Geopolitical Risks Drive Market Focus
August 14, 2026 Tension in the Middle East was a persistent theme this week. Negotiations between the US and Iran remained at a stalemate while attacks resumed in the Straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, pushing gold and crude oil prices higher. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is trading around $82 per barrel as of […]
Labor Market Softens
August 7, 2026 The July employment report was the week’s dominant story as U.S. employers unexpectedly cut jobs during the month, the first monthly payroll decline in months and a sharp miss against what economists had expected. Meanwhile, oil prices fell as reported progress toward a Strait of Hormuz shipping agreement between Iran and Oman […]
Fed Holds Amid Mixed Signals
This week included the much-anticipated Federal Open Market Committee meeting concluding on July 29th. The Federal Reserve held its policy rate at 3.5%-3.75%, with three officials dissenting in favor of a quarter-point hike. The official press release announcing the decision was abbreviated, highlighted strong productivity growth and capital investment, and noted the impact of energy […]
Treasury Yields Rise on Data
July 24th, 2026 A renewed climb in oil prices and firm economic data pushed U.S. Treasury yields to fresh highs this week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil moved higher as the ongoing conflict with Iran kept pressure on energy markets, while the July flash Purchasing Managers’ Indexes (PMIs) and a sharp drop in weekly […]
Core Inflation Shows Moderation
July 17th, 2026 The week’s marquee economic data releases showed inflation cooling more than expected in June. Headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined 0.4% on the month and eased to 3.5% year-over-year from 4.2%, while core CPI, excluding food and energy, was essentially flat on the month and slowed to 2.6% year-over-year, both below consensus. […]
US Economy Shows Signs of Moderation
July 10th, 2026 Economic data releases from the last two weeks have been mixed and market volatility picked up, primarily driven by renewed military strikes in the Middle East as the ceasefire ended and the conflict entered its fifth month. Notably, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil prices have fallen to $71 per barrel, a decline […]
Fed Holds Steady as Strong Economic Data Supports Six-Month Market Outlook
June 26, 2026 Resilient economic data releases over the past two weeks and the output from the June 17th Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting are serving to solidify the Chandler market outlook for the go forward six months. Despite elevated energy prices on a year-to-date basis and heightened volatility across commodity prices […]
Energy Pushes CPI Higher
June 12, 2026 Inflation returned to the center of the market narrative this week as the May Consumer Price Index (CPI), released June 10, showed headline prices rising 4.2% from a year earlier, the fastest annual pace in roughly three years and the first reading above 4.0% since 2023. The figure landed against the backdrop […]
Strong Hiring Supports Growth
June 5, 2026 Employment data from this week reinforced that the US labor market remains on solid footing, pushing US Treasury yields higher. Strong hiring, job openings, and performance in the services and manufacturing sectors reinforced the view that the US economy continues to grow despite elevated energy prices. The conflict with Iran continues to […]
Strong Jobs, Cooling Inflation
May 29, 2026 Constructive comments from the White House on a continuation of the cease fire with Iran supported moderately lower Treasury yields on the week and a positive backdrop for US equity markets. A deescalation between the US and Iran and a sustainable opening of the Strait of Hormuz will be cathartic for global markets in the short-term, however the Chandler team remains cautious over […]