In February 2018, the US economy is healthy, but fears of higher interest rates triggered by mounting inflationary pressures contributed to a dramatic fall in stock prices and higher bond yields. More

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that can be used to buy and sell goods and services anonymously, without the involvement of a bank or government. Transactions are tracked by a network of independent computers using blockchain technology. Recently, bitcoin has received much press, not because of its use as a currency, but because its value appreciated over 20,000% in 2017. What is the underlying reason for the appreciation of bitcoin? More

The US economy grew at 2.3% in 2017. It picked up steam in the second and third quarters when growth exceeded 3%. The drop to 2.6% in the fourth quarter is not alarming because the overall strength remains strong. Unemployment has fallen to its lowest level since 2000. Personal incomes are increasing. Inflation remains low, but there are signs inflation is increasing because wage increases continue to outpace inflation More

Mr. Mike Sharples, who serves on our board, recently wrote an intriguing blog that uses a basketball analogy to explain the stock indexes, investment risk, while providing some valuable insights about the future. I enjoy investing and watching basketball (I am too old and short to play), so I wanted to share it with you. Thanks Mike for giving us permission to do so. More