>> Dominic: THERE WAS MUCH BALLYHOO AND MANY HEADLINES EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN THE FEDERAL RESERVE RAISED INTEREST RATES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN THREE YEARS.

BUT HOW DOES THE QUARTER-POINT HIKE AFFECT THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME?

HONESTLY, NOT THAT MUCH.

SO LET’S GAUGE SOME OTHER, MORE MEANINGFUL INTEREST RATES.

WE CAN START, AS ALWAYS, WITH OUR BELOVED MINNESOTA VIKINGS.

AFTER LAST WEEK’S SOMEWHAT LESS-THAN-CONVINCING VICTORY, I WOULD PRICE IN TWO OR THREE INTEREST RATE HIKES BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE SEASON.

BUT WHILE I’D LIKE TO BE A HAWK ON THIS, I MUST PREDICT A PRETTY SHARP DECLINE IN INTEREST BY ABOUT MID-JANUARY.

THE UPCOMING MIDTERMS, ELECTION DAY, ALL THE LEADING INDICATORS, INCLUDING LAWN SIGNS AND SCARY BLACK-AND-WHITE TV ADS, SUGGEST A SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN RATES UNTIL EARLY NOVEMBER.

THIS IS ALMOST ALWAYS FOLLOWED, SADLY, BY PLUMMETING INTEREST RATES COME JANUARY.

HOW ABOUT ALL THE HAND-WRINGING ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USHERING IN, YOU KNOW, THE END OF HUMANITY?

THIS SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD COMMAND A PRETTY HIGH INTEREST RATE.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY FAST-MOVING PARTS THAT IT FEELS LIKE WE NEED A LITTLE MORE DATA.

NOW, THE FINANCIAL GURUS TELL US THAT, IN AN UNCERTAIN INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT, YOU SHOULD “SHORTEN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN DECISION AND FEEDBACK.” IN PLAIN ENGLISH, THAT MEANS MAKE SMALLER DECISIONS CLOSER TOGETHER.

SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

ADJUST AS NEEDED.

SO, WATCH WHAT’S GOING ON WITH A.I., BUT MAYBE DON’T PANIC YET.

MAKE SURE YOU’RE REGISTERED TO VOTE.

AND THE VIKINGS?