ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The ISM Manufacturing Index declined to 52.4 in February but exceeded consensus expectations (51.5) for the second month in a row. (Levels above 50 signal expansion; levels below 50 signal contraction.) Growth broadened with 12 out of 18 major manufacturing categories reporting growth (vs. 9 in January), but the major measures of activity […]
ECONOMIC REVIEW1 Over the weekend, after weeks of military buildup and failed diplomatic talks, the United States and Israel launched coordinated air strikes across Iran, targeting nuclear and military infrastructure, prompting swift Iranian retaliation across the region and sharply escalating the risk of a broader Middle East conflict.2 The Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 0.5% […]
brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 Last week the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were not valid. The Court did not address the issue of refunds. It is estimated that these tariffs have raised between […]
brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 A brief government shutdown delayed the release of certain labor market–related economic data, which is now expected to be released one week later. The ISM Manufacturing PMI, a measure of manufacturing activity, came in stronger than expected at 52.6. A number above 50 […]
brought to you by Phillip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The Federal Reserve (Fed) decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50-3.75% at the first meeting of 2026. Stronger fundamentals showing meaningfully improved economic growth, stabilizing unemployment, and “somewhat elevated” inflation. Separately, President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh as […]
brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 Over the weekend, President Trump announced a new 10% tariff on imports from eight European countries starting February 1, with plans to increase the rate to 25% on June 1st if negotiations tied to Greenland do not progress. U.S. and European officials are […]
If you are still using Windows 10, it’s time to take notice: Microsoft ended free security support on October 14, 2025. This means your computer is now significantly more vulnerable to cyber threats. Without regular security updates, new weaknesses in the system aren’t fixed—creating ‘open doors’ for hackers. Why It’s Vulnerable No More Security Patches: […]
brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 Over the weekend, the United States launched a special military operation that oversaw the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Maduro was extradited to New York to face criminal charges for drug trafficking, with the U.S. alleging that he sat atop an illegitimate corrupt […]
brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The much-anticipated November employment report showed nonfarm payrolls rising by 64,000, modestly above consensus expectations following an unusually weak October report. Prior months were revised lower, with October showing a sharp decline that reflected shutdown-related disruptions rather than a sudden deterioration in labor […]