HedgeTalk - Rising Rates and Inflation Take their Toll on Mortgage Applications and Building Permits

Minneapolis, MN | April 20, 2023 | By: John Trefethen, Director & Co-Founder

Table of Contents:

Market Moving Headlines
Interest Rates
Currencies
Commodities
Concept of the Week: Risk versus Speculation
Quote of the Week

Market Moving Headlines

Mortgage applications in US fall sharply by 8.8% in the week ended April 14, 2023.
US building permits fall more than expected - interest rates and inflation largely to blame.
Cocoa prices hit highest level since August 2016.
European stocks rise to 14-month high.
Palladium surged above $1,600 per ounce, its highest level in 2-months.
Canadian inflation sinks to 19-month low.
Iron ore retreats to over 3-month low.
UK employment rises the most in 9-months.
China investing heavily into Bolivia’s lithium industry.
Russian journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza sentenced to 25-years in prison on charges of treason.
Gasoline futures fall to 3-week low.
Lithium plummets 70% in 5-months.

Interest Rates

Currencies

Commodities

Concept of the Week: What is Financial Risk Management

Financial risk management is the process of evaluating and managing current and possible financial risk to decrease an organization's exposure to risk. Financial risk management involves identifying the risk, measuring it, evaluating possible remedies, developing a strategy, and then implementing the steps and financial instruments necessary to minimize potential ramifications.

Some concepts specific to financial risk management include:

Risk management is better than risk avoidance
Financial instruments such as derivatives are a common tool used in risk management
Derivatives can be very effective at managing financial risk
The main financial risk management strategies are risk avoidance, risk reduction, risk transfer, and risk retention

Protect the economic value of your organization by managing its exposure to financial risk.