So do we see impact from the FOMC meeting tomorrow or Thursday? Gonna be a big swing trade day.

I see a big down day tomorrow. I don't have anything to back that up, just my gut after watching the up and down. It goes like this: up up, down, up up, down, up, up, up, something happens, big down.

ACA is meant to prevent anyone from going bankrupt from healthcare costs is it not?

who knows, consensus feels like 25 and done???
market is just waiting for some news to open the gates ............... or lock them tighter

IF Fed goes 25 basis points, which they should not, they will have to announce they are DONE hiking and turn “dovish” with their rhetoric.

We will have to live with some inflation to maintain a more stable banking system.

As the dominos fall the contagion risk is worldwide.

Q1 earnings are on deck. “Hard landing” or “soft landing”?

Either way the FED is as clueless as the rest of us. They just have the power to break shit.

Picking sectors and indiv stocks even more important.

Added some TECK resources recently. Copper and minerals for next 12 months. China etc

Just forget about it...it's not a winnable subject. The minds are made up and there is no middle ground.

It is not. Regardless of the name, it was designed to insure more people on the individual market (it halved the amount of uninsured), but insurance coverage does not prevent one from going bankrupt, which should be obvious to anybody who has had any experience dealing with any type of healthcare. Have you ever looked at an EOB? Gotten indecipherable medical bills after a surgery or test that was for more than you were expecting? Gotten a prescription that wasn't covered? Ever think about your own deductible, coverage, or other limits under your plan and consider if it was sufficient for an emergency? Half this country cannot afford an unexpected $500 expense, and around ~9% of the population is still uninsured, so that means a lot of insured people have no room for an accident or even room to pay for routine medical care that is partially covered.

From that Texas Tribune article,

But for many Americans, the law failed to live up to its promise of more affordable care. Instead, they’ve faced thousands of dollars in bills as health insurers shifted costs onto patients through higher deductibles.

Now, a highly lucrative industry is capitalizing on patients’ inability to pay. Hospitals and other medical providers are pushing millions into credit cards and other loans. These stick patients with high interest rates while generating profits for the lenders that top 29%, according to research firm IBISWorld.

Patient debt is also sustaining a shadowy collections business fed by hospitals ― including public university systems and nonprofits granted tax breaks to serve their communities ― that sell debt in private deals to collections companies that, in turn, pursue patients.

America’s debt crisis is driven by a simple reality: Half of U.S. adults don’t have the cash to cover an unexpected $500 health care bill, according to the KFF poll.

Does anyone know when they announce the yeild for the April I-bond rate?

If IIRC they don't announce until May 1 because that's when the rate changes. The projected rate at that time as of a few days ago is 3.24%.

If you buy some before May 1, you would get the current 6.89% for 6 months, (which includes the .4% fixed rate that would continue regardless of what the variable rate is after that).

If this holds true, I think that going with a high interest CD is probably the better option currently. I know of a few 12-27 month ones that are 5%.

What are you asking for here? Insurance is exactly that, it's not meant to pay every expense in every circumstance.

Then why would you ever ask this?

Thank you. May consider a Buy before May 1.
Or, because of Iceman.
Buy some Hal, EGT and some BKR now.

Yes

I think you could see 25 more next meeting assuming the banking crisis doesn't deepen.

Fed is still looking at employment numbers and they aren't seeing any slack.

Those are both reasons to have insurance, derp.

Do you not know what insurance is for? Which of those two things do you believe don’t apply to health insurance?

The Fed better act/speak wisely and quickly

I’ve gotten several clients calling moving assets held at banks to their brokerage accounts merely out of fear. A total of about $7.5 million today in just 3 accounts.

Getting 4.5% on 6 month t bills is enticing

While I say there is no reason to panic with most banks, they lack confidence.

With credit card debt rising another $61 billion, auto loans adding $94 billion in 2022 and personal savings cut in half from pre Covid highs, not sure how we navigate out of this fiscal policy/Fed induced mess.

As a result, if credit tightens more, like it should and spreads widen, I’m a bit worried about a “harder landing”.

What does it look like? A retest of October lows of 3,500? 12% from here, if that’s the worst of it ok.

Could still avoid “hard landing” if Fed does something right this time.

In any event, might see a bumpy ride the next 3 months.

Hey, I'm in my 50s and I'm young!

Almost all short term money is 4%++. No brainer right now until things settle out, especially for new cash. I took all balances out of the bank and invested also. I can still get 1 year term deposits for over 5%. Not sure that will keep up with pinball inflation though.

