Schaftlein Report | 10-Year Treasury Note nears 2 Percent while Inflation Concerns Stay Elevated

Topics: 1) Most Small Businesses are increasing costs to try and offset Inflation 2) Weekly Jobless claims for the Period ending 1-29-22 total 238K, slightly below the estimate of 245K and below the previous week total of 261K *Continuing Claims of 1.6M are at the lowest level since 1973 3) Productivity was up 6.6% in Q-4 2021 while labor costs were up just 0.3% as defined by hourly compensation - productivity 4) Economy grew by 1.7% in Q-4 2021 and for the whole year came in at 5.7% growth absorbing $6T in Government relief 5) Total Debt in the country reaches $15.5T, however it appears manageable for now? a. Mortgage Debt - $11T b. Auto's $1.5T c. Student Loan $1.5T d. Credit Cards $856B e. Mortgage rates went up 50 basis points in 2021 and already 40 basis points in 2022 *However, 2/3 of loans went to people with a 760 or higher credit score while only 2% went to subprime borrowers 6) Trade deficit up 27% in 2021 to $859B representing 3.7% of GDP - We imported $1.8T of goods 7) With headline CPI up 7% in December and housing prices soaring, the middle class is at risk of being left out of the housingmarket 8) If Russia invades Ukraine, will oil go north of $100? *Biden say no Nordstream pipeline - Implications?