It seems like every day, a new weapon in the fight to save our economy and exchange traded funds (ETFs) is unleashed.
So far, little seems to impress the markets. Since the $700 billion bailout was approved, things have only gone lower. A fresh interest rate cut didn’t help. What’s next?
There are a few other options, Tom Raum for the Associated Press reports. The government can buy up foreclosed properties and make direct loans to homeowners. The Federal Reserve can cut interest rates more and flood the system with money, but they’ve already done a lot of that. The Fed has to be careful, too – bold action could send the wrong signal to investors and contribute to a bigger downward spiral.
But the options are getting fewer, and while policymakers are saying to give the medicine already prescribed time to work, they’re still looking for other approaches. Among them includes taking some of the bailout money to take a part ownership in some U.S. banks.
The dollar rose against the euro today, but lost ground against the yen as investors shied away from risk, reports Ben Rooney for CNN Money. Despite the turmoil in our economy, the dollar is still being viewed as a relatively safe haven for currency traders. When stock prices fall, the greenback often moves up against the euro and British pound. The PowerShares DB U.S. Dollar Index Bullish (UUP) rose 0.5% in trading today, and is up 5.3% year-to-date.
Meanwhile, long-term bonds fell, sending a cue that sentiment might be starting to shift, reports Catherine Clifford for CNN Money. Rates of return on bonds aren’t competitive with other vehicles, but the principle is safe. On Wednesday, the Treasury announced that an additional $30 billion of bonds for sale.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.