Barring the banking issues deepening I don't see a re-test of the lows. Bumpy ride - absolutely!

My gambling money is sitting in the 4% bucket till the bank thing plays out more... missing out on these recent market gains.

How rich.

Let's hope Powell raises by a full percentage point today and gets serious with inflation. Quarter point and half point doesn't do anything for this problem.

A full point with a roadmap for another 5 full points will do the trick.

Maybe I should be Fed chair

Do me a favor and let me know when you take over so I can short some stocks.

Quarter point.

What a wimp!!!

I'd have stomped out that inflation!!!

No warranted, not needed.

They need to stop and let the higher rates work. There is a 12-18 month lag on rate hike effects.

You don't have to be a hero - 4% is a-ok! Market will not suddenly run away from you.

Ice - what is the best way to get into T-bills?

I've tried getting into T-Bills, the auction thing just doesn't work with my brain though....I prefer to know what I'm getting up front.

Very simple, if you have an online brokerage account you can participate in auctions or buy on the secondary market
This channel has a lot of very good info
https://www.youtube.com/@DiamondNestEgg

You can get a feel for auction rates from recent past auctions
https://www.treasurydirect.gov/auctions/announcements-data-results/

And the hikes are nearing an end? So, they're giving up on inflation to save banks. Inflation has put prices 10-15 years into the future already. We're sunk.

Can I buy them in a brokerage account?

Nevermind, just a saw the post above. Thx.

Then buy them on the secondary market after they're issued. Easy as buying a stock on Vanguard. Same with CDs. I bought some CDs yesterday, 3 year duration, 5% yearly interest, paying monthly.

No

Try Treasury Direct and get the T-bills straight from the govt yourself - cut out the middle man . If not sure buy in $10,000 increments and look at 3 - 6 months and then see at those points if you want to reinvest or do auto reinvest till you feel things make sense not to.

https://www.treasurydirect.gov/

I think it is 3-6 months of waffling and freak outs in the economy. Then once the numbers are in showing layoffs, the Fed stops. At that point everyone will be gunshy and still scared (as history has shown us) but things will start to recover. I just bought some more FANG looking for a bigger and better picture a year from now.

Will probably load some more into T-Bills instead of pinball machines, too. Godzilla is providing plenty of fun still (I love it) and as entertaining as Godfather, Pulp Fiction and Galactic Force Tank look to be, the money may be better suited at 4.5-5% interest for now.

Yes. Most (probably all) brokerage firms have them on hand to buy from their bond desks. We have a massive amount showing in firm inventory.

He was asking about I-Bonds. Those have to be purchased from the US Treasury directly.

C'mon gold break and hold above 2k!

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-energy-secretary-says-it-could-take-years-refill-oil-reserve-2023-03-23/

Hmmm. Oil opportunities .

You can participate in direct treasury auctions for T-Bills via your online brokerage with zero fees and it will be easier to navigate then treasury direct
you can also buy/sell T-bills on the secondary market as well

I-Bonds need to be purchased via treasury direct

It definitely provides a floor - If they were smart they would start buying now and re-filling at these lower prices.

Layoffs are consequences of bad decisions. These are common. And affect corporations terribly. Also aren't rich people always held accountable for their actions? You can't sue someone who has nothing to pay you.

Sam Bankman-Fried
Bernie Madoff
Oliver Schmidt
Martin Shreli
Jeffrey Epstein
Allen Stanford
Michael Milken
Harvey Weinstein

& others would disagree

I wish I could get more income to buy more oil related stuff like FANG as well as T-BILLS

these low prices are a gift thanks to banks having to raise capital and sell their shares and people getting scared out of the market

so...1%?

1% of what

of 1%

Per your statistics, what percentage of rich people are getting away with crimes compared to non-rich people getting away with their crimes?

Now if you include rich politicians, that will definitely skew the stats

Forget about it.

"Some of this stuff (he's) seen first hand. Also, it's called history."

\

Spoken like a person with a guilt complex. Since you never actually contribute anything meaningful to any conversations, I'm just going to assume you're one of those self made 1%'s who does nothing wrong ever and my comments are not directed at you. Does that make you feel better?

Don't confuse 'get away' with 'getting caught and let off with a slap on the wrist'. The ones you listed are exceptions, not the rule. By comparison getting 20 years for a marijuana charge is far more impactful than a billionaire being fined a couple 100 million.