Tag Archives: FOMC

The Fed Raised Rates, Analysis on Short and Long Term Rates, Interesting Observations From Conference Conversations

Posted on November 7, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Last week during the afore mentioned conference, the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) continued their increases in the the short end of the yield curve aka Fed Funds Rate…

FOMC – Federal Reserve Raises by .75%

Last week the FOMC continued their increases in the very short term Fed Funds Rate…

Note the 1 Year Treasury compared to the 10 Year – Inverted as the longer term fixed income market could be looking forward to the eventual slow down.

In a chance conversation at the conference, Liz Ann Sonders – (Chief Investment Strategist of Charles Schwab) and I had a conversation about the FOMC meeting and an interesting observation.

The press release had some soft language that led many to believe they may be on the path to slowing increases…. Capital Markets took off…. of course Powell could see this and during his live press conference made sure to re-iterate the increases were still on the table…

Sonders and I both agreed, had the capital markets not gotten ahead of themselves… Powell would likely have said nothing… The Fed wants the slow down …

Have A Great “Fed Raised and Analysis” 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

street-cents

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Posted in Economy, FOMC, General Financial Planning, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments, Retirement Planning

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Updates from the Conference – Today’s FOMC Announcement Analysis – Cyber Security …

Posted on November 2, 2022 by | Leave a comment

As mentioned last week, the first in-person large conference in some time is going on this week…. It is very nice to see everyone “In Person” …. we had forgotten just how full the schedules are during these events … full day ahead …

Briefly our two most important topics so far!

FOMC – Federal Open Market Committee Thoughts for Today’s Announcment

Just after lunch hour today the FOMC lead by Jerome Powell are set to raise rates (Fed Funds Rates – think overnight checkbook rate) by .75% (75 basis points) ….

The experts here say focus on the future (for the record we have been crowing on looking forward throughout this slowdown see here and here – digressing) as the Wall Street chatter is a step down possibility at the next meeting to a .50% — a firming of the higher .75% increase as the next meeting OR an even softer talk of maybe no .50% would be market moving… again according to our experts…

Cybersecurity – No Email of Social Security or the Like Documents

Condensing this event into one important topic – we all need to make sure we do not send documents with Social Security numbers or the like through email…. the hackers are just too good…

This is more of a reminder for all… but as we enter tax season next year, a good reminder!

Alright, that is it for now, a quick jog and workout… then to breakfast and back in doors for a full scheduld of events today!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

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Posted in Cyber, Economy, FOMC, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments

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October 2022 Financial Planning and Capital Market Review – DMA Reminder – By John Kvale CFA, CFP

Posted on October 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Hello and Welcome to our October 2022 … Financial Planning and Capital Market Update!

If you are too busy to read, feel free to listen as we describe our post and thoughts in friendly podcast audio format as well as Video!

Dallas Museum of Art

2 PM Saturday Afternoon November 19th before Thanksgiving Weekend

Newbies –

We like to articulate our thoughts and review on a Monthly basis our Financial Planning Tips, Capital Markets thoughts and current events!

Hope you enjoy!

October 2022 Video

YouTube

Financial Planning Tip(s)

New Retirement Contribution Maximums

  • 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, increased to $22,500 (2023), up from $20,500 (2022)
  • Catch up for those over 50 is increased to $7,500 (2023), up from $6,500 (2022)
  • Total max 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans including catch up is $30,000 (2023) up from $27,000 (2022)
  • limit on annual contributions to an IRA increased to $6,500 (2023), up from $6,000 (2022)
  • IRA catch up for those age 50 and greater remains $1000
  • Annual Gift Exclusion amount increased to $17,000 (2023) from $16,000 (2022)

Highlighted in this post

Capital Market Comments

Fastest Interest Rate Increase EVER – That’s a long time1

Our friends at Visual Capitalist are at it again with a superb chart we have been watching for, here in this post we highlight the following chart of just how fast this interest rate increase has been – fastest ever that is

Recall this is a TEMPORAY headwind to Fixed income instruments, that show up in greater magnitude due to the FOMC’s aggressiveness…

Have a Great Day, Talk to You at the End of October!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

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Posted in Audio, Economy, FOMC, General Financial Planning, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments, Monthly Review, Podcast, Retirement Planning, Video

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Fastest Interest Rate Increases Ever, and that’s a long time … Friends at Visual Capitalist

Posted on October 19, 2022 by | Leave a comment

From our friends at Visual Capitalist …

This is pressure for now, but pleasure as our income from our fixed pays out more!

