Last week was one for the ages in terms of the number and magnitude of events and data points for investors to digest. A Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting, the monthly jobs report, and the peak week of earnings season would be enough to qualify as a busy week.
Research
Economy in Uncharted Waters | Weekly Market Commentary | July 28, 2025
Last week, investors were reminded of the persistent impact the pandemic had on many macro models. In particular, the Leading Economic Index (LEI), which has historically been the Conference Board’s accurate leading indicator of the business cycle, still points to a deep, imminent recession as of last month.
Midyear Fixed Income, Currency, and Commodity Markets Outlook: Higher for Longer | Weekly Market Commentary | July 21, 2025
And while we think the interplay between the good (lower rates) and bad (higher term premium) will persist throughout the rest of the year, given the still resilient economic conditions, we think rates, particularly the 10-year Treasury yield, could drift higher in the near term before ending the year between 4.0% to 4.5%.
Midyear Stock Market Outlook: Path to Upside Clouded with Uncertainty | Weekly Market Commentary | July 14, 2025
If “tariff” isn’t the word of the year for stock investors so far, then perhaps it’s “uncertainty.” Uncertainty around trade policy dominated the path of the stock market in the first half and will continue to play a large role in the second half.
Wesbury Inflation and Doge
We have called inflation “political kryptonite” because it is so damaging to politicians. Clearly, inflation played a role in the 2024 election. So now that President Trump sits in the Oval Office, his opponents have been trying hard to link anything and everything in...
Cautionary Tale for DOGE
The buzz (can we say, vibe?) surrounding the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is undeniable. But the question remains: can DOGE truly deliver on their promise to reduce government spending? Proposing an extensive list of programs to cut is...
Economic Research Report – Mandate For Change
The red wave finally happened. A vast majority of counties – and most voter demographics – moved to the right, becoming more red. The result was a landslide electoral college victory for Donald Trump, who will become the 47th president of the United States....
It’s Money, Not Spending, that Causes Inflation
You don’t have to read or listen for long these days before you hear a politician, pundit, or politically-inclined person say: “Government spending causes inflation.” Don’t get us wrong…anyone who wants to cut the size and scope of government is a friend of ours....
Monetary Policy is Out of Control
The growth of bureaucracy around the world has led to a proliferation of rules. This creates multitudes of problems, one of which is that the state has made understanding what it is doing impenetrable, boring, nuanced, and technical. With vast resources, numerous...
Continued Growth in Q1
The economy continued to grow in the first quarter at what we estimate is a 2.6% annual rate. That’s a slowdown from the 3.1% rate in 2023, but still good compared to the past couple of decades when the average growth rate has been 2.0%. However, we think a chunk of...