Macro

Yield curve, FRED indicators, Fed policy and rate markets

Macro

What Is the Yield Curve, and Why Is This Steepening Different From a Normal One?

Aug 9, 2026

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3 min read

What Is the Yield Curve, and Why Is This Steepening Different From a Normal One?

The 30-year Treasury yield just hit its highest level since 2007. The curve is steepening, but not the kind of steepening that's usually good news.

Macro

What Is the CFTC COT Report, and Which Version Should You Actually Read?

Jul 20, 2026

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3 min read

What Is the CFTC COT Report, and Which Version Should You Actually Read?

GBP net short just hit a record. The CFTC publishes three different COT reports, and most traders read the wrong one for currencies.

Macro

Nonfarm Payrolls Explained: What the NFP Report Actually Means for Traders

Jun 28, 2026

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5 min read

Nonfarm Payrolls Explained: What the NFP Report Actually Means for Traders

NFP prints Thursday July 2 at 8:30AM ET. May came in at 172K vs 85K consensus. Here is what the jobs report actually measures and why it moves every market at once.

Macro

Week in Markets: SpaceX Goes Public, Inflation Hits 4.2%, and All Eyes Turn to Warsh

Jun 13, 2026

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4 min read

Week in Markets: SpaceX Goes Public, Inflation Hits 4.2%, and All Eyes Turn to Warsh

SpaceX surged 19% on its historic debut, CPI hit a 3-year high of 4.2%, and Warsh's first dot plot lands Wednesday. Here is everything that moved markets this week.

Macro

Week in Markets: The Streak Snaps, Chips Crack, and Rate Hike Odds Just Doubled

Jun 6, 2026

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4 min read

Week in Markets: The Streak Snaps, Chips Crack, and Rate Hike Odds Just Doubled

The S&P 500's nine-week winning streak ended on chips, an $80B Alphabet raise, and a blowout jobs report that pushed rate hike odds from 31% to 66%.

OpticAlpha 870

Macro

What Is the Yield Curve, and Why Is This Steepening Different From a Normal One?

What Is the CFTC COT Report, and Which Version Should You Actually Read?

Nonfarm Payrolls Explained: What the NFP Report Actually Means for Traders

Week in Markets: SpaceX Goes Public, Inflation Hits 4.2%, and All Eyes Turn to Warsh

Week in Markets: The Streak Snaps, Chips Crack, and Rate Hike Odds Just Doubled

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