two largest economies, a transition in US monetary policy, and a moderation in US economic activity all playing large parts. The result of all this has been a steep decline in interest rates, with the discussion of a Fed rate cut occurring less than six months after the FOMC last hiked rates.

Yields edged lower during the final week of the quarter as stocks moved higher, with the S&P 500 nearing a 6.8% gain for the month

Fixed income markets had another tumultuous week, although the driver this week was FOMC policy rather than the US-China trade situation...

Another tumultuous week ended with lower yields, with large declines on the short end of the curve...

Both equity prices and bond yields took another step lower this week, as escalating trade tensions stoked fears that the ongoing disputes could cause real damage to the U.S. economy.

Financial markets once again took direction from the volatile US-China trade negotiations as the likelihood increased that the current trade disagreements will result in a full-blown trade war...

The month of May began with a flurry in the bond market, as Wednesday's FOMC meeting and Friday's employment report triggered sizable moves in bond yields...

Friday's GDP report pushed bond yields further into negative territory this week, closing out the week with 6-10 bps declines...

Bond yields ended the holiday-shortened week on Thursday fractionally lower after reversing a mid-week spike...

After treading water for much of the week, yields rose markedly on Friday followedly a strong earnings report from JP Morgan and an upbeat series of Chinese economic releases...