Jackson Hole: The Federal Reserve Does ‘Shark Week’ For The Markets

Jackson Hole: The Federal Reserve Does ‘Shark Week’ For The Markets

1778. Oil on canvas. 72 x 90 1/4 inches(182. 9 x 229. 2 cm). Located in the Museum of Fine Arts, ... [+] Boston, Massachusetts, USA (Photo by VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images) August is a slow month in Finance. Trading volumes drop. Deals are deferrred. Emails go to auto-reply. Volatility subsides. We know that September is historically the worst month of the year for Stock Market returns, by far. So, underneath the surface, there may be forces in play that could cause market pain and turmoil in the next 60 days. Which brings to mind another regular August event: Shark Week – the annual hit series on TV's Discovery Channel, all about sharks, in movies, in documentaries, live events. Launched in 1988, Shark Week is now a genuine Phenomenon. It has become "the longest-running cable television programming event in history." It is being broadcast in 72 (!) countries. For finance folks, also in August, and in a similar vein of outdoor excitement and scare-fun… there is Jackson Hole. The world's central bankers convene for a week of High Policy-Making in the shadow of Wyoming's spectacular Grand Teton mountain range. It has become sort of an annual "check-and-reset" moment for