Get Ready for a Commodity Comeback By Mike Sabo I’d call what’s happening in the equity market in the third and fourth quarter of 2008 the “fear factor,” and a lot of that has spilled over into commodities. As we succumbed to recession, the U.S. dollar’s rally has contributed to commodities’ demise. I feel may [...]

Financial markets are in wait-and-see mode ahead of this afternoon’s conclusion of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting. A decision on interest rates is expected at 1:15 p.m. CT. Based upon the October 28 market close, CME Group’s 30-Day Federal Funds futures contract is currently pricing in a 100 percent probability that the FOMC will [...]

The Labor Department reported non-farm payrolls plunged the most in five years in September, at 159,000. The unemployment rate was steady at 6.1 percent. The dismal September employment report pushed the odds up for an interest rate cut at the October 28-29 Federal Reserve policy meeting. CME Group Fed Funds futures were pricing in a [...]

Given fears of a recession, market participants have upped up the odds the Federal Reserve will slash its key short-term interest rate (known as the Federal funds rate) at the October 29 Federal Open Market Committee Meeting. CBOT Fed funds futures are pricing in odds of 92 percent for a quarter-point cut, to 1.75 percent. [...]

Market Recap and Outlook By Jeff Friedman This morning’s dismal news in the financial sector is stealing the news headlines, along with Hurricane Ike–certainly been watched by energy traders. Both the stock index and crude oil futures markets are tumbling in early trade, and the question is, where is the bottom? The environment is not [...]