US equities were steady at the open on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s latest tariff warnings left room for hope that he was still open to negotiations.
President Donald Trump plans to announce trade deals and deliver tariff warnings on Monday, as countries negotiated through the weekend to avoid the highest punitive measures on their exports to the US before a Wednesday deadline.
As President Donald Trump and his advisers begin weighing replacements for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, they’re running into one significant complication: It’s not clear that Powell will leave the US central bank next year.
The United States’ tariff announcement on April 2, 2025, created significant market volatility, as the tariffs were perceived as higher, broader, and more punitive than expected, and the implementation sooner.
VettaFi’s Head of Research Todd Rosenbluth discussed the JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF (TOV) on this week’s “ETF of the Week” podcast with Chuck Jaffe of “Money Life.”
Until that US government debt-crisis moment arrives, which we will get through, things will muddle along.
The Senate is getting close to the finish line on its version of the "One Big Beautiful" tax-and-spending bill.
The recent decline in the dollar relative to other currencies is well within historical norms. Notably, previous declines were much larger without the “fear-mongering” from the “experts of doom.”
The U.S. Dollar Index, when measured against a basket of other major currencies, has declined by approximately 10% this year through mid-June and is currently trading at its lowest level in three years.
When investors approach the financial markets, there’s a tendency to imagine that conditions can be judged as favorable or unfavorable based on one single measure or another. The fact is that market conditions at any moment in time are a composite of interdependent forces.
Wall Street has a new favorite investor. They’re young, they’re affluent and they’re skeptical that traditional markets can deliver wealth over the long haul. Shaped by financial crises and fueled by tech optimism, this well-heeled class of Millennials and Gen Z are moving their money into the buzzy world of alternative assets.
How big data, AI and the human element can combine to better pursue consistent alpha.
President Donald Trump’s announcement on Wednesday of a new trade agreement with China is the kind of headline that gives markets a sense of relief. As I overheard this week at Wealth Management’s EDGE conference, which I attended in Boca Raton, Florida, we may have dodged a recession.
The Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2025 (House Bill 3795), calls for a full, modern audit of America's gold holdings—something that hasn't occurred in over 65 years.
Separating the signal from the noise may be the hardest challenge investors face. We’re all surrounded by constantly changing but mostly unimportant information. Of the small part that really is important, we must decide if it affects our investments.
While crypto’s roots are libertarian and anti-state, stablecoins could serve to entrench the existing tech and monetary order dominated by the US, as 95% of them are dollar-denominated.
US stocks oscillated between small gains and losses on Wednesday, as traders look past an upbeat report on cooling consumer prices and assess the outlook for global trade.
Virtually all the marketing activities are exactly what other advisors are doing as well. Never follow the crowd.
The Fear Trade is what most Western investors are familiar with. It’s the flight to safety during times of uncertainty, driven by concerns over inflation, interest rates, geopolitical risk and more.
Research trips are an integral component of our active, fundamental investment process. Our investment teams meet with different companies, attend conferences, and travel to new markets around the world, gaining insights for our clients and a deeper understanding of potential investments.
Global equities hit a record high for the first time since February, as signs of a resilient US economy overshadowed uncertainty around trade negotiations.
Buying stocks is always hard. Particularly during corrections. Or, near market peaks. Or, when stocks are falling. And when they are rising. Oh, buying stocks is also tricky when valuations are high. And when they are low. You get the point.
Signs are emerging that the Trump administration may be less willing to give up control of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than investors have bargained for, as policymakers scrounge for ways to close US budget gaps.
This article presents a different perspective on the question of why bond yields are rising. I focus on the difference between narratives and fundamentals.
The wealth management industry is prepared to court its newest potential clients: Gen Z. Instead of trotting out older professionals with decades of experience, companies are utilizing generative AI to develop digital assistants.
Having raised $445 million from investors including Microsoft Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp., the British firm entered insolvency proceedings this week after a major creditor seized $37 million from its accounts, leaving $5 million in the company’s coffers.
Someday, the dollar will cease to be the world’s reserve currency. But don’t hold your breath waiting; there is nothing even close to being able to take its role.
President Donald Trump’s first overseas trip since returning to the White House is turning heads across the aerospace & defense and semiconductor industries.
