Three Things to Watch
- The war with Iran will remain the focus of the markets this week with President Trump making additional threats and proposing new deadlines. Markets are going to remain volatile until some clarity on oil prices and an exit strategy emerge.
- Friday’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for the month of March will give a good look at the impact of higher oil prices. CPI and core CPI are expected up 3.4% and 2.7%, respectively, which would signal acceleration in the rate of inflation and would be a reason for the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) to see no reason to lower rates.
- There are also three Fed speakers scheduled this week, and we expect the minutes from the March Federal Open Market Committee meeting to be released.
Three Things to Know
- Eight members of OPEC+ agreed to raise production quotas by 206,000 barrels per day for May. (Source: Bloomberg)
- No matter where the Final Four is hosted, the hardwood court always comes from the same place. The “Final Floors” are developed by Connor Sports, which takes hardwood sugar maple from northern Michigan. The wood goes to Amasa, Michigan, for the development of the floor panels and then to Idaho Falls, Idaho, to be finished. From there, the floors go to the stadium where they take about five hours to install. The farthest any floor has traveled from forest to dome has been 2,552 miles to Atlanta in 2007 and 2013. (Source: Athlon Sports)
- The 10-year Treasury yield is 4.3% and looks benign. But the 10-year 10-year’s forward yield is 5.5% and pushing above pre-2008 levels. (Source: Robin Brooks)
The above information reflects the current opinion of the author. It is based upon sources and data believed to be accurate and reliable. Opinions and forward-looking statements expressed are subject to change without notice. This information does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security mentioned.