Episode 56 of Trading Perspectives Podcast

September 16, 2019, by Sara McPherson

Climate Change There has been something strange about recent weather patterns. Temperatures have been unusually high, even for those of us accustomed to them. It’s not surprising when you consider 7.7 billion people, requiring food to eat, water to drink, clothes and shoes to wear, and a dry place to put their head a night, will consume a lot of natural resources around the global, ultimately putting some level of stress on the environment. What...

Common Sense & Scorching Temps on September 13, 2018

September 13, 2019, by John Norris

It has been blisteringly hot here in central Alabama, seemingly forever. You expect hot weather when you live here; however, recent high temperatures have been unusual even for those of us accustomed to them. So much so, climate change was a popular topic of discussion at a cocktail party I attended in Montgomery, Alabama, this past Thursday night. You read that right: climate change was a topic of discussion at a recent cocktail party in...

Episode 55 of Trading Perspectives Podcast

September 9, 2019, by Sara McPherson

Negative Interest Rates in the United States Last week, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, said that it’s only a matter of time before negative interest rates spread to the United States. In this episode of Trading Perspectives John and Sam talk about why much of Europe has negative interest rates and what would need to change for that to happen here. If American risk tolerance were to change, could the US sustain...

Common Cents & US Negative Interest Rates? Common Sense? September 6, 2019

September 6, 2019, by John Norris

This week, a friend of mine sent me an article she felt I might find interesting. Actually, calling it an article might be a bit of a stretch, as it wasn’t much more than a few hundred words. However, it was enough of one to warrant its own headline, and what a headline it was: Alan Greenspan says it’s ‘only a matter of time’ before negative rates spread to US. That is exactly how it...

Episode 54 of Trading Perspectives Podcast

September 3, 2019, by Sara McPherson

The American Empire Throughout history, empires have come and gone, but they have all had some common characteristics. The American empire is a little different. This week John and Sam discuss economic growth of countries and how the US empire works on a financial and economic basis. How does the US fit into Global GDP historically? What role has the United States played in this new period of accelerated growth and are we the cause or...

For Second Year in a Row, Oakworth Capital Bank Named #1 Best Bank to Work for in the Nation by American Banker

September 3, 2019, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

For the second year in a row, Oakworth Capital Bank has been named the number one best bank to work for in the United States. The Best Banks to Work For program, initiated in 2013 by American Banker and Best Companies Group, identifies, recognizes and honors U.S. banks for outstanding associate satisfaction. Full results of this year’s program are available at American Banker and in the September issue of American Banker Magazine. “Our associates are...

Common Cents & The Shrinking Blue-Collar Middle Class on August 30, 2019

August 30, 2019, by John Norris

In response to last week’s newsletter, I received an email which asked the question and made the statement: “does our trade deficit really matter? After all, cheaper goods benefit the US consumer, which is the largest part of the economic equation.” The answer is: it probably doesn’t. Some years ago, I heard a somewhat well-known economist say it isn’t important if the United States makes or exports anything, as long as foreigners continue to invest...

Episode 53 of Trading Perspectives Podcast

August 26, 2019, by Sara McPherson

Gross Domestic Product How strong is America’s economy? That really depends on who you ask. Since the Roosevelt administration, the most widely used measure of economic strength is in terms of GDP. Gross Domestic Product. This week, John and Sam compare GDP to lesser known measure called Gross National Happiness. Is GDP still the most accurate way to measure the health of our economy and growth of society? What is the best way to measure...

Common Cents & “What In The [heck] Was That” on August 23, 2019

August 23, 2019, by John Norris

Up until about 10:00 CDT this morning, I struggled with a topic for today’s newsletter. Everything was variations on a theme or similar to something I had read elsewhere. I mean, how many different articles can you read about Fed Chairman Jay Powell’s comments on monetary policy after a meeting of academics? The answer is: as many as you would like, and there isn’t a nickel’s difference between the lot of them. At about that time,...

John Norris chats with Discover about the Fed Rate Cut

August 20, 2019, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

What does a Fed Rate Cut Mean for my Finances? Read the full article here: https://www.discover.com/online-banking/banking-topics/what-does-a-fed-rate-cut-mean-for-my-finances/