Joseph LaFave

About the author

Joseph LaFave writes about finance, maritime issues, healthcare, the National Guard, and conflicts around the world. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as an EMT in Florida and as an ESH engineer for Lockheed Martin supporting several DoD and NASA satellites. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University and a Master of Science in Management from Southern New Hampshire University.

Higher interest rates weighing on construction companies and real estate markets

Climbing interest rates are already tugging on home building companies, pulling shares of these firms down as mortgages become more expensive. According to a report from CNBC, some home building stocks, like iShares Home Construction and SPDR S&P Homebuilder ETF, are down more than 20 percent since January of this year. The interest rate for a […]

Experts cautiously optimistic on emerging markets

Financial managers and investors in the United States are beginning to see considerable discounts in emerging markets as the massive sell-off continues. According to Reuters, emerging market stocks have hit a 17 month low, and have fallen 21 percent since the beginning of the year. Emerging Market currencies are also down eight percent since March […]

Wall Street finished down on Friday after stunning jobs report

US stock markets closed in the red on Friday thanks in large part to the shining jobs report published earlier in the week. While it may seem counter-intuitive, the positive job report has pushed the US Treasury to hike its bond yield, which is causing interest rates to rise. “There’s no question the job market […]

Southeast Asian markets crumble after devastating Indonesian earthquake

International aid is beginning to arrive in Indonesia six days after a devastating earthquake struck the island nation. According to a report from Agence France Presse (AFP), much-needed supplies are finally arriving after several delays prevented the aid from reaching survivors. The earthquake, which also caused tsunami waves that struck the country, measured in at […]

What’s the deal with Bitcoin?

Grayscale Bitcoin Investment Trust (GBTC), the lone “bitcoin investment trust” in the United States has lost about 80 percent of its total value in the last 10 months. A significant contributor to GBTC’s downward spiral is its excessive fees, which are currently around 2 percent more than double the national average. The fees “are insane […]

Ebola continues to spread, threatens economies of the DRC and Uganda

The Ebola Virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading so quickly, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) believe the possibility that the virus will cross the border into Uganda is “very high.” According to the Associated Press, two patients near the border region tested positive for the virus last week. […]

Canada and Mexico agree to new NAFTA terms

After extended negotiations, Canada, the United States, and Mexico have all agreed to a new trade deal that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new agreement, which is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is being hailed as a win for all three countries. According to Reuters, the new deal ensures […]

Money laundering still a significant challenge for European Union

Despite stringent regulations aimed at curtailing money laundering in the European Union (EU), the crime is still rampant across several countries on the Continent. According to a report from AFP, an absence of cooperation between EU states is allowing criminals to continue laundering money through various banks. “There are problems relating to coordination at various […]