Michael Ashton

E-PIPHANY

Contributor since: 26 Feb 2010

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• Learning the Wrong Lessons

  Published 22 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  According to Bloomberg, investors are the most optimistic on stocks they have been in 3½ years. As is normal, investors mistake a sense of optimism…

• Greed Over Fear?

  Published 17 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  Desperation is unattractive, and desperate greed - needing to have a big return, quickly - is dangerous when it comes to investing. But investors appear…

• It Pays To Be Contrary

  Published 15 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  At one time, I think most of us assumed that the stock market would have a hard time rallying without its largest component, Apple (AAPL).…

• Unemployment and Initial Claims - A Quick Chart

  Published 14 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  It was a pretty quiet day today, so instead of writing about the fairly boring market action (although AAPL broke below $500 for a few…

• How the Trading Floor Really Works

  Published 14 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  I have a book on my shelf, called The Money Market, by Marcia Stigum. It covers the workings of the capital markets, from basic instrument…

• My December Bloomberg Radio Appearance

  Published 11 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  I'd noted in mid-December on this list that I was a guest on Bloomberg Radio on the "Bloomberg on the Economy" program with Carol Massar.…

• A Relatively Good Deal Doesn't Mean It's A Good Deal

  Published 10 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  I suspect that everyone has 'default activities' that they automatically turn to when nothing else is working. For example, when I can't sleep and I've…

• One Less Good Reason to Be Bearish On Inflation

  Published 07 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  If you're bearish on U.S. inflation, I think your view boils down to one of the following arguments: I think growth will remain soft, or…

• Were the FOMC Minutes Really That Hawkish?

  Published 04 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  I suppose I need to say something quickly about the FOMC minutes which were released yesterday, because the markets are seemingly gyrating on a "surprisingly…

• Off With A Bang

  Published 03 January 2013 | viewed 0 times

  After 2012 ended with more than the usual amount of whimpering (although not from investors, who saw gains in equity as well as bond markets),…

• Wrapping Up - And Some Portfolio Projections

  Published 20 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  Whether it's with a bang or with a whimper, the year is drawing to a close. So too is this author's year; I expect that…

• What Will the Fed Do When It's Finally Time to Tighten?

  Published 19 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  Housekeeping note: if you missed my comment on CPI from Friday, you can find it here. And if you missed my Bloomberg Radio interview with…

• Summary of My Post-CPI Tweets

  Published 14 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  The following is a summary of my post-CPI tweets. You can follow me @inflation_guy. Core CPI only 0.11% unrounded, 1.94% y/y. Large fall in apparel…

• Objects In Mirror May Be Closer Than They Appear

  Published 12 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  The Fed delivered QE4, as expected, on Wednesday as it pledged to continue buying longer-dated Treasuries even though it will no longer sell shorter-dated Treasuries…

• The Stocking Is Mostly Full

  Published 11 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  With the exception of a resolution to the budget crisis, Tuesday probably saw the best combination of possible news and expectations that we could have…

• Fama on the Fed and Inflation

  Published 10 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  I don't agree with Eugene Fama on everything, but I'd be a fool if I didn't agree with him on quite a bit. Fama wrote…

• The End-of-Year Downshift Is Beginning

  Published 10 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  With the last major central bank meeting of the year (the Federal Reserve's) due on Wednesday, and few important pieces of data ahead aside from…

• Summary Of My Post-Payrolls Tweets

  Published 07 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  The following are my post-Payrolls tweets (@inflation_guy), along with some charts and added thoughts. Payrolls number close, expected 85k was actually 146k but 49k of…

• If You Want To Do Instant Replay Right

  Published 07 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  This article is very unlike anything I have written on this blog before. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the market, the economy, or…

• For Want of a Nail

  Published 07 December 2012 | viewed 0 times

  The latest fiscal cliff follies are redolent of that old proverb: For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe…