The Economy Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.0% in the third quarter of 2017, according to BEA’s “advance” estimate. In the second quarter, real GDP increased by 3.1%. The increase in real GDP in the third quarter reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE), private inventory investment, nonresidential Read more
Stock Market Indices Explained
A stock index-or stock market index-which measures the value of a section of the stock market is computed from the prices of selected stocks (typically a weighted average). Investors and financial managers use stock indices to describe the market, and to compare the relative return on specific investments. Some indices are designed to indicate the broad performance of the Read more
BAM Second Quarter 2017 Economics Update
The Economy Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.6% (advanced estimate) in the second quarter of 2017. In the first quarter of 2017, real GDP increased 1.2% (revised). For the first half of 2017, real GDP increased 1.9%. According to the BEA, “The increase in real GDP in the second Read more
Personal Finance Tips for College Graduates
Graduation is a time for new adventures and new financial responsibilities. It is about transitioning from student life to the workforce and from focusing on education to focusing on a career. When starting out, it is important to have a firm foundation in the basics, from budgeting to saving to staying on top of debt. Read more
Housing Market and the Economy
After the housing crash and resulting financial crisis, investor attention was focused on the housing market recovery. Now that the crisis is over and housing has recovered, investors are paying less attention to this area of the economy. Because housing is typically the largest purchase most people make, it is important for both homeowners and Read more
BAM Economics Update First Quarter 2017
The economy continued GDP growth at less than 2% in the first quarter of 2017. Short-term treasuries continued to move up while longer rates moved down, thus continuing a flattening of the yield curve. The jobs picture continued to improve although the economy appears to be getting close to full employment meaning it is getting Read more