FOMC Commentary – October 29, 2025

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to lower the Federal Funds rate target range by 25bps, from 4.25%-4.5% to 4%-4.25%. The context provided for this move was as important as the interest rate cut itself, slowing employment growth but continued inflation at levels “somewhat” higher than desirable.

U.S. Government Shutdowns and Risk Markets

US Federal Government Shutdowns Some of the federal government’s activities are set to shut down if Congress cannot agree to fund them by October 1, 2025 What is a government shutdown? A shutdown occurs when non-essential federal government activities close temporarily because Congress has not approved funding to keep them open. There have been 10 […]

FOMC Commentary – September 17, 2025

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to lower the Federal Funds rate target range by 25bps, from 4.25%-4.5% to 4%-4.25%. The context provided for this move was as important as the interest rate cut itself, slowing employment growth but continued inflation at levels “somewhat” higher than desirable.

Corporate Bond Trade-Offs: Attractive Income, Limited Cushion

September 17, 2025 – Corporate credit spreads are at levels not seen in decades. Investment-grade credit spreads, which measure how much more a top-rated company pays to borrow compared to the U.S. government, have fallen to 0.77%, a level last seen in 1998 (Figure 1). Historically, the spread is closer to 1.30%, a half percentage […]

Preparing for Falling Interest Rates: Mortgages, Taxes, and Estate Planning Strategies

As published in Kiplinger As speculation grows that the Federal Reserve will soon start lowering interest rates, now is a good time to review your financial plans for housing, estate, taxes, investing and retirement to make the most of potential changes.There’s growing speculation that the Federal Reserve might start lowering interest rates later this year or next. […]