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[ad_1] Amazon Prime Day 2022 has been announced, and it will officially be happening on July 12th and 13th! Amazon Prime Day 2022 Amazon Prime Day has officially been announced and confirmed for 2022! This year it will once again be TWO entire days of deals — running from 12 a.m. PT on Tuesday, July 12th through 11:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, July 13th. As usual, Amazon is promising these deals to be as good as or even better than Black Friday deals! So get ready for two days of crazy good deals and an opportunity to start some early Christmas shopping!! Prime members will be able to snag exclusive deals on electronics, toys, video games, movies, clothing, patio, lawn and garden, sports, outdoor items, and more. They will even have tons of extra deals leading up to Prime Day. We’ll be here all day both days! Our team will be hard at work all day both days scouring the deals and posting the best ones we find! So be sure to tune in here at MoneySavingMom for all the BEST Prime Day Deals! You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram, join our Facebook group, and sign up for our HOT deals newsletter. Following us multiple ways gives you the best chance of catching all the deals as they pop up quickly! Not an Amazon Prime Member? If you’re not already an Amazon Prime member, now is a GREAT time to sign up for the free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime so that you can take advantage of all the Prime Day deals! (Hint: If you don’t want to pay for Prime, you can totally cancel after your free trial is up — just so that you can take advantage of the Prime Day deals!) How to Get Bonus Amazon Gift Cards to Spend! Leading up to Prime Day, there are several different ways you can grab bonus Amazon gift cards to spend so that you can maximize your savings! If you do each of the following, you’ll have at least $25 in Amazon credit come Prime Day! 1. Complete Your Amazon Stampcard — Amazon is offering Prime members the chance to score a $10 credit if you activate this stampcard and then complete all 4 activities before Prime Day! I already activated mine and it should be super easy to get my credit in time — yay! 2. Sign up for Shopkick — Sign up for Shopkick and earn 50 kicks within 7 days, and you’ll be able to get a FREE $5 Amazon gift card! 3. Sign up for Swagbucks — It’s super easy to earn enough swag bucks to trade in for a $5-$10 gift card! You have plenty of time before Prime Day, even without referrals. I just spent an hour or two this week doing a few activities and already have enough for a $10 gift card! Go here to get started with Swagbucks. 4. Sign up for Fetch Rewards — It’s so simple to earn points for scanning your receipts with Fetch Rewards. (Meg here! I signed up about 10 days ago and I already almost have enough points for a $10 gift card!) When you sign up through this link, you’ll get $3 after your first receipt scan and your first couple scans will be worth enough to quickly get you over the 5000 points mark to trade in for an Amazon $5 gift card! Psst! Find more ways to earn Amazon gift cards here. Amazon’s Competitors Will Have Deals, Too! In past years, to rival the popularity of Amazon’s Prime Day, both Walmart and Target had deals running on Prime Day that competed with Amazon’s Deals. And we saw tons of other stores run huge promotions, as well! So get ready for some HUGE savings!! What deals will you be looking for on Amazon Prime Day? Let us know in the comments! [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] As war in east rages on, Ukraine gets chance to 'live the European dream' [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] L&T Construction & Mining Machinery and Komatsu India are looking for steady supplies of high-quality biodiesel to enable quicker biodiesel adoption in the construction and mining equipment space. India’s construction segment, according to Economic Survey of India estimates , has grown by 10.7% in FY 22 and touched the pre-pandemic level. The UN report of 2021 suggests that 25% of India’s total energy-related carbon dioxide emissions came from the construction sector. So, it was imperative that the construction sector looked into ways of reducing carbon emission to gradually meet its emission reduction targets. On the other hand, the Economic Survey estimates that the mining sector has grown 14.3% in FY 22, although the country’s largest miner, Coal India (CIL), claims that it accounts for only 1% of the country’s total green house gas emission. “Komatsu is ready for biodiesel. I expect high quality biodiesel suppliers to establish a nationwide supply chain soon,” Yasunori Fujii, managing director, Komatsu India, told FE. Komatsu has launched four new environment-friendly, B20 ( 20% biodiesel) biodiesel ready, hydraulic excavators, which it is looking to deploy as much as possible. Arvind K Garg, executive vice president and head, L&T Construction Mining Machinery , said sustainable technology is the focus at L&T & Komatsu and these equipment will deliver the same power and productivity when operating on alternate fuels. L&T, at present having a 30% market share in construction and mining machinery, has a tie-up with Komatsu to market and deploy their manufactured equipment. Garg said although the industrial and organised sector has made some progress in adopting biodiesel in India, it may be less than 0.25% of the total fuel consumed. It is mostly in the B20 category. According to reports, oil