The tug of war between bulls and bears continued during the month of October. Fueled by a still strong jobs market and resilient consumer spending, the U.S. economy sustained its leadership position in global growth. This reality caused markets to increasingly price in the Fed’s ‘higher-for-longer mantra’, although there’s little question that Washington’s relentless bill and coupon issuance has played a significant role in pressing longer term yields higher; another fact not helpful for stocks last month.