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Is the U.S. Housing Recovery Built to Last?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 4/30/13
The sectors comeback will continue, but the pace will likely moderate. Heres why.

Murkier Prospects for Merkel
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 4/25/13
An anxious German electorate may make it harder for the chancellor to continue her pro-cooperation approach to Europes fiscal crisis.

Fannie and Freddie Face the Future
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 4/18/13
The mortgage finance giants are the subject of a new policy initiativewith significant implications for the U.S. housing market.

Europe Stumbles to a Cyprus Solution
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 4/8/13
After several late-night meetings and considerable angst, the members of the eurozone have settled on something for Cyprus that looks very much like a typical bankruptcy. It is comical in a way that people worked so hard to arrive at an already widely known, well-established process. Still, this result may have value. Because Europe through these four years of crisis has strived to tailor settlements for each new challenge, it has always left people in doubt about each outcome, particularly where the pain would fall.

Look Beyond the U.S. Budget Bluster
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 4/1/13
Believe it or not, prospects for better fiscal developments out of Washington appear positive. Heres why.

Energy: Perilous Present, Promising Future
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 3/25/13
For oil and gas, an era of abundant supplies and lower prices awaits. But investors will have to weather a tricky geopolitical situation before it arrives.

Currencies: A 1970s Flashback?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 3/18/13
Four decades ago, a currency war and significant Fed easing were followed by a bout of high inflation. Now investors are worried that history could repeat itself.

Italy: Welcome to the Bungle
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 3/11/13
Results of the recent election increase the likelihood of a eurozone breakupand disruptions to financial markets.

Currencies: The Winds of War
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 3/5/13
In this conflict, the collateral damage could include asset bubbles and accelerating inflation.

Fiscal Policy: The Same Old Drag
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 2/25/13
Among the many fears shared by investors, concerns over fiscal drag have recently risen. Though no one yet can know the specifics of Washington's coming compromises, these will no doubt impose the anticipated tax hikes or spending cuts, and these will indeed hold back the pace of economic growth. Still, it would be a mistake to anticipate too much of a shock. The country, after all, has suffered fiscal drag for some years now. Even with failure in Washington, a moderation in cutbacks at the state and local level should allow government overall to offer the economy a measure of relief.

Taxes: Living Off the VAT of the Land?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 2/20/13
The country has renewed its conversation about the way it should tax itself, whether to rely on income taxes or replace them with sales taxes. This latest buzz springs from plans by several Republican governors to reduce or eliminate their state income taxes. It has extended to talk about change at the federal level, including speculation about the introduction of a value-added tax (VAT) in addition to existing federal income taxes. Similar proposals surfaced in the 1990s and earlier in this century.

Fixed-Income Insights: When High Yield Loses Some Height
by Zane Brown of Lord Abbett, 2/12/13
If one sought an indication of how monetary policy and historically low interest rates can influence investor behavior, the high-yield bond market could provide some perspective. In 2012, investors' ongoing demand for income was reflected by the high-yield market's 15.6% return, the $32 billion that flowed into the asset class, andas several headlines pronouncedthe market's record-low yields of less than 6%.

Stocks: Why "Risk On" Rules
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 2/11/13
Investors appear to believe the equity market will muddle through its many challenges.

Eurozone: Divorce, Italian Style?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 2/5/13
The upcoming election may determine whether Italy continues its austerity and reform programs. The fate of the currency union may hang in the balance.

Signs of a Solid 2013 for Stocks
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 1/31/13
Yield spreads versus bonds indicate that stock valuations have considerable upside.

Economic Insights: Signs of a Solid 2013 for Stocks
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 1/28/13
Yield spreads versus bonds indicate that stock valuations have considerable upside. Earlier in this recovery, when earnings were growing very strongly, consensus concerns about equities cited the danger of an earnings slowdown. Those expressing this concern pointed out, that such a slowdown would occur inevitably as the recovery matured, especially with economic growth proceeding at such a subpar rate. What seems to have escaped notice is that the slowdown already occurred in 2012 and that the stock market offered good returns despite it.

Japan: Another Season of Downturn Abe?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 1/25/13
The returning prime minister is trying to spark the moribund economy with the same old remediesbut bolder action is needed.

What's Behind the Buyback Binge?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 1/15/13
The pace of stock repurchases says much about equity valuationsand companies' expectations for economic growth.

Why China Won't Crack
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 1/8/13
For the world's second largest economy, a hard landing scenario looks increasingly remote.

Capitol "Cliffhanger": Thriller or Chiller?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 12/28/12
Whatever the outcome of the last-minute jockeying in Washington, meaningful fiscal reform remains unlikely.

