A Week to Remember, Or Forget

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Here we are. It’s been building up all year. And now, it’s election time.

Yup, the good old USA is gonna get another new president. Well, there is a possibility there will be a slightly used ex-president but “new” just the same. Have you felt the excitement? The anger? The uncertainty? All of those? Just don’t expect it all to be over after Tuesday. It’ gonna be quite a week.

This week everything other than the election will be pushed aside, with the exception of perhaps the Fed’s decision on interest rates. Even that Wednesday announcement will take a back seat to election results………or, lack of results. Mideast conflict, economic news and any other geopolitical events will be brushed aside.

It is absolutely impossible to know what is going to happen. Certainly the results will probably be contested from either side (much to the happiness of some lawyers). An actual election result may be a long time off. What will happen in the meantime? Since a whole lot of votes were probably influenced by anger you never know. Not speculating, just pointing out the obvious.

The FOMC (Fed Open Market Committee) decision on interest rates would normally be a big deal all by itself. Pick one; 25bps, 50bsp or no change. With a couple of hurricanes skewing some numbers its hard to get a clear picture. Will a lack of election results alter the Fed’s decision?

So the nation waits as do global governments. Perhaps Iran is waiting for our election results before reaching a decision on retaliating against Israel (who retaliated against Iran who previously struck Israel, etc. etc). Who and what could also be waiting for results to do…..something? Financial markets are waiting and confused as well.

Again, here we are. Ready or not. It’s gonna be a week to remember….or forget.