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Also the consumer is burdened with the higher cost of living and is left with less income to pay for insurance premiums. A higher inflation rate in the future could coincide with business or macro economic conditions that would result in Hartford's operating margin to drop below our current expectations. Hartford Financial ( HIG ) is one of the largest providers of investment products, individual life, group life and group disability insurance products, as well as property and casualty insurance products in the U.S.

The CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (NYSEArca:FXY) is a fund that does just that, serving up access to the yen without tapping into equities. DXJ's momentum particularly picked up after WisdomTree changed the ETF's indexing methodology in November to emphasize companies with big export profiles-the very kinds of firms that stand to benefit the most from a weakening yen. From a fundamental perspective, since the prime minister took office in December, the Bank of Japan has already committed to double its inflation target to 2 percent and agreed to support an asset-buying program that could reach $1 trillion this year.

Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bull 3X SharesETF ( NUGT ) Talking about thisexchange-traded fund ( ETF ) right now would seem foolhardy. And for investors who still expected the Federal Reserve's aggressive stimulus efforts to eventually fuel inflation, patience was starting to wear thin. One possible scenario for a gold price rebound: The Fed's retreat from QE means that we're moving into the next phase of a grand government financing experiment that has no precedent.

Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM ) rose 0.55 percent in premarket trade after losing 0.82 percent on Thursday. The nation's consumer price index increased to 1.3 percent annually in July, suggesting that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies have been successful. After implementing a massive sales tax hike in April, many worried that the nation would suffer, but with inflation rising toward the government's two percent target, Japan's economic recovery looks to be on track.

ProShares UltraShort 20+ Year Treasury ETF (NYSEARCA: TBT ) This ETF seeks two times (2x or 200%) the inverse daily performance of the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. In fact, the upbeat U.S. January job data earlier this month ignited fresh fears of inflation and speculation of aggressive monetary policy tightening. Global fundamentals are accelerating as Trump's tax biggest overhaul in decades and a spending spree continue to boost investors' confidence in the world's largest economy.

Nike (NYSE: NKE ) and Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR ) have done the same. If you own long-term bonds, such as 30-year U.S. Treasuries, you could see their prices fall dramatically as yields rise to keep pace with inflationary expectations. These funds buy pieces of loans made by major banks such as JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM ) to large corporate borrowers.

ADT Inc (NYSE: ADT ) fell 8%. Oil and gas stocks were strong thanks to the performance of oilfield services names like Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL ), which surged 6.4% after reporting better-than-expected earnings before the open. Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) Shares Soar on Revenue Beat And while stocks celebrated, bonds and the U.S. dollar continue to trade very weakly on a combination of inflation fears, Federal Reserve policy tightening expectations and a creeping sense that a 2011-style debt ceiling showdown is coming.

A position in TIPS ( TIP ) also makes sense along with precious metals and senior loans ( BKLN ) to protect against the threat of inflation and rising interest rates. Disclosure: I am long [[GTU]], [[PSLV]], [[BAB]], [[HYG]], [[BKLN]], [[AGG]], [[TIP]]. Fiscal Policy Paralysis - A fact that is repeatedly reinforced by the Federal government in Washington is that absolutely nothing of substance is going to be accomplished in addressing the critical issues facing the U.S. economy until politicians are up to their knees in the fire of the problem.

Stocks recently featured in the blog include Walmart Inc.WMT , The Home Depot, Inc.HD and Hewlett Packard Enterprise CompanyHPE . Here are highlights from Friday's Analyst Blog: Upcoming Earnings Reports to Watch: WMT, HD, HPE The markets bounced back strong from last week's sell-off, and despite renewed concerns about the possibility of rising inflation, investors jumped back into stocks-causing Wall Street's major indexes to regain some much of the losses suffered during the recent correction. Things have been relatively up and down for HPE since its split from the former Hewlett-Packard Company in late-2015.

Notable names include Archer Daniels Midland ( ADM ), Emerson Electric ( EMR ), Sirius XM ( SIRI ), Arch Coal (ACI), Gilead Sciences (GILD), HCA Holdings (HCA), and Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD). The poor result is likely due to the extreme cold weather and does not signify a negative trend in manufacturing activity, yet it was still worrisome. Due to stronger-than-expected inflation data in January, it is expected that the central bank will temper its easing bias.

Investment firm KKR ( KKR ) reported it will take an undisclosed stake in Avendus Capital, an Indian financial services firm, to help finance the company's credit solutions business and expand its wealth and alternative asset management offerings. USB: flat Financial shares were mainly higher in pre-market trade on Tuesday on speculation that a monthly Consumer Price Index report will show a slight increase, topping a decline last month. And life insurance company Triple-S Management ( GTS ) announced a $25 million buyback authorization of class B shares, which will start immediately.

Earlier today, a trader purchased 5,000 January 2014 $47 puts in EWZ on the offer for $2.37 per contract, according to Option Monster . Hampered by the global commodities slowdown, rising inflation and slack economic growth , EWZ has plunged more than 10 percent in the past year. EWZ has found support at $50 multiple times over the past two years , but buyers could be tired of defending that area.