marketing companies (IOC, HPCL, BPCL and others ) have increased their procurement from 1.1 crore litre during 2015-16 to 10.56 crore litre in 2019-20. But compared to developed countries, where corporates are organised and users are guided by OEMs and biodiesel companies with well-defined specifications, India is at a very early adoption stage. India’s target for biodiesel production was 200 million litre in 2021, Garg said. But a steady supply of biodiesel conforming to global standards required for heavy off-highway machines was currently a challenge as only a few sellers operated in the segment, he added. Incentivising users by reducing biodiesel costs could lead to higher use of the fuel, which, however, would also depend on its regular availability. In terms of creating a supply chain and availability of biodiesel, there was considerable interest in almost all states, but the availability was known to be better in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujrat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Garg said. Jayakumar C, head product support, Komatsu India Private Limited, said the new machines launched were designed to work with B20 without any change in performance and without altering the maintenance schedule as prescribed, using 100% high speed diesel. These machines could also run on 100% diesel without any modification to the engine offering flexibility to users. While, Komatsu, he said, was a leader in manufacturing B20 compatible machines for India, original equipment manufacturers were also coming up with biodiesel compatible machines, which could ensure increased supply and usage of bio diesel as a percentage of HSD. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Mortgage industry stakeholders say a new 50 basis point fee on some Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities runs counter to the premise of a uniform mortgage backed security. It’s a “money grab,” said one industry analyst, who requested anonymity to stay on good terms with the government sponsored enterprises, who together back the majority of the single-family mortgage market. Stakeholders argue this policy will damage the uniform mortgage backed security process, which allows two companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to issue a common security composed of separate single securities. Multiple analysts, former FHFA and GSE officials contacted for this story requested anonymity to speak candidly and avoid damaging relations with the GSEs. Fannie Mae did not return a request to comment. Freddie Mac declined to comment. Since 2019, the GSEs, while entirely separate companies, have issued uniform securities. This is accomplished by repackaging existing single securities to issue Supers, or level 2, securities. Those can include securities backed by either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans. Starting July 1, each enterprise will charge a 50 bps fee on the portion of the security made up of the other enterprise’s collateral. Freddie Mac, in its press release, explained how the new policy would work. Starting July 1, if Freddie Mac were to create a $500 million Freddie Mac security from a combination of $200 million of Fannie Mae-issued commingled securities and $300 million of Freddie Mac-issued commingled securities, Freddie Mac would charge a 50 bps fee on the $200 million of Fannie Mae-issued collateral. The move aligns with a portion of the new capital rule that assigns a 20% risk weight to securities issued by one GSE and included in securities created by the other. That policy is a holdover from the previous FHFA director, Mark Calabria. An FHFA spokesperson said that the new fee is part of a “broad, comprehensive review of the Enterprises’ pricing framework,” which has so far focused on loan-level pricing. In light of the Enterprise Regulatory Capital Framework and associated capital planning rule issued earlier this month, the spokesperson said, the GSEs are “evaluating their long-term capital allocation strategies.” The agency spokesperson also said the new fee will “not impact borrowers,” and will have “no anticipated impacts on UMBS liquidity, pricing, or execution.” The Structured Finance Association, which represents stakeholders in the securitization industry, sharply disagreed with that assessment. In a press release, the trade group said that the fee “appears to undermine the purposes of the UMBS, which risks impairing the fungibility of that security and the liquidity of the broader TBA market, thereby negatively impacting borrowers.” The trade group urged Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to “delay and reconsider” the impact of the fee on borrowing costs before implementing it. Jaret Seiberg, a housing finance researcher at Cowen Washington Research, drew a connection between the new fee and the GSEs’ new emphasis on mission borrowers, in a research note he disseminated on Thursday. “We have long known that FHFA Director Sandra Thompson is an affordable housing advocate,” Seiberg wrote. “Until today, we didn’t think her agency would push this part of the mission at the expense of market confidence.” Other industry stakeholders, however, see no connection to the subsidization of mission borrowers. Seiberg did not return requests to comment. Industry stakeholders had previously warned of this outcome, when the idea of a 20% risk-weight was first proposed, in 2020. Ed DeMarco, president of the Housing Policy Council, wrote in an August 2020 comment letter on the Enterprise