With financial markets whipsawing on every tweet and press release, Maharrey urged listeners to step back, take a breath, and consider the big picture — particularly on the issues of debt, inflation, and de-dollarization.
So far in 2025, markets have had plenty to absorb: the Trump administration’s tariffs, Germany’s latest investment commitments, the implications of the DeepSeek moment, and escalating military conflicts (now including one on the India-Pakistan border).
Tracking marketing metrics isn’t about labeling efforts as a success or failure — it’s about identifying opportunities to tweak and improve what’s already working. By understanding the data, you can make informed decisions that enhance your outreach and client engagement.
Sam Altman’s reputation for spin was out in full force this week in a published “letter to employees” announcing that he was abandoning plans to turn OpenAI into a for-profit company. Instead, it will “continue to be overseen and controlled” by its nonprofit board.
With investors experiencing heightened anxiety about their financial futures, your approach can make the difference between client retention and attrition. This comprehensive guide from our senior consultants explores actionable strategies for effective client communication during market volatility.
A massive budget bill of tax and spending cuts, as well as a debt ceiling debate loom as Congress returns from its Easter recess.
Operating as a one-person shop means you’ll wear many hats, but there are common pitfalls you can avoid — and marketing strategies that can help you make the most of your time and resources.
When Meta Platforms Inc. reports earnings on Wednesday afternoon, the social media giant will face a high hurdle to satisfy anxious investors.
President Donald Trump said he would “absolutely” sign a bill banning congressional stock trading, saying he was concerned lawmakers could be using insider information for an advantage.
A successful single-pane-of-glass strategy not only enhances compliance but also improves operational efficiency and agility in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
In this video, I break down the No. 1 thing you should focus on for organic growth: ensuring your marketing efforts are strategic, effective, and aligned with your long-term goals.
For simplicity’s sake, let’s boil down the multiple questions facing Apple today into just one: How much are Americans willing to spend on an iPhone?
Compare corporate and municipal bonds, including risks, returns, and tax benefits. Learn which bond type fits your investment goals.
With Congress out for the next two weeks for Easter recess and a short trading week in New York, it should be a quieter week – though tariff-related news continues to capture headlines.
The month of April will unfortunately go down in financial market folklore as being one of the more noteworthy on record.
In San Francisco’s financial district, the One Montgomery building evokes the opulence of America’s turn of the 20th century gilded age. With its Tuscan columns, marble staircases and bronze doors, the Renaissance Revival landmark once housed Crocker Bank, named after one of the tycoons who built the western portion of America’s first transcontinental railroad.
President Donald Trump pledged he will still apply tariffs to phones, computers and popular consumer electronics, downplaying a weekend exemption as a procedural step in his overall push to remake US trade.
It was a wild week on Wall Street after President Donald Trump announced a broad new tariff policy that went beyond what most analysts had anticipated, spurring a plunge in both stock and bond markets.
When you define your “who” and “how,” marketing stops feeling random and starts feeling strategic. Instead of trying to be everywhere, you’ll focus on what actually works — showing up in the right places with the right message for the right people.
While there are no absolute winners in a trade war, there may be relative winners in the global stock market for investors to consider.
The 10% across-the-board (ad valorem) tariff and specific reciprocal tariffs on most U.S. trading partners went well beyond what most were expecting.
Meta Platforms Inc.’s head of artificial intelligence research plans to leave the company, creating a high-level vacancy just as Meta seeks to invest and compete aggressively in AI.
With the pause button pressed on this year’s huge AI rally in Chinese tech stocks, clarity on global economic policies and concrete signs of core business improvement may be required to get things rolling again.
If you log onto Chinese social media these days, you may encounter many young people expressing the “involution” or neijuan mentality. It’s become a buzzword for a generation of college students and recent graduates beaten down by society’s relentless competition, and roughly translates to rolling inwards.
While systematic investing often relies on models and financial data, Pozharny emphasizes that Bridgeway’s process is differentiated by its acknowledgment of unknowns and its method for adjusting ratings based on external events. The team grades stocks on a scale from A to F, with adjustments made when externalities—such as leadership changes, regulatory shifts, or geopolitical risks—threaten to undermine model assumptions.
While we sympathize with consumers who have had difficult interactions with the healthcare system, we believe that much of the antipathy toward health insurers is misplaced. Their role as middlemen is a vital and increasingly important one in a U.S. healthcare system that struggles to balance between the incentives of providers and consumers.
Investors under 40 have little interest in reaching out to humans for financial advice. Rather than collaborating directly with a professional, many investors under 40 prefer a do it yourself (DIY) method that enables them to find stock market information online.
Human stupidity is the one thing you can rely on in financial markets. I recently read a great piece by Joe Wiggins at Behavioral Investment, which discusses why “Investing is hard.”
Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management LLC is cutting its stake in Meta Platforms Inc. for the first time in around a year, the latest sign of a downturn in fortunes for big US tech stocks.
I often encounter individuals struggling with financial stress – whether it's saving for retirement, building an emergency fund, or paying down debt. To better understand these concerns, Barnum conducted a comprehensive study on the financial wellness of working Americans.
Understanding actual inflation – instead of what the media’s narrative tells you it should be – is critical to your investment planning. It is one thing for a pundit to say this or that, but it is another to look at the actual data for yourself.
On the latest Road to Exchange, VettaFi’s Roxanna Islam interviewed author and Bread founder Kyla Scanlon. Scanlon is most known for her work as an influencer and her widely praised book, “In This Economy?,” Scanlon, who dissects and comments on markets in a unique way, will be speaking at the Exchange conference.
The EV shakeout is underway. When the dust settles, only a few players will remain. Many more will be relegated to the scrapyard of failed ambitions.
Opportunities have increased significantly in frontier markets debt as more countries have made a conscious effort to open their capital markets to international investors and currencies have become more fairly valued.
Understanding copyright compliance rules can help you protect your business and confidently share content that aligns with both legal and ethical standards. Let’s clear up some common myths to keep your financial marketing on the right track.
By acknowledging that we are not always rational and are subject to cognitive biases, we can better understand market anomalies and develop strategies to mitigate – and even take advantage of – their impact.
The truth is that most of your prospects have some kind of financial problem or issue. Otherwise, they wouldn’t agree to meet with you. Their lack of commitment to you at the end of your process is not necessarily because they're an unqualified lead.
Investors should not be overly distracted by the recent spate of political headlines and social media updates.
A strong conviction trade is being shaken. As international stocks are outperforming this year, global investors are asking if their faith in US exceptionalism has gone too far.
With our most reliable valuation measures more extreme than both the 1929 and 2000 market peaks, we continue to believe that the stock market is tracing out the extended peak of the third great speculative bubble in U.S. history.
President Donald Trump told a gathering of governors that Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook promised him that the company’s manufacturing would shift from Mexico to the US during a meeting at the White House this week.
Meta Platforms Inc.’s recent record-breaking, 20-day rally propelled the share price to a level where investors may start calling on the company to split its stock for the first time since going public in 2013.
The number one question we hear from advisors is: “How can I differentiate my business so I stand out from others, given that the industry continues to become commoditized."
Growth and value are often thought of simplistically, but subsurface details in growth- and value-labeled indexes challenge pre-conceived notions of the factors.
Formula One’s rising popularity in the US has drawn an investment from a top-performing Morgan Stanley fund.
President Donald Trump called for lower interest rates, seeking to raise pressure on the Federal Reserve as he moves to implement a second-term economic agenda high on tariffs and expanding tax breaks.
Nvidia Corp. investors have typically rushed to buy the stock on any dips. But the mood since the DeepSeek-driven rout has been different, signaling that fears of a slowdown in AI spending aren’t going away.
Today we’ll talk about Trump, tariffs, cycles, and DOGE. Jumping right in…
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration’s focus with regard to bringing down borrowing costs is 10-year Treasury yields, rather than the Federal Reserve’s benchmark short-term interest rate.
In the face of uncertainties, financial advisors are uniquely positioned to help their clients prepare for the unexpected. By leveraging innovative risk management solutions, advisors can help businesses gain the stability they need to weather today’s disruptions and build resilience for the future.