Caterpillar (CAT) Caterpillar (NYSE:) shares, like Boeing, are falling hard as the company is vulnerable to a cut in its exports to the Chinese markets. After a six-month reprieve from the volatility that first appeared early last year, Wall Street is being rattled by a combination of pretty much everything going wrong at a time when stocks were priced for everything going right. The Federal Reserve could be constrained in how it responds if energy-push inflation, driven by Iranian responses to energy sanctions placed on it by Trump, results from higher crude prices.

In energy ETFs, the United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was up 2.5% at $9.61 while the United States Natural Gas ETF ( UNG ) was up 2.9% at $6.70. Energy shares were mostly higher as Thursday's regular session ended, with crude oil prices , as well as gasoline prices, surging higher following Energy Secretary Rick Perry's comments to media reporters, saying that 30% of production at Texas refineries is off line in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey. Light, sweet crude oil for October delivery was up 2.4% at $47.05 per barrel.

The United States Gasoline Fund LP ( UGA ) was up 7.8% at $30.61. Energy shares were mostly higher as Thursday's regular session ended, with crude oil prices , as well as gasoline prices, surging higher following Energy Secretary Rick Perry's comments to media reporters, saying that 30% of production at Texas refineries is off line in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey. Light, sweet crude oil for October delivery was up 2.4% at $47.05 per barrel.

And General Mills, Inc. (NYSE: GIS ) gained 1.6% as expense control boosted earnings. Officials felt compelled, after some inter-asset volatility, to clarify that ECB chief Mario Draghi's comments yesterday - saying factors weighing on inflation were temporary amid an upbeat assessment about the economy - were misjudged. 3 Bank Stocks Ready to Roll Higher Investors are being encouraged by solid capital adequacy "stress test" results from the Federal Reserve as well as some relief to net interest margins from the rise in long-term yields over the past 24 hours.

TIPS Fund ( LTPZ ) is a narrowly constructed portfolio with just eight holdings, but offers real bang for the buck if you can stand the volatility. Further pressure on bond prices can be expected if inflation is kicked up a notch or two, a likelihood if trade protectionism and immigration restriction, both goals of the new president, crimp the supply of goods and labor. Technically, duration represents the number of years required to recover a security's true cost, counting the present value of all coupons and principal.

(RTTNews) - BMO Capital Markets has downgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) on concerns over the negative impact of African swine fever. "It has the greatest pork exposure in our coverage (estimated at 10%), and our work suggests that CMG realizes commodity inflation with little to no lag," BMO analyst Andrew Strelzik said. "This suggests that CMG could be among the earliest to realize the impacts of African Swine Fever, potentially as early as 3Q19," he added.

Boeing ( BA ) was the biggest loser, falling 2.2%, while Coca-Cola ( KO ) ended the day flat. President Donald Trump this morning warned Russia that U.S. missile strikes in Syria were imminent, sending stocks on a downward spiral out of the gate. However, the core CPI -- which excludes food and energy costs -- surged 2.1% year-over-year, marking the biggest jump since March 2017, and roughly in line with the Fed's inflation expectations .

Valero ( VLO ) and Marathon Oil ( MRO ) are just two firms that have resorted to moving product abroad in order to avoid the impossible situation. While it is true that gasoline prices are typically higher during the warmer months as demand also rises, the current spike is also due to some behind the scenes issues that many consumers may not be aware of. The law also states that the amount of ethanol used will steadily increase as time goes on, forcing refiners to rely more and more on this alternative fuel source.

The Treasury not only issues a wide variety of debt in different maturities--ranging from four-week bills to 30-year bonds--but it also offers TIPS, or Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, whose returns are linked to the inflation rate. If you worry that inflation is returning, invest in iShares TIPS Bond (TIP, $114), an ETF that holds TIPS with maturities averaging eight years. When stocks rise sharply, it usually indicates that optimistic businesses and consumers are doing more borrowing and anticipating more inflation, which in turn means higher interest rates.

Either growth or inflation will pick up and the Federal Reserve will be forced to reverse course and raise the discount rate. In addition, the strategy increases the probability of realizing price appreciation on a retracement as interest rates advance. However, leveraged products contain their own set of pitfalls so be sure you know what you're getting into, as my colleagues Devin Riley and Ana Kostioukova have written about.

Appliance manufacturer Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) will report its first-quarter results on Monday, April 22, after the market closes, followed by a conference call with analysts the next morning. Whirlpool is feeling some pain from raw material inflation and tariffs, and currency translation effects are knocking down its revenue growth rate. While raw material inflation, tariffs, and higher freight costs acting as headwinds, they were more than offset by improvements in pricing and product mix.

The funds at risk: ETFs like PIN ( quote ), THD ( quote ), EPHE ( quote ), TUR ( quote ), FXI ( quote )... A small oil shock could even help jump-start the economies of developed countries and put an end to the Fed and Bank of Japan's deflationary concerns once and for all. If both food and fuel are more expensive, things could get tense -- and to avoid that, central banks are likely to raise interest rates as high as necessary, cooling economic activity in the process.

Bottom Line While we have crowned EWG as the winner, investors should note that this fun game was purely based on financial details and it had nothing to do with soccer. Semi Final - 1 iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF (EWZ) vs. iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG) EWZ - The most popular Latin-American ETF has been saddled with slowing growth, sky-high inflation, dysfunctional economic policies and fear of a cease in cheap dollar inflows in the wake of Fed QE taper for long. EWG - EWG is the largest and most popular ETF tracking the German equity market.