"Frack and Slack" Put U.S. Trade in the Black?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 12/21/12
Could it be that the U.S. trade balance is headed into the black? At first blush, the prospect looks dubious. This country's trade deficit has drifted deeper into the red for so many decades now that few can even conceive of lasting improvement. Even so, that is what seems to be in prospect.

The Market's Next Appointment: Health Care
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 12/17/12
Even if a "fiscal cliff" resolution is achieved, investors will receive another dose of uncertainty courtesy of the Affordable Care Act.

Dwelling on a "Cliff" Deal
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 12/10/12
After the brinksmanship runs its course, Congress will jury-rig a fiscal compromise.

Economic Insights: Is Capital Spending Spent?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 12/3/12
Once an area of considerable relative strength, business spending on capital goods has weakened of late. When the spending pickup began earlier in this recovery, utilization rates of existing facilities were so low that many expressed surprise. Only little of the spending went for increased capacity, of coursemost of it aimed at labor-saving equipment. But though this concentration held back the pace of hiring, it did contribute to economic growth. Now, however, it looks as though this surge has run its course, and the capital spending sector, too, has fallen into the slow slog.

Stuck in the Muddle with You
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 11/26/12
Raising Keynes hasn't worked. What will finally lift the fog of uncertainty that bedevils the economy?

Will the "Cliff" Steal Christmas?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 11/19/12
Probably not. Here's how a last-minute deal on spending cuts and tax hikes could work.

The REIT Stuff: How REIT Investors Have Benefited from the Real Estate Recovery
by Steve Benyik of Lord Abbett, 11/16/12
In an otherwise slow-growth economy, real estate investment trusts' (REITs) strong returns and yields have attracted considerable investment in recent years. Steve Benyik, Lord Abbett REIT analyst, provides perspective on the sector's key trends.

Surveying the Post-Election Landscape
by Team of Lord Abbett, 11/12/12
Of all the uncertainties facing investors over the past few years, the U.S. presidential election was among the most significant. And now that the election is over, asset managers are assessing the opportunities and riskssuch as the looming fiscal cliffwithin their respective markets. Indeed, the direction of fiscal policy remains investors' foremost concern, according to a recent survey of nearly 600 financial advisors conducted on Lord Abbett's postelection Web conference.

Housing Recovery - A Dose of Realty Reality
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 11/12/12
Media and the investment community have made much of recent good news on housing. Certainly, the recent upturn in sales, building, and real estate prices is welcome. But if the 1980's housing bust is any guide, popular references to strength and imminent recovery grossly overstate. That older experience suggests that health in the sector will return only slowly. Residential real estate may well have turned a corner, but major gains and price recovery will likely wait for some time.

Same Old Samba for Brazil
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 11/6/12
The old saw for the last 80-plus years puts Brazil perpetually on the verge of becoming the next economic powerhouse, but never quite making it. It is easy to see the potential. The nation is large; rich in natural resources and arable land; has a sizable, active population; and has well-developed trade relations in the Americas, with Europe, and with Africa. Brazil has failed to realize its potential less for economic reasons than because of misguided government policies.

Time Heals U.S. Equities' Wounds
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 11/2/12
As long-term performance measures may improve, investor attitudes toward stocks may brighten.

The "Fiscal Cliff" and the Election
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 10/22/12
The fiscal cliff looms large. It should. Unless Washington does something, the 2013 budget will face a sudden and automatic fiscal restraint. The shock would almost certainly drive this economy's already enfeebled recovery into recession. It is an alarming prospect, to be sure, but still, likelihoods suggest that even this partisan Congress will steer clear of such a "cliff."

QE3Back to the Future
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 10/15/12
The broad scope and open-ended nature of the Federal Reserve's third round of quantitative easing raises questions about what exactly Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has in mind. Some insight, remarkably, emerges from a speech he gave in November 2002 to the National Economists Club in Washington, D.C., when he was simply a Fed board member. Taking his cue then from fears of a Japanese-style deflation, he laid out a path for monetary stimulus in an extreme situation, outlining nontraditional policy tools that have since become common.

Easing Labor Pains for Europe?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 10/8/12
The Continent sees the first stirrings of needed job-market reforms.

Quantitative EasingBernanke Sizes Up the Risks
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 10/1/12
Bernanke acknowledged four potential pitfalls in policywith a fifth lurking in the shadows.

Trade Winds Shifting in America's Favor
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 9/24/12
The improvement in the U.S. trade balance can be traced to the dollar's relative weakness and increasing domestic energy production.