When the Fixed Income market breathes, rates typically go down in a slowdown…. even with the Fed raising short term rates… actually especially when they raise short term rates…

Have a Good “Temporary Pressure Eventual Pleasure” 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

street-cents

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Posted in Economy, FOMC, General Financial Planning, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments

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September 2022 Financial Planning and Capital Market Review , Fastest Rate Increase, Ben Hunt, DMA Reminder – By John Kvale CFA, CFP

Posted on October 3, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Hello and Welcome to our September 2022 … Financial Planning and Capital Market Update!

If you are too busy to read, feel free to listen as we describe our post and thoughts in friendly podcast audio format as well as Video!

Break In: Holiday Venue Announced –

Dallas Museum of Art

Details to Come – Saturday Afternoon November 19th before Thanksgiving Weekend

Newbies –

We like to articulate our thoughts and review on a Monthly basis our Financial Planning Tips, Capital Markets thoughts and current events!

Hope you enjoy!

September 2022 Video

YouTube

Financial Planning Tip(s)

Ben Hunt on Narratives – Reminder Late Cycle Headlines are Usually the Worst

In case you missed our pre-Newsletter Post here or you missed the actual Newsletter post here, we really wanted to re-iterate our Neat Ben Hunt coverage of Narratives, especially with them being so dramatic as we near the end of the slowing cycle… hoping not to beat a dead horse…

Just a reminder once again, take heed if you find yourself being dramatically influenced suddenly… you may have hit a Narrative, accidental or purposefully….

Another super reminder

Why am I reading this, and why am I reading this now?

Capital Market Comments

Federal Reserve Marches on with Higher Rates – All about the Speed!

With a thicker line on the chart, finally, hopefully you can spy the massive speed at which this round of rate increases have occurred….

With the cover of a late entering data in the form of Owners Equivalent Rent in the CPI (Consumer Price Index) the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) has ripped rates higher …

Recall this is a TEMPORAY headwind to Fixed income instruments, that show up in greater magnitude due to the FOMC’s aggressiveness…

Have a Great Day, Talk to You at the End of October!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

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Posted in Audio, Economy, FOMC, General Financial Planning, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments, Monthly Review, Podcast, Video

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Reviewing a Sept 23, 2020 Prior Post and FOMC Statement – “Inflation is the Enemy!”

Posted on September 26, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Over the weekend (no jog as an early Saturday walk with dog through the local college campus garnered a huge stubbed toe from a protruding curb….cannot make this up … digressing) a long ago post about the FOMC and their main enemy entered the frontal lobe…

Our September 23, 2020 Post – Federal Reserve Enemy – Inflation

“The Fed, Economics, Interest Rates and Interest Rates Review Part 2 What would force the FEDs hand?

Posted on September 23, 2020 by John Kvale CFA, CFP | Leave a comment | Edit

Well covered in Part 1, here, the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) and Capital Markets also believe currently that interest rates will stay low for longer …. maybe we are hopeful they are both wrong (No maybe, we are!) but there is one word that we know the FOMC cannot allow to get out of control …

Inflation !

With inflation running persistently below this longer-run goal, the Committee will aim to achieve inflation moderately above 2 percent for some time so that inflation averages 2 percent over time and longer-term inflation expectations remain well anchored at 2 percent. From FOMC statement September 16, 2020″

The original post goes on the talk about the expansion of the balance sheet and the lack of inflation at the current time.

