Alan's Blog

Stocks started out the morning lower, but started to improve after Consumer Confidence for August came in well above expectations.

Also this morning, the US Dollar rallied against the Euro after business and consumer confidence in Germany fell more than expected--indicating that Europe's largest economy may be slipping into a recession. The recent rise of the US Dollar may be lessening the threat of inflation and, therefore, helping the Fed hold off on a Fed Rate Hike.