Regulatory Capital Framework that the 20% risk weight would “result in higher capital costs for the Enterprises, which would incentivize higher guarantee fees and lower returns on UMBS, both of which will lead to higher costs for homebuyers.” “Despite these higher costs for market participants, there does not appear to be a corresponding risk reduction to the overall housing finance system,” DeMarco wrote. The post Industry uproar over 50 bps fee on GSE securities appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The post How to Get Free Stuff appeared first on Millennial Money. Whether you’re trying trying to live a frugal life so you can become financially independent, strapped for cash, or just in the market for a good deal, there’s nothing better than getting free stuff. Whether it’s free samples, free gift cards, coupons, exclusive discounts, or free cash, it’s hard to beat the price! Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to get free stuff thanks to the chaotic wonderland that is the internet. These days you can find a free item or offer almost everywhere from Amazon.com to specialty retailers. You just need to know where to look and how to strategize to maximize your collection of freebies. Keep reading to learn how you can get free items and save money.  How to get free stuff Join me, gentle readers, as we take a journey through the different categories of freebie available. The possibilities are exciting, I promise! Free Furniture Free Food Free Money Free Lodging Free Music Free School Supplies Free Target, Walmart, and Walgreens products  Free clothes Free goodies Baby supplies  Free books and audiobooks Free pet supplies  Free movies  COVID-19 vaccine freebies How to Get Free Stuff on Amazon 1. Free furniture If you’re looking to furnish an apartment or home and don’t want to spend a lot of money, your first stop should be your local Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. They are, bar none, the best sites for finding shockingly cheap or free used — and even, sometimes, brand new — furniture, no matter the size of your home. You’ll be surprised at what people give away when clearing out space. You can often find tables, chairs, pianos, TVs, book shelves, couches, and other household items that people simply don’t want to move or sell. I’ve found everything from an ironing board to a giant armoire for free on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. It’s my first stop when shopping for furniture while trying to save money. 2. Free food apps  Thanks to rewards apps, it’s possible to get free food when you make several small purchases. And free is my absolute favorite flavor! For example, the 7-Eleven app has a rewards program that you can use to rack up points to redeem for free food. The app even gives you free food like a donut or coffee just for downloading it. So work downloading the 7-Eleven app into your routine tomorrow morning and breakfast is covered. Here are some companies offering free food loyalty programs: Baja Fresh Uber Eats Starbucks  Of course, you don’t need an app to get free food. If you live in a city, check out local happy hours and events, which often give out food and samples just for showing up. Local coffee shops and lunch spots might also have loyalty programs where you can earn a free drink or meal after purchasing a certain number of items. And if you’re willing to put the work in, you can always grow your own vegetables by starting a garden. (Though I can tell you from experience, there are easier and faster ways to get free food.) 3. Free money There’s absolutely nothing better than getting free money — and you can do it just by putting money into a taxable brokerage account or retirement account in a brokerage firm like Schwab or Fidelity.  Of course, the stock market is risky (especially right now). But history shows that every market downturn is followed by an upturn. Plus, if you play your cards right, you can make money through dividend distributions and capital gains when you sell stocks for profit. This means free money, just by putting your money into an investment account.  A safer but less profitable way to earn free money is to put cash into a high yield savings account (HYSA), which offers higher interest rates than traditional banks. Learn More:  Learn more about our top HYSA picks. 13 Best Ways to Make Money While You Sleep What Should I Do With My Money? 4. Free lodging  If you’re going on a trip and don’t want to spend money, there are a few strategies you can use to get free lodging.  The most popular one is Couchsurfing, which is a website where people offer free places to stay. This can be a fun way to meet new people and get some shuteye and a shower without having to pay exorbitant fees for hotel rooms.  Another strategy for frequent travelers is to sign up for hotel and credit card rewards programs. Some of the best programs include Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and Best Western Rewards.  In most cases, you will have to spend money to earn free lodging, but with the right approach, it’s possible to earn a couple of free hotel stays each year (and even free flights) simply by earning rewards from your daily spending. With a few strategic moves, you could even rent out your own place on Airbnb while you live somewhere else for free, earning money to put toward your financial goals. 5. Free music There’s no reason to pay for music in 2021 unless you want access to full albums and control over specific songs.  Many free albums are available on YouTube anyway, and you can get access to a variety of music through apps like Amazon Music and iHeartRadio. Other great apps to check out include Spotify, SoundCloud, and Google Play.  If live music is your thing, visit your local library or university for a schedule of free music festivals and concerts in your area. 6. Free school supplies  Kids need access to the right supplies if they are to excel in school. Lucky for the future leaders of America, there are a variety of programs and services available offering access to school supplies. If you’re a parent, the best place to start is by reaching out to the school about assistance programs. Oftentimes, local school districts provide supplies like backpacks, laptops, and

