November 22, 2016
Thanksgiving arrives this week. Every year, this is the day we reserve for giving thanks. Certainly, in our country we have much to be thankful for. We are one of the richest countries of the world when you measure by per-capita income, and perhaps the richest when you measure per-capita income against the size of our population. But it is not all about riches. It is also about our freedom and democracy. Yes, the recent political campaign turned a lot of people off, but how many would opt for the alternative of not having the right to vote?
On the other hand, it is easy to look at the aggregate numbers and forget that these averages can hide the millions who are not as fortunate residing right in our own country. And certainly, Thanksgiving is the time that our focus upon charity is also renewed. What makes our country great is not only our riches, but also that we are a leader with regard to charitable giving as well. Thus, we hope everyone will take some time to share, donate or volunteer during Thanksgiving week.
As important as Thanksgiving is, the economy marches on in the wake of the election and with an important meeting of the Federal Reserve Board’s Open Market Committee meeting coming in December. The recent spike in long-term interest rates has been concerning for many market watchers, especially since this spike is accompanied by concern that inflation will be on the rise. The question is whether this rise in rates is an overreaction to the surprise result of the election, or are their more fundamental long-term changes coming our way? This will be a topic we will analyze during the coming weeks.
Source: Origination Pro.