On one hand, President Trump's plans to impose 25% and 10% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, respectively, have triggered fears about a likely trade war, mainly between the United States and China. The sector seems to be riding on the strength of its members that remain well-positioned - given their focus on innovations; cost-containment efforts; numerous product launches and constant M&A activities. Moreover, apprehension related to inflation were reflected in the market in early February.

Valero ( VLO ) and Marathon Oil ( MRO ) are just two firms that have resorted to moving product abroad in order to avoid the impossible situation. While it is true that gasoline prices are typically higher during the warmer months as demand also rises, the current spike is also due to some behind the scenes issues that many consumers may not be aware of. The law also states that the amount of ethanol used will steadily increase as time goes on, forcing refiners to rely more and more on this alternative fuel source.

The Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) rose 1.3%, the highest among the S&P 500 sectors. For a look at the issues currently facing the markets, make sure to read today's Ahead of Wall Street article The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) gained 0.5% to close at 17,810.06. ECB President Mario Draghi said the apex bank is ready to "step up the pressure" and expand its asset-purchasing program provided inflation fails to return to its desired level.

( ABG ), it has declared a takeover offer for all shares of Tusker Gold Ltd (T66). Gold is on the rise in morning trade, gaining ground as worries about repercussions of the SEC suing Goldman Sachs subsided on the one hand, and expectations of inflation increase on the other. India, which is a major gold buyer, raised interest rates for the second time this month, and that has boosted the allure of the yellow metal as a hedge against inflation.

Also, the Pimco Enhanced Short Maturity Strategy Fund (NYSEArca:MINT), a money-marketlike ETF, has $1.57 billion in assets, making it the biggest active ETF to date. The launch of ILB will mark Pimco's latest attempt to breathe life into the world of active ETFs. Interest in inflation-protected bonds has been on the upswing amid growing concern among investors that excessive monetary stimulus from central banks such as the Federal Reserve is creating inflationary pressure that will rear its head before long.

Among the several potential gainers, adding Discover Financial ServicesDFS to your portfolio should not disappoint. Click to get this free report COMPASS DIVERSF (CODI): Free Stock Analysis Report DISCOVER FIN SV (DFS): Free Stock Analysis Report VANTIV INC-A (VNTV): Free Stock Analysis Report REGIONAL MANAGE (RM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Following Donald Trump's surprise presidential victory, financial stocks have gained solid momentum, reflecting investors' expectations of easing regulations as well as increased public spending which may lead to higher inflation.

Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said: "The eurozone economy has started 2017 on a strong note. The January flash PMI is signalling respectable quarterly GDP[gross domestic product] growth of 0.4% with a broad-based expansion across both manufacturing and services." Williamson did note, however, that a recent strengthening of demand had been starting to help restore some pricing power among suppliers, saying that this could hint at an upturn in core inflationary pressures.

That is, with or without Shinzo Abe, Japan's sharply declining working-age population was always going to lead to a tight labor market, resulting in wage pressure and higher inflation. This risks a sharp spike in interest rates and a bond market rout, with investors fleeing amid concerns about the government's ability to repay its enormous debt load. Earlier this month, the BoJ held off from adopting more stimulus, citing a moderate economic recovery and progress towards its 2% inflation rate target (currently 1.3%).

Three factors in particular make BioMed Realty Trust a strong name for value stock investors to consider (if the prior points didn't move you). Finally, as inflation increases the value of its properties over time, it has the opportunity to jettison older buildings for a significant profit. I believe that as interest rates rise it'll only reinforce the need for life science companies to hold off on purchasing their own facilities and instead turn to leasing, which is cheaper in the short- and intermediate-term.

In the late-phase economy, the recovery is maturing, inflationary pressures are building and Federal Reserve policy is becoming more restrictive. The Consumer Confidence Index remains relatively healthy, but the reading fell for a fourth straight month in November. Investors in 2020 are also wise to focus on quality and gravitate toward companies with a long track record of paying dividends in the average to above-average range.

Not going to be a good day for the Indonesian-focused ETF IDX or the bigger Indonesian stocks that trade in the United States like Indonesia Telecom (TLK) or Indosat (IIT). Indonesian monetary authorities surprised global investors overnight by raising local interest rates a quarter of a percentage point in order to curb inflation. And over in , prime minister Manmohan Singh is selling more inflation concerns to his people, saying that rising prices represent “a serious threat” to economic growth going forward.India Indian stocks, as it happens, are down again today.

Calafia Beach Pundit submits: With gold today hitting a new all-time high against the dollar, and the world fixated on how the euro is "plummeting," I thought a bit of perspective was in order. As this chart shows, the euro (as the extension to the DM) and the dollar have been moving pretty closely together relative to gold. If all major currencies are losing value relative to gold, that is a good sign that the world's supply of money exceeds the demand for it, and that is a necessary precursor to rising inflation.

After seeing the debacle 1999-2002 in CDOs, most insurers swore off CDOs - aside from AIG ( AIG ). You can't make them pay; the only big penalty is getting shut out of the bond market - which means that in the future, their budget would have to be balanced on a cash basis. Now one could just print their way out of the situation, and hand fresh currency to creditors - but at a cost of high interest rates and inflation, which could crush economic activity in real terms.