[ad_1] She asked me to go with her to her ice skating club banquet two weeks ago. And I have to be honest: it was not something I was looking forward to. I wouldn’t know anyone. It was 3 hours long. It would mean sitting at a table for dinner with people I didn’t know and making small talk (one of my least favorite things as an introvert!) And what was I going to wear at 9 months pregnant to a banquet?? But it was important to her, so I set aside my excuses, ordered a dress from Amazon, and said yes. Someday soon, my almost 15-year-old daughter will be grown and gone. She may live in another town or state or country. These days and opportunities to go to outside-my-comfort-zone banquets together won’t last forever. Say yes, mama. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Say yes, mama. Even when it’s inconvenient. Say yes, mama. Even when you want to make excuses. At the end of your life, I believe you will never regret saying yes to your kids. By the way, the banquet was awkward. I didn’t know anyone. The dress just barely fit. And there was a lot of small talk that happened. But Kaitlynn and I had a special time together, I got more of a window into her ice-skating world, and she and I had a lot of laughs together on the drive there and back. It was so worth it! He’s starting to figure out how to use a walker — which is a big deal! The joy on her face!! Hair cut time! We’ve been taking lots of evening walks recently. It’s been hot and humid during the day, but after dinner, the weather has been really nice most nights and it’s the perfect end to our day! We’ve gotten to babysit for C a lot recently and he keeps us all in stitches. He’s so busy, so talkative, and always saying the funniest things! (It’s hard to believe that preemie clothes were too big for him when we first met him in the NICU and now look at how big he is!) D got to go in what they call the “Spider Cage” for the first time in PT last week. And he also got to try out this new machine! I committed to doing one craft per month this year. This month, I made these Backpack Dangles that were one of the Annie’s Creative Girls’ Craft Kits. My parents sent Kierstyn and D this little sink that actually has working water (you fill it up and it just recycles through over and over). They have been LOVING “doing dishes” on the back screened-in porch! Jesse and I took Kierstyn out on a date while Kaitlynn was at ice skating one day this past week. She thought it was the best to have one-on-one time with Mom & Dad. It’s so fun for her hair to be long enough to fix in different ways! Pig tails are one of my favorites right noww! These two were sitting on Kathrynne’s lap smiling all cute — until I got out my camera to try to take a picture! We took C, D, and Kierstyn to the zoo one day this past week (we recently got a membership). we realized that keeping them in the wagon is smart, but also makes it so they can’t see very much. So Jesse improvised! It was a HOT day at the zoo and very humid and we had some unexpected things come up that morning that meant we didn’t get to go earlier when it was cooler. But we went anyway — and we had a great time, despite a diaper blowout and a few toddler meltdowns. The thing I’ve learned the past few years is that is easy to make excuses as to why we should just stay home instead of going out and doing something with littles (or even with teens!). But pretty much every time we just get out and go or do the thing, we make memories and I rarely ever regret it. They spent a long time watching the fish and were mesmerized by them! We loved watching this little baby on its mama’s back! I had a $15 gift card to Target that I’d been given as a gift for volunteering at youth group camp, so I took Silas shopping last week and let him pick out what he wanted to spend. He had a lot of fun figuring out the best way to spend the money — and he got some great deals! Almost 39 weeks pregnant! (I wanted to snap a photo of Kierstyn sitting on my bump this weekend, but I forgot to check to see if my camera lens was clean and later discovered this was the end result. Sharing it anyway because it feels kind of like a good picture of the imperfection and real-ness that is life at our house right now.) The hospital bags are packed. My induction date is scheduled for Monday. And we’re doing lots of fun family things these last few days. Want to know when the baby is here? Follow along on Instagram stories as I’ll likely be posting there first. