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Saturday links: a generous act of faith

Abnormal Returns

EVs Battery recycling improves the case for EVs. (bloomberg.com) Google Maps will soon have better charging station data. (electrek.co) Mercedes Benz has unveiled an EV version of the G wagon. (engadget.com) Honda ($HMC) is building out its EV capacity in North America. (cnbc.com) Transport An increasing proportion of used car sales now happen online.

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Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (April 27-28)

Nerd's Eye View

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the Department of Labor released the final version of its Retirement Security Rule (a.k.a. the Fiduciary Rule 2.0), which is set to go into effect in September and (if it survives anticipated legal challenges) would represent a significant shift toward greater fiduciary standards in the financial services industry, including by defining as a fiduciary act a one-time recomm

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Sunday links: a nation of bad drivers

Abnormal Returns

Rates Allan Sloan, "Don’t fall in love with your money fund." (barrons.com) You likely don't need a long-term bond fund. (wsj.com) Strategy The market's most important lessons have to be experienced. (microcapclub.com) No portfolio strategy is perfect. (rogersplanning.blogspot.com) Financial trends reverse just when they seem inevitable. (humbledollar.com) Companies Why Boeing ($BA) took its eye off manufacturing quality.

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March 2024 State Coincident Indexes Ease

The Big Picture

A quick note on the state of the economy in light of some recent data. Q1 2024 Gross Domestic Product expanded at a disappointing 1.6% — note this is seasonally and inflation-adjusted annual rate. That lagged economists’ consensus of 2.4%. However, it’s not quite all it appears. Some of this is that “long and variable lag” of higher rates starting to bite — but it’s not just that.

Economy 201
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Elevating Accounting Practices: The Power of Outsourcing and Automation in the Digital Age

Speaker: Nancy Wu, Head of Sales and Customer Success at SkyStem

Join us for an enlightening webinar as we delve into the transformative realm of modern accounting practices. In today's digital age, the convergence of outsourcing and automation has revolutionized how businesses manage their financial operations. In this webinar we will explore the synergistic potential of these two strategies to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, save cost and drive strategic decision-making.

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The News is Making You Miserable

A Wealth of Common Sense

There was a recent poll about my home state of Michigan where they asked people for their thoughts on the state of the nation’s economy today. Just 35% of people described the economy as excellent (6%) or good (29%) while 65% described it as either not so good (28%) or poor (37%). But when asked how they would describe their own personal financial situation these days, a majority of people (61%) described their circ.

Economy 142

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Podcast links: fake podcast invites

Abnormal Returns

The biz Beware the fake podcast invite. (bigtechnology.com) The Apple ($AAPL)-Spotify ($SPOT) battle is just exhausting. (spyglass.org) Economy Barry Ritholtz talks with Bill McBride about which economic data really matters. (ritholtz.com) James Pethokoukis talks economic optimism with Ed Yardeni. (fasterplease.substack.com) Derek Thompson talks with Ravi Agrawal, the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, about India under Modi.

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10 Weekend Reads

The Big Picture

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a mug of coffee, grab a seat outside, and get ready for our longer-form weekend reads: • We might be closer to changing course on climate change than we realized : Greenhouse gas emissions might have already peaked. Now they need to fall — fast. ( Vox ) • Tesla Is Not the Next Ford. It’s the Next Con Ed. Elon Musk’s EV empire is crumbling.

Banking 140
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Assessing Payouts And Platform Fees For Profitability When Choosing An Independent Advisor Platform To Affiliate With

Nerd's Eye View

Broadly speaking, there are 2 models of working as a financial advisor: operating independently as a firm owner or with a large affiliate platform such as a wirehouse broker-dealer, independent broker-dealer, or larger corporate RIA. Deciding which model to work under is a key moment in beginning or evolving a career as an advisor. In the independent model, owners/advisors are generally paid directly by the clients they serve, and they select and pay for the vendors, services, and employees that

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The WealthStack Podcast: Why Estate Planning Is the Next Frontier of Wealth Management With Gene Farrell

Wealth Management

As clients become increasingly aware of the complexities of wealth transfer, asset protection and legacy planning, they expect comprehensive guidance from their advisors.

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2024 Lending Outlook: Innovations and Evolutions in the Financial Sector

As we step into 2024, the lending landscape evolves rapidly with technology, regulations, and market dynamics driving change. For banks and financial institutions to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers, these drivers must be understood and engaged with. Lenders can anticipate significant transformation fueled by technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer behaviors.

