By showing your hand, it isn’t always the best strategy. It is sometimes better to keep your cards close. Observe and suggest rather than do and complete. As the face of employment moves significantly into the service sector the youth eager to make an impression can move mountains for no reward. Some types of employment are acquired by applying for contractual work or training programs with limited compensation and no further obligation to the employer. The employer can pick or choose from the pool or roll over the contract giving the individual a sense of false hope and broken promises.  Simple gratification does not pay the bills but an add-on to a resume might be the only reward garnered from experience.

The markets have been very volatile as the fear-mongering continues. During the American Thanksgiving weekend, a new variant known as Omicron was introduced while the majority of people were glued to their televisions or portable devices. How coincidental for this to happen to install more concern. The news immediately reflected in the thin trading which resumed on Friday as the Dow dropped a staggering 900 basis points. Since the week opened up the volatility has been even more extreme.

Consumer Confidence is waning as it drops to 109.5 from an expected reading of (111.0). Further the Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell along with the Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen provided testimony about the current state of affairs. Previously, they mentioned inflation as being transitory due to the logistical nightmare affecting the supply chain. As a result, they conveyed a message of commencing the tapering of stimulus from the market sooner than expected and eventually start raising rates.

Markets are reactive and words from influencers send the schools of fish or flocks of sheep scurrying. Timing is everything, as the inevitable will eventually happen. When told that the word transitory should be eliminated the markets reacted as if the end of liquidity would be near. Sell, Sell, Sell as one man’s junk becomes another man’s gold? Remember for every seller there is a buyer. Patience is the name of the game as long as your holdings are in investments that could be deemed Blue Chip stocks, yielding dividends. But then again, nothing in this world is guaranteed especially with the state of affairs we are caught up in.

Even with ADP (Private Sector Employment) higher to 534k from expected (525k, the 15 million jobs created are still 5 million short of Pre-Pandemic levels. Government spending and printing money to sustain this house of cards will have consequences especially to the most vulnerable, the poor and those on fixed incomes.  A subliminal tax as the cost of living soars, people get less for more money. It also equates to fewer nutrients because the quality of food will be reflected by the amount of money budgeted. Consequently, this will have a direct impact on productivity. The body is a temple and people are what they eat.

As the outlook of interest rate moves seems more imminent the USD Index slips below the 96.0 level.  It will happen but timing is everything, Meanwhile, those that have substantial skin in the game are signalling an exit as their strategy. They will wait to buy perceived quality when their price point is attained. Sell high, buy low!