The Magnificent 7 kicked off fourth quarter reporting in a similar fashion to the Q3 season. Tesla once again missed expectations when they reported on Wednesday, on both the top and bottom-line this time (vs. only missing on revenues in Q3), yet investors seemed unbothered.
Meme coins are just the tip of the iceberg representing unproductive uses of capital. I could write volumes on other examples. But given its current popularity, I use it to help spread the productivity gospel once again.
DeepSeek didn’t come out of nowhere. But it seemed to catch Silicon Valley and global investors by surprise this week, to the tune of billions of dollars in stock market value.
The Second Trump Era has begun. If you are confident about what it will bring (either good or bad), I would like to gently suggest you reconsider. None of us should be sure what is coming.
Some soft data metrics have started to rebound sharply and catch back up to relatively resilient hard data, but it's too soon to say whether the gap is definitively closing.
Spray-and-pray marketing is a good model for selling T-shirts but not so good for getting advisory clients.
Engaging up front with four key workstreams may smooth the process of adding a solution.
We identify four categories of risks to the growth outlook.
Rough times are coming, yes, but I think we have at least 12 good months before the worst gets here. Let’s look at some of the reasons why things should be okay and then look at some of the potential problems.
When Mark Zuckerberg earnestly looked at a camera and told the world (or President-elect Donald Trump) that he was shutting down all fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, he left out some important context.
The AI boom of the past two years has largely been a two-horse race. Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Microsoft Corp.-funded OpenAI have duked it out for customers, while Amazon.com Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. have nibbled at the margins for market share.
Most people don’t pay much attention to the political process, either local or federal. This year I think it is something we should all be paying attention to as it might affect our various lives.
Social Media
Stocks Hold Steady on Hope Trade Talks Have Room for Negotiation
US equities were steady at the open on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s latest tariff warnings left room for hope that he was still open to negotiations.
Trump Sets Aug. 1 Start for Tariffs Ahead of Wednesday Deadline
President Donald Trump plans to announce trade deals and deliver tariff warnings on Monday, as countries negotiated through the weekend to avoid the highest punitive measures on their exports to the US before a Wednesday deadline.
Powell Silence on His Future Complicates Trump Fed Chair Search
As President Donald Trump and his advisers begin weighing replacements for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, they’re running into one significant complication: It’s not clear that Powell will leave the US central bank next year.
Tariffs Rattle Markets—But EM Debt Endures
The United States’ tariff announcement on April 2, 2025, created significant market volatility, as the tariffs were perceived as higher, broader, and more punitive than expected, and the implementation sooner.
JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF (TOV)
VettaFi’s Head of Research Todd Rosenbluth discussed the JLens 500 Jewish Advocacy U.S. ETF (TOV) on this week’s “ETF of the Week” podcast with Chuck Jaffe of “Money Life.”
The Great Slowdown
Until that US government debt-crisis moment arrives, which we will get through, things will muddle along.
Washington: What to Watch Now
The Senate is getting close to the finish line on its version of the "One Big Beautiful" tax-and-spending bill.
The Dollar’s Death Is Greatly Exaggerated
The recent decline in the dollar relative to other currencies is well within historical norms. Notably, previous declines were much larger without the “fear-mongering” from the “experts of doom.”
Gold Surpasses Euro as the Second-Largest Reserve Currency in the World
The U.S. Dollar Index, when measured against a basket of other major currencies, has declined by approximately 10% this year through mid-June and is currently trading at its lowest level in three years.
The Bubble – Contains the Collapse – Contains the Resurgence
When investors approach the financial markets, there’s a tendency to imagine that conditions can be judged as favorable or unfavorable based on one single measure or another. The fact is that market conditions at any moment in time are a composite of interdependent forces.
Young Investor Demand for Alternative Assets Is Reshaping Wall Street's Playbook
Wall Street has a new favorite investor. They’re young, they’re affluent and they’re skeptical that traditional markets can deliver wealth over the long haul. Shaped by financial crises and fueled by tech optimism, this well-heeled class of Millennials and Gen Z are moving their money into the buzzy world of alternative assets.
Alpha Reimagined
How big data, AI and the human element can combine to better pursue consistent alpha.
