With the market now expecting less than 2 rate cuts this year -- perhaps none at all until next year according to Bank of America -- what does that mean for the economy?Can it handle "higher for even longer" interest rates without slowing markedly?Or, even worse, something systemic breaking?And what impact will these higher rates likely have on stock, bonds and other asset prices?To find out, we're fortunate today to talk with money manager Michael Pento. president of Pento Portfolio Strategies.Michael is "not happy". He's very concerned that the crown jewel of our capitalist society, the middle class, is getting "destroyed". He sees nothing good coming from that.And looking ahead, he sees a disinflationary recession happening in the second half of 2024, to be followed in early to mid-2025 by an era of stagflation more extreme than we've ever experienced.