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MBA: Mortgage Applications Increased in Weekly Survey

Calculated Risk

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications decreased 2.7 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 19, 2024. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 2.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

Marketing 125
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Tuesday links: raw materials for LLMs

Abnormal Returns

Geopolitics A look at how geopolitical events affect the stock market. (carsongroup.com) Why we fear doing nothing during a geopolitical crisis. (behaviouralinvestment.com) Strategy Investors need to understand history and be willing to look ahead. (morningstar.com) Why people make seemingly bad financial decisions. (ofdollarsanddata.com) Companies Meta ($META) never wants to be at the mercy of Apple ($AAPL).

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MiB: Ed Yardeni on the Roaring 20s

The Big Picture

This week, we speak with Dr. Ed Yardeni, President of Yardeni Research , a provider of global investment strategies and asset-allocation analyses and recommendations. He previously served as Chief Investment Strategist of Oak Associates, Prudential Equity Group, and Deutsche Bank’s US equities division in New York City. He taught at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business and was an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and t

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Reframing Risk In Retirement As “Over- And Under-Spending” To Better Communicate Decisions To Clients, And Finding “Best Guess” Spending Level

Nerd's Eye View

Over the past few decades, advicers have used Monte Carlo analysis tools to communicate to clients if their assets and planned level of spending were sufficient for them to realize their goals while (critically) not running out of money in retirement. More recently, however, the Monte Carlo "probability of success/failure" framing has attracted some criticism, as it can potentially alter the way that a client perceives risk, leading them to make less-than-ideal decisions.

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Banking on Loyalty: Holistic Financial Advice for Unparalleled Business Growth

Speaker: Joe Buhrmann, MBA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Senior Financial Planning Practice Management Consultant eMoney Advisor

During an era of evolving consumer preferences, the banking sector is undergoing a profound shift. As customers continue to broaden their perspectives, banking professionals must support their customers' financial wellness by providing holistic financial advice that aligns with individual goals and circumstances. Without adapting, financial institutions will find that loyalty may crumble amid uncertainty.

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S&P 500 Snapshot: Best Week of 2024

Advisor Perspectives

The S&P 500 capped off its best week of the year as it rose 2.67% from last Friday. The weekly gain ends the index's streak of three straight weekly losses. The index is currently up 7.53% year to date and now sits 2.94% below its record close from March 28, 2024.

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Schedule for Week of April 28, 2024

Calculated Risk

The key report scheduled for this week is the April employment report. Other key reports include February Case-Shiller house prices, April vehicle sales, and the March trade balance. The FOMC meets this week and no change to policy is expected. For manufacturing, the April Dallas Fed manufacturing survey, and the ISM index will be released. -- Monday, April 29th -- 10:30 AM: Dallas Fed Survey of Manufacturing Activity for April. -- Tuesday, April 30th -- 9:00 AM: S&P/Case-Shiller House Price

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Top clicks this week on Abnormal Returns

Abnormal Returns

Top clicks this week TIPS are on sale. Time to buy. (morningstar.com) Why everyone in finance seems to be doing deadlifts. (wealthmanagement.com) Franklin Templeton ($BEN) is moving aggressively beyond stocks and bonds. (wsj.com) 15 more ideas from Seth Klarman's "Margin of Safety" including 'Investment must be thought of as more than stock selection or making a series of solid individual investment decisions.

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10 Sunday Reads

The Big Picture

Avert your eyes! My Sunday morning look at incompetency, corruption and policy failures: • ‘Water is more valuable than oil’: the corporation cashing in on America’s drought : In an unprecedented deal, a private company purchased land in a tiny Arizona town – and sold its water rights to a suburb 200 miles away. Local residents fear the agreement has ‘opened Pandora’s box.’ ( The Guardian ) • Why don’t rich people eat anymore?

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Navigating Financial Storms: Strategies for Building Resilient Balance Sheets

Speaker: Carolina Aponte - Owner and CEO, Caja Holdings LLC

In today's rapidly changing business environment, building a resilient balance sheet is crucial to the survival of any business. A resilient balance sheet allows a company to withstand financial shocks and adapt to changing market conditions. To achieve this, companies need to focus on key strategies such as maintaining adequate liquidity, managing debt levels, diversifying revenue streams, and prioritizing profitability over growth.

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A Necessary Evil in the Stock Market

A Wealth of Common Sense

In the early-1980s, Robert Shiller set out to answer the question: Do stock prices move too much to be justified by subsequent changes in dividends? The idea was to figure out how well the stock market tracks the present value of future cash flows in the short-term. Shiller concluded that, no, stock prices do not neatly track fundamentals. He updated that data in his book Irrational Exuberance: The cash flows move very l.

