Author Archive
Why 2% GDP Growth May Be Best We Can Hope For
Gary D. Halbert Between the Lines As I reported in my E-Letter on Tuesday, the US economy grew by only 1.975% for all of 2015 versus 2.4% in 2014. Based on the weekly GDPNow report, the Fed sees the economy slowing sharply so far this year to only 0.6% as…
Dangerous Retirement Gamble Many Americans Are Making
Gary D. Halbert Between the Lines More and more Americans in their 50s and 60s are gambling that they will be able to continue working in some capacity well beyond their normal retirement age to make ends meet. This is most often true because they haven’t saved nearly enough for…
Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged, Cuts Number of Rate Hikes Ahead
Gary D. Halbert Between the Lines As was widely expected, the Fed Open Market Committee (FOMC) left the Fed Funds rate unchanged at 0.25%-0.50% yesterday. What was surprising in the statement and the projections was the fact that the Committee cut in half the projected number of rates hikes for…
Fitch Predicts Dismal Growth But No Global Recession
Gary D. Halbert Between the Lines Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has downgraded its growth forecast for the global economy. Fitch concludes that while global growth will be dismally sluggish, the world should avoid a recession this year. Fitch is one of three nationally recognized credit ratings agencies along with…
News Flash: The Democrats’ Lurch to the Left
Gary D. Halbert Between the Lines If you have listened to the political media in recent years, they would have us believe that the Republican Party is on its last legs, that 2016 is the last chance the GOP has to elect a president and that the party will soon…
The Fed’s Most Difficult Decision
Gary D. Halbert Between the Lines The Fed has a very tough decision to make at the upcoming March 15-16 policy meeting. I would argue that the choice between raising the Fed Funds rate yet again versus leaving the rate unchanged will be the toughest decision the Fed has had…