Trump’s Trade Deal with China Is a Tailwind for Global Shipping
President Donald Trump’s announcement on Wednesday of a new trade agreement with China is the kind of headline that gives markets a sense of relief. As I overheard this week at Wealth Management’s EDGE conference, which I attended in Boca Raton, Florida, we may have dodged a recession.
Time to Audit the Gold: Why Congress Is Finally Asking Hard Questions
The Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2025 (House Bill 3795), calls for a full, modern audit of America's gold holdings—something that hasn't occurred in over 65 years.
The Investment Signal in the Noise
Separating the signal from the noise may be the hardest challenge investors face. We’re all surrounded by constantly changing but mostly unimportant information. Of the small part that really is important, we must decide if it affects our investments.
A Digital Dollar Is a Trade War Weapon
While crypto’s roots are libertarian and anti-state, stablecoins could serve to entrench the existing tech and monetary order dominated by the US, as 95% of them are dollar-denominated.
US Stocks Waffle as Traders Weigh US-China Trade Progress
US stocks oscillated between small gains and losses on Wednesday, as traders look past an upbeat report on cooling consumer prices and assess the outlook for global trade.
Stop Being One of Many
Virtually all the marketing activities are exactly what other advisors are doing as well. Never follow the crowd.
Meet the “Hermès of Gold” the Chinese Can’t Get Enough Of
The Fear Trade is what most Western investors are familiar with. It’s the flight to safety during times of uncertainty, driven by concerns over inflation, interest rates, geopolitical risk and more.
Investing Expeditions: The Ripple Effects of Trade Uncertainty
Research trips are an integral component of our active, fundamental investment process. Our investment teams meet with different companies, attend conferences, and travel to new markets around the world, gaining insights for our clients and a deeper understanding of potential investments.
Global Stocks Hit Record as Economic Bets Outweigh Trade Jitters
Global equities hit a record high for the first time since February, as signs of a resilient US economy overshadowed uncertainty around trade negotiations.
Buying Stocks Is Always Hard
Buying stocks is always hard. Particularly during corrections. Or, near market peaks. Or, when stocks are falling. And when they are rising. Oh, buying stocks is also tricky when valuations are high. And when they are low. You get the point.
Trump Team Signals It Wants to Keep Control of Fannie, Freddie to Boost Budget
Signs are emerging that the Trump administration may be less willing to give up control of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than investors have bargained for, as policymakers scrounge for ways to close US budget gaps.
Narratives vs. Fundamentals: Battle in the Bond Market
This article presents a different perspective on the question of why bond yields are rising. I focus on the difference between narratives and fundamentals.
Gen Z, Don't be Fooled by GenAI Financial Advisers
The wealth management industry is prepared to court its newest potential clients: Gen Z. Instead of trotting out older professionals with decades of experience, companies are utilizing generative AI to develop digital assistants.
AI 'Washers' Can't Exaggerate Their Way Out of This One
Having raised $445 million from investors including Microsoft Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp., the British firm entered insolvency proceedings this week after a major creditor seized $37 million from its accounts, leaving $5 million in the company’s coffers.
Death of the Dollar: An Eternal Tale
Someday, the dollar will cease to be the world’s reserve currency. But don’t hold your breath waiting; there is nothing even close to being able to take its role.
Trump’s Gulf Visit Ignites Record Military Sales and AI Infrastructure Boom
President Donald Trump’s first overseas trip since returning to the White House is turning heads across the aerospace & defense and semiconductor industries.
Beyond the Headlines: Why Gold Still Matters in a Debt-Soaked, Dollar-Weary World
With financial markets whipsawing on every tweet and press release, Maharrey urged listeners to step back, take a breath, and consider the big picture — particularly on the issues of debt, inflation, and de-dollarization.
India’s Power Play
So far in 2025, markets have had plenty to absorb: the Trump administration’s tariffs, Germany’s latest investment commitments, the implications of the DeepSeek moment, and escalating military conflicts (now including one on the India-Pakistan border).
Take the Guesswork Out of Marketing: Use Metrics to Drive Real Results
Tracking marketing metrics isn’t about labeling efforts as a success or failure — it’s about identifying opportunities to tweak and improve what’s already working. By understanding the data, you can make informed decisions that enhance your outreach and client engagement.