Fast forwarding to today, the balance sheet is unwinding and there certainly are higher inflation numbers…

If the Fed sticks to it’s word, their fears may justify continued pressure to slow an already slowing economy!

Hang tight, we have your back, but bumps may be on the horizon!

Have a Great “Federal Reserve Replay” 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

street-cents

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Posted in Economy, FOMC, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments

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Analyzing the Federal Reserve’s Balance Sheet … Interesting Analysis of MBS … Big Purchases … Big Sales

Posted on September 12, 2022 by | Leave a comment

As mentioned Friday, there were a lot of words dictated, typed and researched over the weekend in preparation for the Q 4 Newsletter.

During some of the research, a stumble on to the follow chart occurred. Being totally unrelated to our Newsletter information, but very eye catching and interesting, a share was in order!

From our Friends at JPMorgan and their Market Insights Slide deck:

What is most striking to the eye, or at least our eyes, is the disproportionate amount of MBS (Mortgage Back Securities – think packs of Mortgages) the Federal Reserve purchased during this latest round of asset purchases.

This month the Federal Reserve has stated they are now pushing 97 Billion dollars of these assets back into the market, up from a prior mentioned 40 Billion monthly sale.

This may be a reason that Current Mortgage Rates are by almost any measure WAY to high, compared to their historical normal spreads between other similar assets.

Bottom line, the Federal Reserve likely over pushed rates low and they may be doing just the opposite now.

Just as eventually the sugar wears out, so will the salt of higher rates!

Have a Great “Had to Share a Neat Fed Chart” 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

street-cents

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Posted in General Financial Planning, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments

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August 2022 Financial Planning and Capital Market Review – YAY …. Holiday Party Location Revealed – 401k Run Rate – Wall Street Mistake to Our Advantage, Bloated Inventory – Slowdown Contra Bounces and Pivot Narrative Reminder – By John Kvale CFA, CFP

Posted on August 31, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Hello and Welcome to our August 2022 … Financial Planning and Capital Market Update!

If you are too busy to read, feel free to listen as we describe our post and thoughts in friendly podcast audio format as well as Video!

Break In: Holiday Venue Announced –

Thanks for the tease jabs last week… deserved…haha

Dallas Museum of Art

Details to Come – Saturday Afternoon November 19th before Thanksgiving Weekend

Newbies –

We like to articulate our thoughts and review on a Monthly basis our Financial Planning Tips, Capital Markets thoughts and current events!

Hope you enjoy!

August 2022 Video

YouTube

Financial Planning Tip(s)

Check that 401k Run Rate – Are we hitting our contribution goals?

Here in this post we remind everyone now is a good time to check the run rate for your 401k contributions….

The reason now is a good time is we have time to make up any shortcomings, should they be discovered…

Bloated Inventories – Wall Street Woes = Main Street Savings

With large public companies fessing up that they have accidentally over inventoried and will be slashing prices to move said bloats….

Now may be a good time for a MANDATORY purchase….

As we mentioned in our post here, we have done some spiffing up of the office in conjunction with our new lease signing… Maybe too many people took our post to heart…. options are greatly reduced on some of our updates…yikes

Capital Market Comments

Hill Street Blues Reminder – Let’s be Careful Out there

In our post here, we highlight as a reminder that slowing/recession markets can have interesting contra bounces… but as our Hill Street Blue’s Chief always stated….

Let’s be careful out there…

Jackson Hole – No Pivot

Along with contra bounces comes a narrative that usually gets some traction…

Sure enough, this bouncing narrative was the Jerome Powell was already Pivoting to a slower hand (Economically not important as the cards have been dealt- digressing) …

Jerome Powell announced in his last weekend speech …. not only NO PIVOT but get ready for some Pain….Wow….

Care to guess when the announcement occurred?

Not to worry we are most definitely …… Being Careful Out there!