Compania de Minas Buenaventura SA (BVN): Gold Industry. Early Tuesday gold prices hit a new nominal high of $1,917/oz only two weeks after rising above $1,800 for the first time. He believes that gold prices will likely soon threaten their inflation-adjusted high around $2,200 an ounce -- another warning bell of things getting a little too frothy, he said.

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund USDU and PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund UUP have added about 2.5% and 2.3% (as of December 12, 2016) respectively since the presidential election. Click to get this free report PWRSH-DB US$ BU (UUP): ETF Research Reports WISDMTR-BB USDB (USDU): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The king dollar has regained its strength post Trump's win in the U.S. presidential election on increased inflationary expectations.

The catalysts driving yields higher are worries about the growing supply of government debt and inflationary pressures from rising oil prices . Gold traders also continued to react to solid economic data from earlier this week that indicates the economy is growing at a robust pace. Early in the trading day, prices were driven lower by a U.S. government report that showed an unexpected increase in U.S. crude oil and gasoline inventories.

And FTSE 100-listed alcoholic beverage-maker Diageo ( DEO ), whose ADRs trade on the New York Stock Exchange, completed the acquisition of full global ownership and control of Tequila Don Julio following the receipt of all regulatory approvals. European markets ended mostly higher on Friday after Germany approved Greece's bailout extension and after a report showed German inflation rose unexpectedly in February. In economic data, German inflation rose 0.1% year-on-year in February, compared with expectations of a 0.3% contraction and after a 0.4% decline in January.

Fundamentally speaking, the dollar's ( quote ) real challenge here is the prospect that a sustained oil shock will accelerate global inflationary pressures. In the United States in particular, the dollar is seen as vulnerable to the prospect that the Federal Reserve will effectively surrender to inflation in order to avoid raising interest rates before the last possible moment. Even a perfunctory interest rate hike could drive Greece, Portugal, Ireland or even Spain back into another funding crisis -- which would likely have a net negative impact on the euro down the road, to say the least.

ETFs To Watch Financial Select Sector SPDR ( XLF ), Vanguard Financials ( VFH ), iShares U.S. Defying the odds, upending market expectations and stunning a swath of pollsters and media pundits, Donald Trump is poised to assume the reins of this nation. ETFs To Watch Health Care Select Sector SPDR ( XLV ), iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ( IBB ), Vanguard Health ( VHT ) [ibdchart symbol="IBB" type="daily" size="full" position="leftchart" ] Finance Financial stocks could benefit in the medium term from expectations of higher inflation and steeper yield curves under a Trump presidency, BlackRock noted.

After a continued period of rate hike delay, things seem to be finally taking shape as per hints dropped by Fed Chair Janet Yellen and several other officials. Yellen indicated that a rate hike is in the offing this month with more slated to follow later this year, reflecting renewed strength in the job market and a bump up in inflation. Optimism surrounding President Donald Trump's plans to slash taxes and relax regulations have already provided an impetus to bank stocks.

Getty Images Fortinet (FTNT) is down 3.3% to $64 after Cowen downgraded it to Market Perform. In today's Morning Movers, we... Getty Images •...observe the bulls staying bullish despite the selloff; •...explain why Foundation Medicine (FMI) up nearly 30% despite the generalized pain; •...and highlight a bluebird bio (BLUE) upgrade. Bleakley Advisory Group's Peter Boockvar notes that the end result of an escalating trade war is slower economic growth and higher inflation.

WisdomTree also offers the Dreyfus Currency Income ETF (NYSEArca:CEW) that invests in a basket of 12 equally weighted emerging market currencies that includes countries from five different continents. While the Swiss franc and the yen could be considered safe havens within the currency market, the euro and British pound are outperforming for a different reason. As the Federal Reserve appears to be OK with the scenario of low interest rates for the foreseeable future-even at the risk of high inflation-European policymakers are suggesting they're going in a different direction.

A few of the ways to get exposure to this rally include: PowerShares DB Agriculture (NYSEArca: DBA): 11.4% of DBA is corn futures Teucrium Corn (NYSEArca: CORN): Holds corn futures contracts Market Vectors Agribusiness ( MOO ): Monsanto is 8.4% Tisha Guerrero contributed to this article. Food prices and agriculture exchange traded funds (ETFs) both may reflect the news contained in the USDA's harvest projections. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cut its harvest projections for corn, soybeans and wheat, adding fuel to the commodity-rally fire .

The jobs report represented a rebound from weak December and January readings; but it was not so robust that investors might conclude that an actual Fed rate hike might be near. Positives in our outlook include the potential for a strong spring season in the housing market, improving consumer confidence, and reduced political gridlock in Washington as government spending and outlays become better aligned. Risks in our GDP outlook include geo-political events, such as a worsening in the Ukraine situation; the potential for inflation; higher energy prices; and deceleration in emerging economies.

So far we’ve discussed biflationary effects and feedback loops. View the slideshow Symbols included in the slideshow: AVB, USO, OIL, ONO, IPE, GLD, KO, EEM, JNJ, DBA, MOO, MON The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. Another way to say this is that inflation shows up where demand allows it--the proverbial path of least resistance—which is not luxury yachts and large houses but essential assets that are widely available and non-substitutable: energy and food come quickly to mind.