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Canada's competition agency reiterates opposition to Rogers-Shaw deal [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Aided by revival of economic activities and better compliance, the Centre’s advance direct tax collections from companies, LLPs and individuals rose by 33% on year to about Rs 1.01 trillion in Q1FY23. Till June 16 of the current financial year, net direct tax collections (post-refunds) stood at Rs 3.39 trillion, up 45% on year, and up 171% over the same period in FY21 and 103% over the corresponding period in FY20. The required annual growth rate to achieve the full-year net direct tax collection target of Rs 14.2 trillion in FY23 is just 2.5% over the actual collections in FY22. The last date of payment of first quarter advance tax was June 15, but some amounts continue to trickle in for a few more days. The net direct tax collections are poised to exceed the FY23 target by as much as Rs 2 trillion, analysts reckon. The advance tax collections in June quarter stood at Rs 1.01 trillion compared with about Rs 75,783 crore in the year ago period. This comprises corporation tax at Rs 78,842 crore and personal income tax at Rs 22,175 crore. “This amount is expected to increase as further information is received from banks,” the central board of direct taxes (CBDT) said. The gross direct tax receipts (before refunds) stood at Rs 3.7 trillion, up 40% over the collections of the preceding year. This includes corporation tax at Rs 1.91 trillion and personal income tax including security transaction tax at Rs 1.78 trillion. Minor head wise collection comprises advance tax of Rs 1.01 trillion, tax deducted at source of Rs 2.3 trillion (y-o-y growth of 46%), self-assessment tax of Rs 21,849 crore (y-o-y growth of 41%), regular assessment tax of Rs 10,773 crore, tax on distributed profits of Rs 5,529 crore and tax under other minor heads of Rs 715 crore. Refunds amounting to Rs 30,334 crore have also been issued so far in FY23, the CBDT said. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Wells Fargo this week warned investors the bank’s mortgage business could drop by almost 50% in the second quarter from the prior quarter. Wells Fargo Chief Financial Officer Mike Santomassimo said higher interest rates have greatly reduced the refinancing market – currently down about 82% from the prior year – and home affordability remains a challenge in the purchase market. “As you would expect, you’re seeing the refinance volume fall significantly — no surprise,” he said at the Morgan Stanley U.S. Financials, Payments & CRE Conference Tuesday. “You’re still seeing some activity in the purchase market, which is good, but affordability does start to become an issue as rates continue to increase.” The San Francisco-headquartered bank, the 4th-largest U.S. mortgage lender by volume and largest depository, originated $37.9 billion in the first quarter of 2022, down 21% quarter-over-quarter and 27% year-over-year. The share of refinancings declined from 64% in the first quarter of 2021 to 56% in the same period of this year. Mortgage banking noninterest income in the first quarter totaled $693 billion, down from $1.3 billion year-over-year. Revenue from home lending fell to $1.5 billion last quarter, down 33% from the prior year. Those figures will look even worse in the second quarter, Santomassimo told Morgan Stanley conference attendees. Rates on conventional mortgages are now in the 6% range, which will further dampen demand. Executives at Wells Fargo this year repeatedly have said the home lending division would shrink. The company recently laid off several hundred workers from its home lending division, citing a need to reduce capacity amid lower origination volumes. Wells Fargo also has been battling a series of controversies related to minority borrowing and hiring practices. In March, Bloomberg reported Wells Fargo in 2020 rejected more than half of Black homeowners’ refinancing applications. The bank’s 47% approval rate for Black customers was the lowest among major lenders, according to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data. Its approval rate of white applicants for refis was 72% in 2020. Wells Fargo denied any wrongdoing and said its underwriting practices are consistently applied regardless of the customer’s race or ethnicity. At another conference hosted by Bernstein Research in June, CEO Charlie Scharf said Wells Fargo is “in the process of changing, strategically, where mortgage fits in.” Scharf cited lending standards for conforming loans set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as one of the reasons for a smaller footprint. “We basically process the applications according to guidelines that the GSEs tell us we should,” Scharf said. “When those produce results, the people like them, we get the kudos for it. If they don’t like them, we get the blame for it, even though we’re just following other people’s underwriting guidelines.” Scharf also argued depository banks are held to higher standards than nonbank mortgage lenders. “It’s very different today running a mortgage business inside the bank than it was 15 years ago, and I think appropriately so,” he said. “That does force you to sit back and say, ‘What does that mean? How big do you want to be? Where does it fit in?’” The post Wells Fargo’s rapidly shrinking mortgage business appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Kyle Prevost, editor of Million Dollar Journey and founder of the Canadian Financial Summit, shares financial headlines and offers context for Canadian investors. Lions and tigers and recessions, oh my! Taking a cue from weather reporting, the 24/7 financial news business is clearly battling for eyeballs by trotting out the scariest headlines possible. Words such as “recession,” “bear market” and “correction” can