OpenAI Can't Have Its Money Both Ways
Sam Altman’s reputation for spin was out in full force this week in a published “letter to employees” announcing that he was abandoning plans to turn OpenAI into a for-profit company. Instead, it will “continue to be overseen and controlled” by its nonprofit board.
Client Communication Strategies During Market Volatility
With investors experiencing heightened anxiety about their financial futures, your approach can make the difference between client retention and attrition. This comprehensive guide from our senior consultants explores actionable strategies for effective client communication during market volatility.
Washington: What to Watch Now
A massive budget bill of tax and spending cuts, as well as a debt ceiling debate loom as Congress returns from its Easter recess.
3 Marketing Tips for Advisors Starting Their Own Firm
Operating as a one-person shop means you’ll wear many hats, but there are common pitfalls you can avoid — and marketing strategies that can help you make the most of your time and resources.
Meta Earnings Have High Bar to Clear After Shares Outperform
When Meta Platforms Inc. reports earnings on Wednesday afternoon, the social media giant will face a high hurdle to satisfy anxious investors.
Trump Says He Would Sign Bill Banning Congressional Stock Trades
President Donald Trump said he would “absolutely” sign a bill banning congressional stock trading, saying he was concerned lawmakers could be using insider information for an advantage.
The Single Pane of Glass: Unifying Communications Supervision Across Channels
A successful single-pane-of-glass strategy not only enhances compliance but also improves operational efficiency and agility in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Want to Drive Organic Growth? Focus on This
In this video, I break down the No. 1 thing you should focus on for organic growth: ensuring your marketing efforts are strategic, effective, and aligned with your long-term goals.
What Would You Be Willing to Pay for an iPhone?
For simplicity’s sake, let’s boil down the multiple questions facing Apple today into just one: How much are Americans willing to spend on an iPhone?
Corporate vs. Municipal Bonds: Key Differences Every Investor Should Know
Compare corporate and municipal bonds, including risks, returns, and tax benefits. Learn which bond type fits your investment goals.
Overall U.S. Tariff Level Still High Despite Exemptions
With Congress out for the next two weeks for Easter recess and a short trading week in New York, it should be a quieter week – though tariff-related news continues to capture headlines.
The Fed Can Use the “Alphabet” if Need Be
The month of April will unfortunately go down in financial market folklore as being one of the more noteworthy on record.
Billionaires and CEOs Bet on Cheap San Francisco Real Estate
In San Francisco’s financial district, the One Montgomery building evokes the opulence of America’s turn of the 20th century gilded age. With its Tuscan columns, marble staircases and bronze doors, the Renaissance Revival landmark once housed Crocker Bank, named after one of the tycoons who built the western portion of America’s first transcontinental railroad.
Trump Warns Tariffs Coming for Electronics After Reprieve
President Donald Trump pledged he will still apply tariffs to phones, computers and popular consumer electronics, downplaying a weekend exemption as a procedural step in his overall push to remake US trade.
Hard Turn on Tariffs
It was a wild week on Wall Street after President Donald Trump announced a broad new tariff policy that went beyond what most analysts had anticipated, spurring a plunge in both stock and bond markets.
Why Your Marketing Feels Scattered … and How to Fix It
When you define your “who” and “how,” marketing stops feeling random and starts feeling strategic. Instead of trying to be everywhere, you’ll focus on what actually works — showing up in the right places with the right message for the right people.
Relative Winners in a Trade War
While there are no absolute winners in a trade war, there may be relative winners in the global stock market for investors to consider.
Trump's Reciprocal Tariffs: No Fooling Around
The 10% across-the-board (ad valorem) tariff and specific reciprocal tariffs on most U.S. trading partners went well beyond what most were expecting.
Meta’s Head of AI Research to Leave, Roiling Investment Push
Meta Platforms Inc.’s head of artificial intelligence research plans to leave the company, creating a high-level vacancy just as Meta seeks to invest and compete aggressively in AI.
China’s Tech Stocks Need More Than Just AI Hype to Extend Rally
With the pause button pressed on this year’s huge AI rally in Chinese tech stocks, clarity on global economic policies and concrete signs of core business improvement may be required to get things rolling again.