Bottom Line on BBY Stock The new administration wants to whip deflation now and, by allowing price hikes on oil and other resources, they could achieve the goal. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Best Buy (NYSE: BBY ) announced slightly lower same-store sales during the holiday season, and investors dumped BBY stock in a hurry. 7 Stocks That Will Hit All-Time Highs in 2017 The Zacks Metric Model noted that BBY stock had beaten estimates for four quarters, and that shareholders had been rewarded with a 36% gain.

Newmont Mining Corp. ( NEM ) reports earnings Friday, and is expected to post EPS of 0.98 on revenue of $2.49B. Rising inflation in emerging economies and stress to the Global financial system caused by both the EuroZone sovereign risk issues and the US debt ceiling impasse have combined to drive the Gold price to record higs. One of the World largest silver miners, Peru's Compania de Minas Buenaventura SA (BVN) reports earnings Wednesday, and analysts are expecting EPS of 0.91 on revenue of US$374M.

AptarGroup Inc. (NYSE: ATR) announced impressive third-quarter 2018 results late last week. The dispensing systems company highlighted broad-based growth across each of its business segments, the early fruits of its ongoing business-transformation initiatives, and progress integrating its recently closed acquisition of packaging-technology leader CSP Technologies . What management had to say Tanda added: Looking forward For the fourth quarter of 2018, AptarGroup expects continued core sales growth from each segment -- though inflation and higher raw material and transportation costs will still serve as margin headwinds.

Centrais El ( EBR ) stock slumped 8.1% on Wednesday after a pick up in Brazilian inflation raised concerns about higher interest rates in the South American nation. Shares in the electric utility were last at $3.06 and within the 52-week range of $1.88 to $3.48 The Brazilian consumer price index rose 0.92% from February, and 6.15% from a year ago, closer to the 6.5% ceiling set by the central bank. Just last week, Brazil's central bank signaled it may end the tightening cycle, which started last April, said several media outlets.

In fact, the SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSEARCA:GLD) and iShares Gold Trust ETF (NYSEARCA:IAU) have never had a down year for as long as they have been around. Gold has been one of the most talked about hard assets of the last two years, as the metal soared to all-time highs, only to watch its price take a tumble in the months that followed. This has all happened despite the current $85 billion monthly printing from Ben Bernanke and the Fed, which many thought would spark inflation thereby sending gold higher.

Energizer Holdings (ENR) Source: Shutterstock Shares of Energizer Holdings (NYSE:) are stuck in a narrow trading range of between $37.50 and $40,50. ENR shares trade at 12 times forward P/E. Trade tensions, higher raw material costs and global inflation are just a few of the macroeconomic headwinds that consumer discretionary stocks face.

It is now, more than ever, the enemy of the American people, and by extension, the rest of humanity. Barrick Gold Corporation (TSX:ABX; NYSE:ABX) , Newmont Mining Corp. ( NEM ) , Anglo American Plc. With all the macro factors in play, including unrest in the Middle East, and the U.S. without an approved budget and with an increasing debt load, along with high unemployment and the threat of hyperinflation, do you see a continued increase in the price of gold throughout these months?

The markets’ recent volatility has contributed to the XLU’s gain, as investors flee toward any safe haven. The theory regarding utility stocks was simple: Robust economic growth coupled with a full labor market was supposed to spark rising inflation. Utility stocks, which were long viewed as bond substitutes in an era of ultra-low interest rates, were supposed to fall.

Many investors are starting to question whether a short-term low has been established in the oil markets and a rebound in USO may set the stage for additional interest in energy stocks as well. United States Oil Fund (NYSE: USO ) Oil prices rose over 5 percent on Friday and appear to have found an area of temporary support on the chart. USO tracks the daily spot price of West Texas Intermediate light, sweet crude oil and experienced a six-month decline as high inventories and weak demand have led to deflation in energy prices.

Backed by lower expenses, Wells Fargo WFC delivered a positive earnings surprise of 3.4% in fourth-quarter 2018. These are expected to be partially offset by higher outside processing expenses in line with growing revenues, technology expenditures and typical inflationary pressures. Performance of Other Banks Citigroup C delivered a positive earnings surprise of 3.9% in fourth-quarter 2018, backed by expense control and lower cost of credit.

It shows the outperformance since the beginning of November of the Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB commodity index over the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (NYSEArca:EEM), the most liquid emerging markets ETF. Source:U.S. Treasury With the probabilities of the deflation trade seemingly diminishing for the time being, it's still too soon to declare victory, in my view. Specifically, tax cuts that are adding to the federal budget deficit, plus the Fed's "quantitative easing," highlight my concerns that policies designed to stimulate the economy could now be counterproductive.

MasTec, Inc.MTZ provides engineering, building, installation, maintenance, and upgrade services. Click to get this free report STAMPS.COM INC (STMP): Free Stock Analysis Report MASTEC INC (MTZ): Free Stock Analysis Report WILLDAN GROUP (WLDN): Free Stock Analysis Report BEST BUY (BBY): Free Stock Analysis Report GAMING AND LEIS (GLPI): Free Stock Analysis Report PREFERRED APTMT (APTS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Rising expectations of a pickup in inflation rate on the back of Trump's pledge to increase infrastructure spending and cut taxes emerged as the main reasons behind the surge in the greenback.

