VTI News and Press, Vanguard Total Stock Market From 05/12/23

2023-05-12 11:02:41 ET Summary Very little happened on the Fed's watch this past banking week. The M2 money stock continues to decline and is down 5.3 percent from a year ago: quantitative tightening is now in its 13th month. Bank profits for the first quarter were at historic...

2023-05-11 17:51:26 ET Summary There is trouble in the banking system, yet commercial banks are producing massive profits. Among other things, the banking system is loaded with cash, particularly the largest 25 domestically chartered banks in the United States, with JPMorgan Chase...

2023-05-11 16:51:13 ET Summary Bullish sentiment, expectations that stock prices will rise over the next six months, increased 5.3 percentage points to 29.4%. Neutral sentiment, expectations that stock prices will stay essentially unchanged over the next six months, decreased 1.6 ...

2023-05-10 14:57:56 ET Summary The current jobless rate of 3.4% is below the natural rate, implying labor market tightness and according to the Phillips curve construct. For the Phillips curve to "work," changes in unemployment and the price level must be the result of shifts in a...

2023-05-10 13:30:19 ET Summary The headline CPI numbers are being interpreted as confirming that the Federal Reserve will pause rates and then, most likely begin to lower them. The details of the CPI report paint a more complex picture which we go into here. The month-over-mon...

2023-05-10 11:35:43 ET Summary This morning's inflation report met market expectations, which many investors cheered. Inflation is steadily declining, but painfully slow. The Fed is in a "race to the bottom" with another deflationary force. Earlier this morning, the ...

2023-05-10 10:30:50 ET Summary We summarize key data and provide an in-depth analysis of the monthly Consumer Price Index report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both All-Items and core CPI were in line with expectations. Close analysis of the internals suggest...

2023-05-09 16:18:02 ET Summary The possibility that the United States will default on its debt is highly unlikely. Therefore, rather than focusing on all the child-like name-calling that is going on in Washington, D.C., those that are serious about the debt need to get to work. ...

2023-05-09 13:30:00 ET Summary VUG has a long track record, an ultra-low expense ratio, and a very solid method of portfolio selection. For risk-tolerant investors, with a long-term perspective, it's an excellent choice. At the same time, for many investors, I have some real conce...

2023-05-08 11:06:42 ET Summary The time limit seems to be somewhere near June 1, 2023. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has announced the date. But, the players are still acting like children. The debt ceiling is way out-of-date and must be done away with. But, moving f...