Tim Cook Is Back in China. Apple Intelligence Isn’t
If you log onto Chinese social media these days, you may encounter many young people expressing the “involution” or neijuan mentality. It’s become a buzzword for a generation of college students and recent graduates beaten down by society’s relentless competition, and roughly translates to rolling inwards.
Systematic Investing: Recognizing What We Know—and What We Don’t
While systematic investing often relies on models and financial data, Pozharny emphasizes that Bridgeway’s process is differentiated by its acknowledgment of unknowns and its method for adjusting ratings based on external events. The team grades stocks on a scale from A to F, with adjustments made when externalities—such as leadership changes, regulatory shifts, or geopolitical risks—threaten to undermine model assumptions.
Don’t Blame the Middleman
While we sympathize with consumers who have had difficult interactions with the healthcare system, we believe that much of the antipathy toward health insurers is misplaced. Their role as middlemen is a vital and increasingly important one in a U.S. healthcare system that struggles to balance between the incentives of providers and consumers.
How Can Financial Advisors Use Social Media to Attract Clients Under 40?
Investors under 40 have little interest in reaching out to humans for financial advice. Rather than collaborating directly with a professional, many investors under 40 prefer a do it yourself (DIY) method that enables them to find stock market information online.
Stupidity And The 5-Laws Not To Follow
Human stupidity is the one thing you can rely on in financial markets. I recently read a great piece by Joe Wiggins at Behavioral Investment, which discusses why “Investing is hard.”
Cathie Wood Sells Meta Shares for First Time in Nearly a Year
Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management LLC is cutting its stake in Meta Platforms Inc. for the first time in around a year, the latest sign of a downturn in fortunes for big US tech stocks.
Empowering Clients Through Financial Guidance
I often encounter individuals struggling with financial stress – whether it's saving for retirement, building an emergency fund, or paying down debt. To better understand these concerns, Barnum conducted a comprehensive study on the financial wellness of working Americans.
The Inflationista Illuminati
Understanding actual inflation – instead of what the media’s narrative tells you it should be – is critical to your investment planning. It is one thing for a pundit to say this or that, but it is another to look at the actual data for yourself.
Road to Exchange: Kyla Scanlon on Human Economics
On the latest Road to Exchange, VettaFi’s Roxanna Islam interviewed author and Bread founder Kyla Scanlon. Scanlon is most known for her work as an influencer and her widely praised book, “In This Economy?,” Scanlon, who dissects and comments on markets in a unique way, will be speaking at the Exchange conference.
The EV Shakeout
The EV shakeout is underway. When the dust settles, only a few players will remain. Many more will be relegated to the scrapyard of failed ambitions.
6 Reasons to Consider Frontier Markets Debt
Opportunities have increased significantly in frontier markets debt as more countries have made a conscious effort to open their capital markets to international investors and currencies have become more fairly valued.
Creating Content with Confidence: 8 Copyright Myths Explained
Understanding copyright compliance rules can help you protect your business and confidently share content that aligns with both legal and ethical standards. Let’s clear up some common myths to keep your financial marketing on the right track.
Behavioral Economics: Managing Your Inner Voice
By acknowledging that we are not always rational and are subject to cognitive biases, we can better understand market anomalies and develop strategies to mitigate – and even take advantage of – their impact.
You Don’t Need More Leads to Get More Clients
The truth is that most of your prospects have some kind of financial problem or issue. Otherwise, they wouldn’t agree to meet with you. Their lack of commitment to you at the end of your process is not necessarily because they're an unqualified lead.
Do Not Let the Headlines Distract: The Private Sector Drives the U.S. Economy & Markets
Investors should not be overly distracted by the recent spate of political headlines and social media updates.
A Chinese Alternative to the Magnificent Seven Has Arrived
A strong conviction trade is being shaken. As international stocks are outperforming this year, global investors are asking if their faith in US exceptionalism has gone too far.
The Government Deficits Land in the Deepest Pockets
With our most reliable valuation measures more extreme than both the 1929 and 2000 market peaks, we continue to believe that the stock market is tracing out the extended peak of the third great speculative bubble in U.S. history.
Trump Says Cook Shifting Apple Manufacturing From Mexico to US
President Donald Trump told a gathering of governors that Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook promised him that the company’s manufacturing would shift from Mexico to the US during a meeting at the White House this week.