Universal Logistics Holdings Inc.ULH is a primarily non-asset based provider of transportation services to shippers in the United States and Canada. Click to get this free report Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH): Free Stock Analysis Report Armstrong Flooring, Inc. (AFI): Free Stock Analysis Report BioLife Solutions, Inc. (BLFS): Get Free Report Verso Corporation (VRS): Free Stock Analysis Report Hanger Inc. (HNGR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. In fact, the stock markets sustained their long-term winning streak despite global trade war concerns, series of geopolitical conflicts and impending fear of rising inflation.

As a result, both principal amount and interest payments will keep on increasing with rising consumer prices (read: Forget Inflation Fears with These TIPS ETFs ). This mechanism has made TIPS ETFs investors' darlings in recent times as they are increasingly wagering on inflation-protected bond funds. Great Time for TIPS ETFs?

TIPS first hit the market in the late 1990s and are government-issued fixed-income securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the US government for timely payment of interest and principal. In the case of US TIPS, the bond or note's face value is adjusted monthly according to the rate of inflation as measured by the US consumer price index ( CPI ). Instead of bailing on Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, or TIPS, the manager, Bill Gross, has been backing up the truck on expectations of higher inflation.

This year, TIP outperformed both the iShares Barclays 7-10 Year Treasury Bond Fund ( IEF ) and the iShares Barclays 10-20 Year Treasury Bond Fund ( TLH ) on a total return basis. Monetary inflation refers to the dilution of ancient coins' intrinsic value-back when gold and silver were the currency of the day-by the alloy of precious with base metals. This makes sense since the principal value of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities adjust to accommodate changes in CPI-U, i.e., inflating apace with an upward CPI trend to protect the holder's purchasing power.

--Shiner International ( BEST ) is higher after reporting that Q3 sales rose 79.2% year-over-year to $15.5 million. Stocks are solidly lower at mid-day as investors react to a disappointing outlook from Cisco Systems ( CSCO ), renewed concerns over sovereign debt in Europe, which is pushing the dollar higher, and warning signs out of China about inflation. Investors are also eying the Group of 20 Summit in South Korea where world leaders are trying to develop plans to bolster a generally weaker global economy amid allegations of currency manipulation and widening trade gaps.

China is the lion's share in many of the biggest global emerging markets funds, from EEM ( quote ) on down. Saturday night's reading on the Chinese consumer price index revealed that inflation did in fact surge -- as the markets were steeled to expect -- at an annualized rate of 6.4%. Given that the June numbers indicate producer prices surging 7.1% over the last year, I have to admit it looks difficult to see how China has seen the worst of its inflationary cycle.

The iSharesSilver Trust ETF (NYSE: SLV ) is the most popular, trading more than 10 million shares per day and with nearly $10 billion in assets under management. We spelled out those concerns in this article, and thoughthe Fed 's bold $1 trillion move hasn't led to ruinousinflation just yet, many inflation hawks have been loading up on gold and silver -- just in case. Action to Take --> These ETFs provide exposure to the metals and the miners and typically carry expense loads that are far lower thanmutual funds focused on thisasset class .

With the latest moves overnight, the Bank of Japan, led by Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, has announced staunch new easing policies aimed at reflating the economy. The news was obviously expected by markets but nevertheless was a strong signal that the Bank of Japan is finally ready to do what it must to tackle deflation and spur growth in the Asian economy. A key indication that the BoJ is becoming effective would be to see inflation creep higher and industry services turn more positive.

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund (NYSEArca:ELD) comes in a close second, with $1.26 billion in assets. The launch of ILB will mark Pimco's latest attempt to breathe life into the world of active ETFs. Interest in inflation-protected bonds has been on the upswing amid growing concern among investors that excessive monetary stimulus from central banks such as the Federal Reserve is creating inflationary pressure that will rear its head before long.

Matthew Frankel owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway. If that is the case, here are three stocks our analysts believe are well-positioned to outperform the broad market: : In an inflationary environment, you want to own shares of companies with a competitive moat that can pass on cost increases to their customers via higher prices. The indirect benefit comes from the fact that inflation is generally a sign of a growing, healthy economy, which means that people are more comfortable making big purchases (more loans), and fewer consumers have trouble paying their bills (lower default rate).

Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF ) reported second quarter EPS of $0.19 on revenue of $891.00 million, compared to last year's EPS of $0.14 on revenue of $945.70 million. The nation's consumer price index increased to 1.3 percent annually in July, suggesting that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies have been successful. After implementing a massive sales tax hike in April, many worried that the nation would suffer, but with inflation rising toward the government's two percent target, Japan's economic recovery looks to be on track.

IShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) added 0.3% in early trade to a 2.8% jump the previous day. Gold and silver ETFs gained ground on Thursday, extending their sharp turnaround following the Fed's cautious stance on the pace of future rate hikes at its recently concluded March meeting. The central bank raised a benchmark rate for only the third time in a decade Wednesday, but some gold experts said the ensuing FOMC presser showed policymakers "as not being too hawkish on monetary policy, and possibly less aggressive on fighting inflation."

