It’s Time to Pay Attention

Regardless of politics, it’s time to pay closer attention to the financial markets.  Some market indicators are demonstrating that we might be starting to slide into an economic slow down and the question that begs is; will it be a shallow slow down  or a deep one?

According to Bloomberg and citing a Bank of America Merrill Lynch research report; ”

U.S. equity funds suffered their longest streak of outflows in 13 years as growing signs of political deadlock in Washington cast doubt on a rally that has taken the S&P 500 Index to record highs.

Investors pulled $2.6 billion from U.S. stock funds in a 10th consecutive week of outflows, Bank of America Merrill Lynch said in a research report citing EPFR Global data. That takes total outflows since late June to $30 billion, according to the report, which covered the week to Aug. 23.

Additionally and according to CNBC,

US housing starts total 1.155M in July vs 1.22M starts expected

  • U.S. home building unexpectedly fell in July as the construction of single- and multi-family homes declined.
  • The data could temper expectations of a rebound in housing market activity in the third quarter.
  • Housing starts declined 4.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.16 million units, the Commerce Department said.

Published 8:30 AM ET Wed, 16 Aug 2017  | Updated 9:00 AM ET Wed, 16 Aug 2017