Meta Platforms’ Record Winning Streak Puts Stock Split in View
Meta Platforms Inc.’s recent record-breaking, 20-day rally propelled the share price to a level where investors may start calling on the company to split its stock for the first time since going public in 2013.
Stop Being 1 of Many
The number one question we hear from advisors is: “How can I differentiate my business so I stand out from others, given that the industry continues to become commoditized."
Jigsaw Puzzle: Growth vs. Value
Growth and value are often thought of simplistically, but subsurface details in growth- and value-labeled indexes challenge pre-conceived notions of the factors.
F1’s Growing US Success Draws Peer-Beating Morgan Stanley Fund
Formula One’s rising popularity in the US has drawn an investment from a top-performing Morgan Stanley fund.
Trump Calls for Lower Interest Rates as Powell Heads to Hill
President Donald Trump called for lower interest rates, seeking to raise pressure on the Federal Reserve as he moves to implement a second-term economic agenda high on tariffs and expanding tax breaks.
Nvidia Shares No Longer Bulletproof as DeepSeek Fears Linger
Nvidia Corp. investors have typically rushed to buy the stock on any dips. But the mood since the DeepSeek-driven rout has been different, signaling that fears of a slowdown in AI spending aren’t going away.
Serious Side Effects
Today we’ll talk about Trump, tariffs, cycles, and DOGE. Jumping right in…
Bessent Says Trump Wants Lower 10-Year Yields, Not Fed Cuts
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration’s focus with regard to bringing down borrowing costs is 10-year Treasury yields, rather than the Federal Reserve’s benchmark short-term interest rate.
Red Dye, Wildfires, and Winter Storms in Wichita Have 1 Thing in Common
In the face of uncertainties, financial advisors are uniquely positioned to help their clients prepare for the unexpected. By leveraging innovative risk management solutions, advisors can help businesses gain the stability they need to weather today’s disruptions and build resilience for the future.
Earnings Coming in Better-Than-Expected As Peak Season Begins
The Magnificent 7 kicked off fourth quarter reporting in a similar fashion to the Q3 season. Tesla once again missed expectations when they reported on Wednesday, on both the top and bottom-line this time (vs. only missing on revenues in Q3), yet investors seemed unbothered.
Meme Coins Do Not Create Wealth, They Destroy It
Meme coins are just the tip of the iceberg representing unproductive uses of capital. I could write volumes on other examples. But given its current popularity, I use it to help spread the productivity gospel once again.
Why Chinese Tech Keeps Surprising the West
DeepSeek didn’t come out of nowhere. But it seemed to catch Silicon Valley and global investors by surprise this week, to the tune of billions of dollars in stock market value.
Crucial Questions
The Second Trump Era has begun. If you are confident about what it will bring (either good or bad), I would like to gently suggest you reconsider. None of us should be sure what is coming.
Hard to Handle: A Look at Hard vs. Soft Data
Some soft data metrics have started to rebound sharply and catch back up to relatively resilient hard data, but it's too soon to say whether the gap is definitively closing.
Do You Need More Leads or Better Selling?
Spray-and-pray marketing is a good model for selling T-shirts but not so good for getting advisory clients.
Early Groundwork Is Key for Implementing Lifetime Income Solutions
Engaging up front with four key workstreams may smooth the process of adding a solution.
What We're Worrying About
We identify four categories of risks to the growth outlook.
A Partly Cloudy Year
Rough times are coming, yes, but I think we have at least 12 good months before the worst gets here. Let’s look at some of the reasons why things should be okay and then look at some of the potential problems.
A New World for Facebook and Instagram: Zuckerberg’s Splinternet
When Mark Zuckerberg earnestly looked at a camera and told the world (or President-elect Donald Trump) that he was shutting down all fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, he left out some important context.
Google’s Most Serious Rival Isn’t Microsoft. It’s a Startup
The AI boom of the past two years has largely been a two-horse race. Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Microsoft Corp.-funded OpenAI have duked it out for customers, while Amazon.com Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. have nibbled at the margins for market share.
A Controversial Start
Most people don’t pay much attention to the political process, either local or federal. This year I think it is something we should all be paying attention to as it might affect our various lives.