Today, I want to discuss a topic that has somewhat fallen off the radar: the federal deficit and debt burden. It has been off the radar screen for a decade, since the last debt panic. The reason for that is that the panic led to real reforms that largely solved the problem. That episode—the fiscal cliff and the sequester—has a lot to tell us about today’s situation. Let’s take a closer look.

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Equity markets continued to drop in October, with all three major U.S. indices down for the third consecutive month. The S&P 500 lost 2.10 percent during the month, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.26 percent in October. The Nasdaq Composite saw the largest declines, with the technology-heavy index dropping 2.76 percent for the month. Rising long-term rates weighed on valuations, leading to negative returns for stocks.

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Each week, we break down the latest U.S. economic reports, including what the results mean for the overall health of the economy. Here, you will find how economists’ forecasts compare with actual results, key takeaways to consider, as well as a list of what’s on tap for the week ahead.

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It’s been a quiet week, so this will be a short post. You’re welcome.

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It’s time to go to the mailbox again for questions about a central bank digital currency—a digital dollar issued by the Fed here in the U.S. This is a bit of an obscure topic, but it seems to be getting traction as something to worry about. So, let’s take a closer look.

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The October reports showed continued economic growth with signs of potential slowing ahead. Hiring remained positive, as 150,000 jobs were added during the month. That said, the yield curve remained in red territory, and service sector and consumer confidence fell in October. This result could signal slower spending growth toward the end of the year. 

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