Jenny Plaugher, Author at PlanRock

Market Indexes / January 2023
(all values as of 12.30.2022) Stock Indexes: Dow Jones 33,147 S&P 500 3,839 Nasdaq 10,466 Bond Sector Yields: 2 Yr Treasury 4.41% 10 Yr Treasury 3.88% 10 Yr Municipal 2.59% High Yield 8.87% ...

Published On: January 9, 2023Categories: Market Index Returns
World Population Surpasses 8 Billion – Global Demographics
In 1804, the world’s population reached 1 billion people. In 1927, over a century later, it reached 2 billion. Now, just 11 years after it passed 7 billion, the world’s population officially surpassed ...

Published On: December 23, 2022Categories: Economy
Unemployment Rate is Expected to Rise Heading Into 2023 – Labor Market Update
In September 2022, the unemployment rate hit 3.5%, its lowest point since the start of the pandemic. However, new Fed forecasts predict the unemployment rate to rise to 4.4%, which is too low ...

Published On: December 22, 2022Categories: Economy, Industry
Some Reprieve as Rates Fall Modestly – Fixed Income Overview
With the new year approaching, the Fed is expected by many analysts to begin slowing its rate hike trajectory. Currently, the Fed Funds Rate range is 3.75% to 4.00%, up dramatically from its ...

Published On: December 21, 2022Categories: Economy
OPEC Decides to Cut Oil Production – Oil Industry Overview
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group of nations that are the world’s major oil producers, producing more than half of the world’s crude oil. OPEC recently announced its ...

Published On: December 20, 2022Categories: Economy
How The Fed Has Lost Over $70 Billion – Monetary Policy Review
The Federal Reserve has posted its first operating loss since 2011, marking a stark turn in the central bank’s history since the 2008 financial crisis. Additionally, these negative earnings may put more pressure ...

Published On: December 19, 2022Categories: Government/Municipal
High Mortgage Rates Scare Away Potential Homebuyers – Housing Market Review
Mortgage rates eclipsed 7% in late October 2022, their highest in over 20 years. This has discouraged countless potential buyers from purchasing a home and instead resorting to renting or staying where they ...

Published On: December 16, 2022Categories: Economy, Housing Market
Equities Propelled by Lower Rate Expectations – Global Equity Update
Equity markets rebounded in November as stabilization in rates and inflation stirred optimism that lower rates would eventually materialize. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 Index, and the Nasdaq all climbed modestly ...

Published On: December 13, 2022Categories: Stock Market
Elevated Food Inflation Continues – Consumer Demand Dynamics
The most recent measure of food inflation is 8.2%, with 2022 inflation at the highest level since inflation in the 1980s, and the category seeing the harshest hikes appears to be food prices. ...

Published On: December 12, 2022Categories: Consumer Behavior, Economy
Chinese Exports Weaken, Global Economy Experiences Slowdown – Global Trade
Chinese exports are crucial for nearly all countries around the world and reflect the status of the global economy, whereas now both are experiencing a slowdown. Chinese exports expanded just 7.1% in August ...

Published On: December 9, 2022Categories: Economy

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