Taking A Breather, “Volmageddon 2.0,” and 3 Rates & The Consumer 2/16/23

Inflation is still hot. Labor is still tight. Housing is firmer than expected, and manufacturing is doing worse. The markets are taking a breather as a result. So where do we go from here? We’ll debate.

Plus, the options market is flashing a major warning sign. Are we heading for “Volamageddon 2.0”? We’ll look at what it is, and whether it really matters to equity markets.

And, rates are jumping for everything from auto loans to credit cards, just as card balances reach a post-pandemic high. How much longer is this sustainable? We’ll explore.