$4 Gas Could Put Brakes on Growth
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 9/18/12
Reaction to the recent climb in gasoline prices appears surprisingly muted, but a sustained rise could result in a significant drag on U.S. growth.

Will Greece Set Sail from the Euro?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 9/10/12
Despite a chorus of voices calling for Athens to exit the currency union, the potential consequences would likely be unpalatable for the rest of Europe.

Housing's Slow Climb Out of the Cellar
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 9/4/12
After being down so long, it is finally looking up for the beleaguered sector. But the recovery still faces a number of obstacles.

Municipal Finance - Some Positive Signs
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 8/27/12
State and local government finances remain precarious. The degree of trouble varies from place to place, of course, but generally it will take decades for states and cities to put their finances in anything like good order. It is, in fact, a good bet that no middle-aged person today will live to see such an event.

QE3: Tackling the Big Questions
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 8/20/12
Will the Fed launch another round of quantitative easing? If so, when? Here are the factors that could influence the central bank's decision.

Double Dip? Doubtful
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 8/13/12
The flow of economic news is hardly encouraging. Jobs growth remains disappointing. Recent readings on consumer spending and business activity show weakness as well. If the picture of the housing market has improved a bit, it still hardly portrays strength. Talk of an imminent recessionary dip has become common, for the third time now in as many years. While some recent economic reports have been discouraging, underlying fundamentals do not point to a return to recession.

Japan's Tax Hike Could Prove Costly
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 8/6/12
Japan has been here before, and the outcome was far from pleasant. Yet it seems the wheels are in motion. The country will double its national sales tax, from 5% to 10%. Justified as a way to help the country deal with its precarious fiscal situation, the move has raised serious concerns. This kind of a tax hike, applied for much the same reason, has been widely blamed for the country's destructive late-1990s' recession.

The Euro's Survival Requires German Engineering
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 7/30/12
As Europe's paymaster, Berlin faces a tricky task: promoting austerity among economically stressed peripheral nations but not too much. In Europe's seemingly endless debt negotiations, Berlin would seem to hold all the cards. It is, after all, Europe's largest economy, its most powerful, and its most financially sound. But in reality, Berlins options are highly constrained and require a remarkably delicate policy balance.

China's Economy - A Great Wall of Worry?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 7/23/12
The population of China bears seems to keep growing. This already large colony of doomsayers can point to any number of legitimate troubles facing China today, and they glibly do so, from slowing exports growth to an aging population, from real estate excesses to a moribund consumer sector. Bears think China is in for a "hard landing," but their pessimism is overdone. Here's why.

The Surprising U.S. Consumer
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 7/16/12
Pessimists take note: Despite lackluster jobs data, the consumer is in better shape than many think. Amid the country's diverse economic problems, it is easy to look at the dark side of everything. However much material there is on that unattractive side of the ledger, people should not lose sight of the positive developments. Especially where the American consumer is concerned, matters, if still far from universally robust, have improved markedly during the last four years.

Economic Insights: U.S. Exports: A Lower Gear, but Still Cruising
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 7/9/12
The growth of exports at times has added as much as two percentage points to the overall pace of the economys expansion and is a major reason why American manufacturing has staged a comeback in recent years - a renaissance some have called it. But of late, with the dollar rising against both the euro and the yen, and with growth overseas slowing or, in Europes case, falling, questions have arisen about the sustainability of U.S. export strength.

Economic Insights: U.S. Exports - A Lower Gear, but Still Cruising
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 7/2/12
Amid a rising dollar and sluggish global economies, exports should continue to bolster U.S. growth, although the pace will slow. Exports have remained one of the few consistent bright spots in this otherwise subpar economic recovery. The growth of exports at times has added as much as two percentage points to the overall pace of the economys expansion and is a major reason why American manufacturing has staged a comeback in recent yearsa renaissance some have called it.

The Fiscal Cliff -Thelma and Louise Remake Unlikely
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 6/25/12
Unlike the cinematic outlaws, Congress will likely avoid a year-end plunge into the chasm of economic peril. The CBO report identifies eight elements of this looming fiscal drag: five automatic tax hikes and three automatic spending cuts. It estimates their total impact for fiscal 2013 at $607 billion, or some 4.0% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), and enough to turn positive growth negative.

Health Care - Will the Supremes Keep Us Hangin On?
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett, 6/18/12
As of this writing, the Supreme Court has yet to announce its decision on Obamacare. It has not even announced when it will reveal its decision. Still, if much about the Courts conclusion remains a mystery, two things about it are fairly clear: 1) the Court will almost surely hand down something complex, and 2) whatever it decides, uncertainty will continue to plague business and investment decision making.
Results 101–150 of 265 found.