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Q1 Advance Estimate: GDP Per Capita versus GDP

Advisor Perspectives

The advance estimate for Q1 GDP came in at 1.59%, a deceleration from 3.40% for the Q4 final estimate. With a per-capita adjustment, the headline number is lower at 1.00%, a decrease from 2.79% for the Q4 headline number.

Numbers 103
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U.S. Births decreased in 2023

Calculated Risk

From the National Center for Health Statistics: Births: Provisional Data for 2023. The NCHS reports: The provisional number of births for the United States in 2023 was 3,591,328, down 2% from 2022. The general fertility rate was 54.4 births per 1,000 females ages 15–44, down 3% from 2022. The total fertility rate was 1,616.5 births per 1,000 women in 2023, a decline of 2% from 2022.

Numbers 112
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Focused on the Future: Brian Seymour on the Power of Coaching

Wealth Management

Prosperitage Wealth's Brian Seymour explains the crucial role coaching played in shaping his career, helping him identify his unique strengths and develop his “super power.

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Putting the ‘Tech’ in Spend Management Techniques

Speaker: Wayne Spivak, President and CFO of SBA * Consulting Ltd., Industry Writer, Public Speaker

If you’re lost in the world of spend management needs and your GAP analysis is lacking perspective on the future state of your business performance, listen up! With the advancement of technology, the implementation of spend management best practices and concrete GAP analyses is more streamlined and accessible than ever before. And while this may sound like great news for you and your clients, it won’t be worthwhile unless you have the latest techniques to back up your ambitions!

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Convenience is a Form of Wealth

A Wealth of Common Sense

Here’s the lede from a Bloomberg article about rich people trying to avoid taxes in New York City: At New Jersey’s Teterboro and Long Island’s Islip airports, dozens of private jets destined for Florida take off at times such as 11:42 p.m. or 11:54 p.m. Over at JFK, a regular flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, arrives at a seemingly purposeful time: about 15 minutes after midnight.

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Richmond Fed Manufacturing Remained Slow in April

Advisor Perspectives

Fifth district manufacturing activity remained slow in April, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The composite manufacturing index rose to -7 this month from -11 in March, marking its 6th consecutive negative reading. This month's reading was consistent with the forecast.

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Thursday: Q1 GDP, Unemployment Claims, Pending Home Sales

Calculated Risk

Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Thursday: • At 8:30 AM ET, Gross Domestic Product, 1st quarter 2024 (Advance estimate). The consensus is that real GDP increased 2.1% annualized in Q1, down from 3.4% in Q4. • Also at 8:30 AM, The initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released. The consensus is for 210 thousand initial claims, down from 212 thousand last week. • At 10:00 AM: Pending Home Sales Index for March.

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Monday links: not-so average years

Abnormal Returns

Markets Commodities are having a standout 2024. (capitalspectator.com) When did investing become so political? (economist.com) ETFs Grayscale's Bitcoin Mini Trust will have a 0.15% expense ratio. (coindesk.com) More mutual fund to ETF conversions are coming. (advisorhub.com) Finance The NYSE is testing 24-hour trading. (on.ft.com) Want a stake in a hot AI startup?

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Your New & Improved Month-End Close Process Is Not So Far Out of Reach!

All accounting teams know what it is like to dread the inevitable month-end scaries. If there was a way to feel less burdened and maybe even a little enthusiastic to work on your month-end close and reconciliation process, would you do it? No, don't answer that, of course you would! Automate your month-end close process by up to 40% with SkyStem's ART and see how much more alive you feel!

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Concurrent Shifts Into ‘Growth Mode’ with Four Industry Hires

Wealth Management

Former leaders at Goldman Sachs, Fidelity, Creative Planning and Wealth Enhancement Group have joined to accelerate the firm's growth as a new multicustodial platform for independent advisors.

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Social Media, Analyst Behavior and Market Efficiency

Alpha Architect

Hibbert, Kang, Kumar and Mishra provided us with yet another explanation: social media is providing analysts with information that reduces their forecasting errors. The result has been an increase in market efficiency, leading to a reduction in the PEAD anomaly. The bottom line is that the ability to generate alpha continues to be under assault—trying to outperform the market by stock selection is becoming even more of a loser’s game.

Media 88
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Climate Change Is Stunting Our Economic Growth

Advisor Perspectives

Imagine you were running for king of the world on a platform of slashing economic growth by 20% forever. You’d be lucky to get your own family to vote for you. And yet humanity insists on running the global economy on fossil fuels that are doing exactly that sort of damage.