Hans Olsen Quotations

If you believe that higher interest rates will put a brake on the economy, the whole tech sector is highly susceptible because companies are going to be spending on tech-related items depending on where the economy is going.

The big guys, they won't touch that with somebody's else 10-foot pole, let alone their own.

In reality, it won't matter as much because other elements like spending and consumer sentiment look good and that will keep the upward pressure on interest rates.

My sense is that the high oil prices we've sustained throughout this year are beginning to take hold in the operating costs of a wider swath of US companies.

Because Amex is so diversified in interacting with the consumer, if they're trying to talk down their earnings expectations, the implication is, 'What does that mean for what's going on in the economy?'

Most companies have already reported their earnings, and I think we're getting to a quiet period where it can be tough to keep anything positive going. There's still a lot out there to deal with.

It's clearly not good, but the market is probably more focused on the economic front.

It doesn't set a real positive stage. It makes it difficult for stock prices to go anywhere.

This is expected to be one of the worse hurricane seasons, and so far they're right and we're only halfway through it. All you have to do is pose the question: What if you had another monster storm in another few weeks, just as things are starting to come back on line? I don't know how you would avoid recession in that environment.

That shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone, because all the background was in place for that to happen what with rising interest rates and consumer spending where it's at, ... We may be seeing the beginning of a real slowdown in the housing market. That's a big concern.