Back in the fall last year, here we commented on a terrific Robert Kaplan Townhall. Good news, this time we were able to listen to this Townhall which occurred Monday January 11, 2021 without accidentally becoming a participant!
Robert Kaplan is the Dallas Federal Reserve President and is a voting member of the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) in 2020 – has a lot of eyes on him, especially during FOMC statements … but – see next
We like to listen to these “Quaint” discussions as more open comments and nuggets of information can be discovered and we are big fans of Kaplan as well…
Kaplan Latest Townhall Comments
Kaplan reiterated an expectation of US Economic growth – if all goes well – of 5% Wow. US Economic growth certainly has easy comparables due to a bad 2020, but a 5% growth rate is really strong and if occurs would help with our Capital Markets growing into their clothes thesis.
Biggest breaking comment, Kaplan believes the FED will at minimum speak of easing on asset purchases and again if all goes well is interested in higher rates later this year – Wow, another big news comment. Recall our concerns if rates get ahead of the Fed and they are forced to chase them down, could be strong headwinds… From our perch this is good news.
Oddly, most major Financial Firms are saying the likely stimulus coming soon will help, but when that runs out a slowing may occur …. someone is wrong !
We will be watching!
Kaplan firmly stated that continued stimulus through asset purchase AND low rates will do more harm than good if continued too long …. We agree, inflated asset prices and excessive risk taking does not work out well.
Best Question – What is Biggest Risk to Economy in 2021?
This question was by far the best and Kaplan’s comment that too slow of Vaccine rollout were both elegantly stated.
Kaplan expressed some concerns with the speed of the current rollout but expected/hoped for acceleration in short order, as we all do.
Kaplan, as a firm believer in higher education, our resident state of Texas is not at the top of the rung on this one, he mentioned several times improving the education system especially as it relates to technology will likely increase productivity in the decades to come.
There you have it, some Breaking News and some Good News!
Have a Great “Kaplan Townhall Update” Day!
John A. Kvale CFA, CFP
Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
Interesting Research From a Podcast – Food Price Correlation to Inflation, Assets and Other Linkage
Over the weekend while on an extended walk with the 16 year old’s dog, a new Podcast Series from Grant Williams had an interesting guest with an even more interesting theory…
The theory from the guest was that food prices and the increase and decrease there of acts as and inflationary or deflationary force on economies.
His logic was that we must all eat and if you watch food prices around the world you can see a big correlation to not only the afore mentioned economic forces but also government interaction to help offset bad side effects of these movements….
Hmmmmm….
Meet the USDA Economic Research Department
Being HUGE fans of government research sites, (no copyright problems) the USDA Economic Research Department of Agriculture is a new one on our radar…not only that, but this huge page of Interactive Graphs will be watched more closely with important ones likely finding a place here for all of our collective review….
Our favorite starting point graphs to follow … note food is third on the expenditure list … lending credence to Grants podcast guest view:
How about food price movement as it relates to Economic Cycles?
There were certainly spikes prior to these three recessions….
Here is a more detailed chart of expenditures of food at the personal level:
On the margin, food has cost less out of pocket over time.
Ya, ya we are nerds, but this is very interesting stuff to us, especially such a new and interesting Theory worth watching!
Have a Great “Watching Food Price” Day!
John A. Kvale CFA, CFP
Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
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Posted in Annual Reviewed, Economy, Education, Forecast, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments
Tagged Food Inflation, Food Prices, Food Research, Grant Williams, USDA, USDA Economic Research