Brazilian banks like ITUB ( quote ), BSBR ( quote ), BBD ( quote ) are still in great shape and are at very interesting levels here. The crisis in Japan was the biggest factor in this week's action, but the global growth scare may actually be beneficial for the world's emerging markets. The fact is that a little less global growth could be a boon for emerging markets that are already at risk of overheating from inflationary pressures -- some admittedly homegrown but a lot of it imported from overseas trade partners.

That performance is noticeably worse than that of the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund (NYSE: EEM ) and the iShares MSCI Mexico Capped Investable Market Index Fund (NYSE: EWW ). Earlier today, a trader purchased 5,000 January 2014 $47 puts in EWZ on the offer for $2.37 per contract, according to Option Monster . Hampered by the global commodities slowdown, rising inflation and slack economic growth , EWZ has plunged more than 10 percent in the past year.

At present, the scales are tipped toward inflation, although I'm not confident that this is sustainable. Keep your inflation hedges using tools like GLD or the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSEArca:TIP), but also recognize how far they have both run. A market rejection of Fed policy would most likely be evident in dramatic increases in metals and commodities that, ultimately, would almost surely be followed by rates moving higher.

The Great Britain pound surged during the past trading week, propelled by interest rate hike speculation. Yet the central bank still managed to surprise market participants, signaling that an interest rate hike may happen sooner than most speculators were anticipating. Talking about inflation, the faster-than-expected growth of consumer prices in the United States helped the US dollar to rebound.

Van Eck's Market Vectors Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF (NYSEArca:FLTR) meanwhile has a gross annual expense ratio of 0.49 percent, but a net expense ratio of 0.19 percent. The WisdomTree Global Real Return Fund (NYSEArca:RRF) is designed to give investors capital appreciation and income that exceed the long-term rate of inflation, according to paperwork the company filed with U.S. regulators this week. RRF, which will join a crowding field of ETFs designed to deal with rising rates and inflation, will have a particular focus on commodities-rich economies in developed as well as emerging market countries.

( BBC ) Option bulls have been circling sizzling Sears stock . The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) spent the entire day modestly lower amid Brexit headwinds, failing to benefit from a rally in crude oil prices . Stocks also reacted to a raft of central bank speakers, including San Francisco Fed President John Williams, who said his colleagues should not "rule out more than three increases total for this year," as we're as close "as we've ever been" to hitting inflation and employment goals.

Calafia Beach Pundit submits: With gold today hitting a new all-time high against the dollar, and the world fixated on how the euro is "plummeting," I thought a bit of perspective was in order. As this chart shows, the euro (as the extension to the DM) and the dollar have been moving pretty closely together relative to gold. If all major currencies are losing value relative to gold, that is a good sign that the world's supply of money exceeds the demand for it, and that is a necessary precursor to rising inflation.

Big money has been flowing into Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPs) as investors anticipate the next round of so-called QE will lead to higher inflation in the years ahead. To prove my point about inflation expectations you can turn to the breakeven rates, which measure the spread between conventional bond yields and the yields on the TIPs. If you still need more evidence that inflation is a concern in the future, I present you with the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond ETF (NYSEArca:TIP).

The article 3 Reasons iShares MSCI Brazil Index ETF ( EWZ ) Shares Could Fall originally appeared on Fool.com. Inflation rates in Brazil have remained above 4% for nearly seven straight years because production is not stepping up to meet the demand ofa burgeoning middle class that suddenly has the wealth to buy goods and services. Given that inflation is remaining stubbornly high despite aggressive recent interest rate hikes, I'd suggest that bank lending capacity and consumer buying power could take a substantial hit sooner rather than later.

In fact, we note that many other food companies like Campbell Soup CPB and United Natural Foods UNFI , among others, have been bearing the brunt of input cost inflation. Click to get this free report United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI): Free Stock Analysis Report Conagra Brands Inc. (CAG): Free Stock Analysis Report Campbell Soup Company (CPB): Free Stock Analysis Report Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. (LW): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. LTOs & Global Unit: Major Sales Drivers Lamb Weston is benefitting from limited time offers or LTO innovations for long.

TGR: In our last interview you said, "Gold takes off when money supply and deficit spending grow while real interest rates fall below zero-that is, when the rate of inflation exceeds the nominal interest rate." Looking around the world, we see that the U.S. and European governments at the very least are engaged in fiscal policies that are both growing the money supply and increasing deficit spending. I think that we're going to see gold gradually grow in value relative to other currencies in the world for two reasons.

Here are five top miners that should be dropped from your stock portfolio: Posco ( PKX ) Operating in Korea, Posco (NYSE: PKX ) is an integrated steel producer that starts off the list of the top metal and mining stocks to sell now. Over the past 12 months, PKX's stock performance has been anything but thrilling. Thanks to the prospect of commodity inflation due to a weak dollar and glimmers of an economic recovery, many experts are predicting gold prices to rally and silver to continue to set new highs in the months ahead.

Semi Final - 1 iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF (EWZ) vs. iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG) EWZ - The most popular Latin-American ETF has been saddled with slowing growth, sky-high inflation, dysfunctional economic policies and fear of a cease in cheap dollar inflows in the wake of Fed QE taper for long. As a result, EWZ carries a Zacks ETF Rank #5 (Strong Sell). EWZ gained 19.28% in the past one year.

