Fed Meeting and Employment Report

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The road to success is always under construction” – Lily Tomlin

TECH CORNER

The Fed met last Wednesday and Chairman Powell threw a wet blanket on Wall Street by saying it is doubtful that there would be a rate cut in March. He said the Fed will follow the data on inflation and employment.  The best I can estimate is a possible rate cut in May. Inflation picked up slightly in January so I think the Fed doesn’t want to cut too soon and have inflation come back again.

The stock market as per the S&P 500 took a nose dive on Wednesday as the news came out but rallied on Thursday gaining back the loss. As of today (Tuesday) the market is at the same level it started at on Wednesday of last week, the day the news came out. 

The employment report for January came out and it was much better than expected at 355,000 new jobs. This is good news and bad news. If the job market is strong that is good for the economy, but possibly bad news for wage inflation which the Fed watches closely as that is a sign of future inflation. If the wage inflation increases, that would delay the Fed cutting rates. Remember that higher interest rates are in essence a tax on the economy.

I can detail many data indicators that show the economy slowing but I have done so in past letters and nothing has really changed. The recession isn’t here yet, but if the trend continues it is right around the corner. 

We are positioned in a US government money market and a small position in short term US Government bonds in the managed accounts. In the variable annuities we are positioned in high quality intermediate duration bond funds. Now is not the time to be taking on risk. 

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These are Larry Lof’s opinions and not necessarily those of Cambridge, are for informational purposes only and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Due to our compliance review process, delayed dissemination of this commentary occurs.

The S&P 500 index of stocks compiled by Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. The Index includes a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.

Technical analysis represents an observation of past performance and trend, and past performance and trend are no guarantee of future performance, price, or trend. The price movements within capital markets cannot be guaranteed and always remain uncertain. The allocation discussed herein is not designed based on the individual needs of any one specific client or investor. In other words, it is not a customized strategy designed on the specific financial circumstances of the client. Please consult an advisor to discuss your individual situation before making any investments decision. Investing in securities involves risk of loss. Further, depending on the different types of investments, there may be varying degrees of risk including loss of original principal.

Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Laurence Lof Financial Advisors, LLC are not affiliated. Laurence Lof Financial Advisors 4757 E Camp Lowell Drive Tucson AZ 85712 info@lofadvisors.com

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