Have a Great Day, Talk to You at the End of September!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

Leave a comment

Posted in Audio, Economy, FOMC, General Financial Planning, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments, Monthly Review, Podcast, Reminder, Retirement Planning, Video

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July 2022 Financial Planning and Capital Market Review – Back to Basics Tax Return PLANNING – Legacy Health Coverage – Feds Pickle – Yield Curve Inverts – By John Kvale CFA, CFP

Posted on August 1, 2022 by | Leave a comment

Hello and Welcome to our July 2022 … Financial Planning and Capital Market Update!

If you are too busy to read, feel free to listen as we describe our post and thoughts in friendly podcast audio format as well as Video!

Newbies –

We like to articulate our thoughts and review on a Monthly basis our Financial Planning Tips, Capital Markets thoughts and current events!

Hope you enjoy!

July 2022 Video

YouTube

Financial Planning Tip(s)

Back to Basics Series – Income Tax PLANNING

In our final fun “Back to Basics” review we discuss Tax PLANNING….

From the post:

Coincidentally, the most important part of Tax Planning is the second word in the subject, Planning!

As we individual or corporate tax payers traverse the tax year, it’s important to take note of unusual events that may be occurring. We’re certainly not saying you have to worry about this every minute of the day, but should you have an unusual increase in income, or decrease in income, this should be thought about before the end of the year for your tax planning.

Later in the post we discuss the key items in reviewing your return as well….. in step by step format!

Legacy Health Coverages

After running into several situations of legacy health care options for long time former employees… Here in this post we outline the possibilities of bridge Health Coverage from legacy companies and how fantastic of an option this can be…

In almost every situation, the key is these plans are not easily discovered. In order to find out if you have an option, it’s best to dig out contact information from HR of your old employer and reach out to them directly.

This is an expense to your former employer, so it would be expected not to receive multiple information regarding such a plan, but if available it could greatly help in bridging the gap for Medicare should we be in the situation of needing coverage before age 65. 

Capital Market Comments

Bond Market turns Upside Down – The R Word

After the second negative GDP print … see next note of Fed’s Pickle…. the bond market really began to price in the R Word…. Here in this post we discuss the inversion of long bonds to short and their meaning…

The Fed’s Pickle

In this post, BEFORE the actual GDP announcement, we discussed the Fed’s pickle, with a hot economy (CPI inflation holding tight) BUT an economy that is slowing …..even qualifying as the R Word now – Recession!

From the BLS release after our post :

Q2 2022 (Adv)-0.9%
Q1 2022 (3rd)-1.6%

Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of 0.9 percent in the second quarter of 2022, following a decrease of 1.6 percent in the first quarter. The smaller decrease in the second quarter primarily reflected an upturn in exports and a smaller decrease in federal government spending.

The definition of recession is negative two quarters GDP….

Have a Great Day, Talk to You at the End of August!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

Leave a comment

Posted in Audio, Back to Basics, Clients/Clients Only, Economy, FOMC, General Financial Planning, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments, Monthly Review, Podcast, Retirement Planning, Video

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Fed Raises Rates and then heads home for some R&R for over two months … Last Friday of July … Going Fast …

Posted on July 29, 2022 by | Leave a comment

As expected, on Wednesday of this week the federal reserve raised rates by 75 basis points (.75%), an early leak to their favorite Wall Street Journal reporter all but absolutely solidified this decision. Note the speed of the move compared to the most recent rate increases…

Now with an open calendar of over two months the federal reserve can head for the hills and get some R&R before having to stew over the next meeting ….. and what will be likely a much more complicated decision! Recall here our note about being in a pickle!

Speaking of R&R this note comes from a cooler higher altitude climate as the family and I recharge the batteries, sharpen the saw or however that goes, and spend time together. A turnaround trip back home is a necessity for the incoming freshmen‘s mandatory sport tryouts with a quick return back to the family …. hopefully!

Today is a Friday, hope you may have some time for some R&R as well!

Talk next week…

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

Leave a comment

Posted in Economy, FOMC, Interest Rates, Investing/Financial Planning, Market Comments

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