Firstly, a series of populist policy decisions by the president eroded investor confidence, triggering a selloff of the already structurally weak Lira. The benchmark stock index recently tested the all-time high recorded in January - though this has more to do with the inflationary effect of a weak currency than with earnings. Not only are they priced for strong growth going forward, but the likes of Facebook and Google are facing growing scrutiny over issues related to users' personal data.

General Mills (NYSE: GIS ) shares fell 0.63 percent on fears of inflating input costs as commodities guru Jim Rodgers sees strong inflation in the near future in grains and agricultural commodities. Futures Lower On Chinese Growth, Italian Political Fears U.S. equity futures slipped in early pre-market trade Monday as China's economy took a setback in March and Italy's political crisis flared over the weekend. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ) shares rose 0.14 percent pre-market after last week's European Commission approval of a new leukemia drug called BOSULIF.

Could This CAT Bounce? Caterpillar (CAT) stock has had an enormous run and has finished the year right at its 52 week high mainly on the emerging markets and global resources/commodities trade. Third, China, a major market for CAT, is battling an escalating inflation problem, and I expect Beijing to undergo a severe tightening during the first half of 2011, with at least three interest rate raises during 2011.

The bigger than expected increase by the business barometer came as the new orders index saw the largest single component monthly gain and shifted back into expansion. On the inflation front, the prices paid index rose to a five-month higher of 59.8 in August, although it is still well shy of the 12-month high of 79.8. The survey also found that 63 percent of firms intend to leave their current business investment plans for the remainder of 2019 unchanged, citing concerns about global uncertainties.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was narrowly lower, weighed down by component company Nike ( NKE ) after the sportswear firm projected a dip in future orders. The rally this week fueled by bottom-fishing in the energy sector and Wednesday's FOMC statement may be running out of steam Friday, leaving the major market gauges little changed in midday trading. The Atlanta Fed reported that inflation expectations by business owners in the southeastern U.S. moved up a notch to 2.0% in December from 1.9% the month prior.

According to figures released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, Rising prices for fuel, light and water charges (+6.4%), furniture and household utensils (+3.2%) and culture and recreation (+2.6%) contributed to the pickup in inflationary pressure. Market risk sentiment will continue to be the key driver, with recent economic data suggesting that ECB is likely to remain on the more dovish side near-term. Key earnings results include those for Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp. At the time of writing, the Dollar Spot Index was down by 0.06% to 98.147.

USD/CAD hit 0.9775 during U.S. morning trade, the lowest since August 10; the pair subsequently consolidated at 0.9797, declining 0.27%. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said earlier that producer price inflation rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in July, after declining by 0.4% in June. Core PPI, which excludes food and energy costs, rose by 0.4% after rising by 0.3% in the preceding month.

Newmont Mining ( NEM ) is primarily a gold producer with significant assets or operations in the United States, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand and Mexico. The massive monetary easing that occurred during the financial crisis of 2008/2009 could spur inflation down the road, encouraging central banks to add to their gold reserves as a means of avoiding currency devaluation. Gold sales for 2010 are expected to be around 5.3 million ounces, generating net revenues of $7.1 billion for the company.

United States Oil ( USO ), the largest ETF trading oil futures, fell 0.0.8%. Oil explorers and producers ETFs led the stock market south Tuesday asFedEx ( FDX ) delivered disappointing first-quarter results and lowered its full-year outlook. Fears of inflation from QE3 and potential supply disruption from conflict in the Middle East has already been priced into the market and now traders are booking profits, DuBord added.

Energy Select Sector SPDR ( XLE ) shed 1.17%. Oil explorers and producers ETFs led the stock market south Tuesday asFedEx ( FDX ) delivered disappointing first-quarter results and lowered its full-year outlook. Fears of inflation from QE3 and potential supply disruption from conflict in the Middle East has already been priced into the market and now traders are booking profits, DuBord added.

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund USDU and PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund UUP have added about 2.5% and 2.3% (as of December 12, 2016) respectively since the presidential election. Click to get this free report PWRSH-DB US$ BU (UUP): ETF Research Reports WISDMTR-BB USDB (USDU): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The king dollar has regained its strength post Trump's win in the U.S. presidential election on increased inflationary expectations.

Theinvestment management firm Van Eck, for example, offers theMarket Vectors Gold Miners ETF ( GDX ) and the Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF ( GDXJ ) . We spelled out those concerns in this article, and thoughthe Fed 's bold $1 trillion move hasn't led to ruinousinflation just yet, many inflation hawks have been loading up on gold and silver -- just in case. These companies typically have little or no sales yet, so investors are left to assess thereal estate value of those mines and try to anticipate what future cash flows might look like.

Financial stocks were in the headlines early as JPMorgan ( JPM ), Wells Fargo ( WFC ), BlackRock ( BLK ) and PNC Financial (PNC) all reported earnings . Core consumer inflation, which excludes volatile oil and gas prices, increased 0.3%, a tad above expectations and an accelerating from 0.1% in November, but the market shrugged it off. In the stock market today , Facebook (FB) had a rough day, falling 4.5%, as Wall Street worried about the fundamental impact as a result of a change to the company's News Feed .