blur together to become a bomb cyclone of financial anxiety. When trying to sort fact from exaggerated fiction, it can be helpful to understand exactly what some of these scary terms mean. Given how the world’s stock markets plunged at the start of the week, let’s sort through where we currently stand. Bear market: This term is often used to describe a stock market that is going down. Technically, it refers to any asset that is down more than 20%. The S&P 500 (the index of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S.) ended Monday in a bear market after a drop of 3.9%. The value of that stock index is now down 21% from its January highs. Correction: Canada’s most popular stock market index, the S&P/TSX Composite Index, is made up of the 239 largest publicly traded companies in the Great White North. It slid 2.6% on Monday and is now down more than 10% from its all-time highs. This drop of more than 10% means we can say Canada’s stock market is in correction territory. While the first two terms refer to the prices of assets (usually stock markets), the next three refer to the overall economy. They measure country-wide metrics such as gross domestic product (GDP) and unemployment rates. Recession: GDP is the value of all goods and services a country produces; it’s widely used to measure economic well-being. GDP is usually referred to in three-month increments called “quarters.” When we have two quarters in a row with negative GDP, that is a recession. But there’s more: If we have two consecutive quarters with -0.1% GDP, we’re in a recession. If we have a quarter with -5% GDP followed by a quarter with a 0.2% increase in GDP, we are not in a recession—even though GDP is still down compared to two months earlier. Now you can see why headlines can be misleading! Depression: This is a favourite word among headline writers because it sounds super-scary. Also, it has no standard definition, so it can’t be called incorrect. Generally speaking, “depression” hearkens back to the traumatic experiences of the Great Depression, and it refers to an extended period of shrinking GDP, high unemployment levels, etc.  My favourite way to differentiate between “recession” and “depression” comes from former U.S. president Harry Truman, who stated:  “It’s a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.” Obviously, that’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it gets the point across. Stagflation: Finally we get to the real bogeyman of economic terms. Stagflation is a period of rising inflation alongside economic stagnation. It’s often considered the scariest of economic terms because when you have high inflation rates at the same time as a shrinking GDP and a rising unemployment rate, it really puts governments and central banks in a tough position—they must consider what trade-offs to make in regards to fiscal and monetary policy. “Stagflation” is often attributed to Iain Macleod, a British politician. He coined the word in 1965, but it wasn’t widely used until the 1970s—the last time stagflation hit.  As a quick aside, it’s worth mentioning that despite the gloomy headlines for stock markets, bond markets, housing prices and cryptocurrencies, the unemployment rates in Canada and the U.S. are at all-time lows. Plus, many folks still have a nice chunk of change in the bank. Last time I checked, overcrowded airports are not a sign of a struggling global economy! What to do about this stagflating monsoon vortex of an economy? When we try to put the current economic situation—and its accompanying impact on markets—into context, we should start by admitting that we actually have a pretty small sample size to draw from. We don’t have thousands of controlled experiments that involve pumping money into people’s pockets during worldwide pandemics, then starting wars in Europe. While it is easy to lash out at your politician of choice these days for the pain you feel at the gas pump or in the grocery store, try to keep in mind that things could have been worse. Much worse. When central banks plot a course for monetary policy, they must navigate a web of variables, and there are very few predefined paths to travel along. There’s no Google Maps option for “Alexa, what’s the fastest route from an economically devastating pandemic that requires everyone to stay home to a perfectly balanced economy that is growing at a steady, stable rate?” I recently wrote about the psychological aspects of economics and monetary policy and how complicated monetary decisions can be. It is quite likely that the folks who decided to make it easier to borrow money at historically low interest rates knew there was a chance inflation could become a problem. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, central bankers were faced with a series of trade-offs. Most decided to risk rising inflation rather than risk a complete credit freeze-up, skyrocketing personal and corporate bankruptcies, and unemployment rates of 25% or more. That seems like a pretty good choice on a balance of probabilities.   Going forward, we will learn more from this pandemic experience about how to target specific types of stimulus and economic support to lessen the impact of inflation. In the meantime, let’s not forget that the lesson from the last major crisis back in 2008 was that doing too much was preferable to doing too little. When we look at today’s inflation issues, we need to keep in mind the series of choices that led to this point, as well as the trade-offs that will come from any action taken.