Calculated Risk
AUGUST 2, 2024
The headline jobs number in the July employment report was below expectations, and May and June payrolls were revised down by 29,000 combined. The participation rate increased, the employment population ratio decreased, and the unemployment rate increased to 4.3%. Construction employment increased 25 thousand and is now 645 thousand above the pre-pandemic level.
Wealth Management
AUGUST 2, 2024
It’s unclear how many Wall Street staff below the C-suite level made it to the Games.
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Abnormal Returns
AUGUST 2, 2024
Markets Markets fear the Fed has missed their window to cut rates. (sherwood.news) High beta stocks are rolling over. (allstarcharts.com) August historically not been a great month for the stock market. (carsongroup.com) The story of QXO ($QXO) is a great lesson for investors. (wsj.com) Trading The best trading system is one that works for you. (allstarcharts.com) Why setting stops is so important psychologically.
Wealth Management
AUGUST 2, 2024
VC firm Canvas Ventures led the latest funding round. CEO Ritik Malhotra says the firm will use the money to expand Savvy’s software suite and strengthen its product and development team.
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Automation generally supercharges any process and brings its value to the forefront. See how infusing automation such as ART (our month-end close solution), into your close can get you to the next level of closing. We will share a live demo of SkyStem's solution, ART and share the key elements of month-end close automation. Through ART, we'll take a look at: What month-end close automation entails Which process steps can and should be automated Benefits of achieving process automation, and Why i
Nerd's Eye View
AUGUST 2, 2024
Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that a Federal district court in Texas has put a stay on the effective date of the Department of Labor’s (DoL’s) new Retirement Security Rule (aka “Fiduciary Rule 2.0”), which had been scheduled to become effective in September, and related amendments to prohibited transaction exemptions.
Wealth Management
AUGUST 2, 2024
Interval funds are being pitched to registered investment advisors as an easy-to-sell entry into direct lending.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Wealth Management
AUGUST 2, 2024
Gentile was found guilty of five counts, including securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
Calculated Risk
AUGUST 2, 2024
From the BLS: Employment Situation The unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in July, and nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 114,000 , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in health care, in construction, and in transportation and warehousing, while information lost jobs. The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for May was revised down by 2,000, from +218,000 to +216,000, and the change for June was revised down by 27,000, from +206,000
Wealth Management
AUGUST 2, 2024
Morgan Stanley is the first wirehouse to let advisors actively solicit investments in spot bitcoin ETFs to certain clients, approving products from BlackRock and Fidelity.
Calculated Risk
AUGUST 2, 2024
The BEA released their estimate of light vehicle sales for July this morning. Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows light vehicle sales since 2006 from the BEA (blue) and BEA's estimate for July (red). Sales in July (15.82 million SAAR) were up 4.2% from June, and down 0.8% from July 2023. Sales in July were below the consensus forecast of 16.2 million.
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Where are top advisors focusing in 2025? AcquireUp’s 2025 Industry Index reveals it all. Based on insights from 200+ financial professionals nationwide, discover why 74% say seminars and referrals deliver the best ROI, how automation is helping advisors scale faster, and why only 8% are tapping into niche marketing (a major growth opportunity!). Whether you're refining your client acquisition strategy or scaling your practice, this report gives you the real-world data, benchmarks, and action ste
Wealth Management
AUGUST 2, 2024
Athene’s profit dropped 11% to $710 million.
Calculated Risk
AUGUST 2, 2024
Today, in the Real Estate Newsletter: Asking Rents Mostly Unchanged Year-over-year Brief excerpt: Tracking rents is important for understanding the dynamics of the housing market. For example, the sharp increase in rents helped me deduce that there was a surge in household formation in 2021 (See from September 2021: Household Formation Drives Housing Demand ).
The Big Picture
AUGUST 2, 2024
This week, we speak with Lakshman Achuthan, co-founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute. Achuthan met his mentor, Geoffrey H. Moore, at Columbia University in 1990; they formed ECRI with Anirvan Banerji in 1996. He serves on the board of governors for the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College. In 2004, he co-authored Beating the Business Cycle: How to Predict and Profit From Turning Points in the Economy.
Calculated Risk
AUGUST 2, 2024
What this means: On a weekly basis, Realtor.com reports the year-over-year change in active inventory and new listings. On a monthly basis, they report total inventory. For June, Realtor.com reported inventory was up 36.6% YoY, but still down 30.6% compared to April 2017 to 2019 levels. Now - on a weekly basis - inventory is up 37.1% YoY. Realtor.com has monthly and weekly data on the existing home market.
Speaker: Claire Grosjean, Global Finance & Operations Executive
Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.
Abnormal Returns
AUGUST 2, 2024
The biz Some signs of life in the podcasting ad business. (radioink.com) The podcasting industry is home to some haves and a lot of have-nots. (wsj.com) A beginner's guide to starting a podcast. (bigtechnology.com) Business Benjamin Gilbert and David Rosenthal talk about how Microsoft ($MSFT) returned to market dominance. (acquired.fm) Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway talk the business of nicotine with John Coogan, founder of Lucy Goods.
A Wealth of Common Sense
AUGUST 2, 2024
I enjoy reading and writing but I’m a visual learner. I like charts. Here are some crazy charts I’ve been thinking about lately. Torsten Slok shared a chart of gas prices going back to 2004: The average price over this 20+ year timeframe is around $3/gallon which isn’t too far from current levels. And $3.50/gallon today is not the same thing as $3.50/gallon in 2008.
Alpha Architect
AUGUST 2, 2024
Wallstreetbets has become an increasingly prominent source of investment research. Do their recommendations have value? The Value of WallStreetBets Investment Research Recommendations was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.
Advisor Perspectives
AUGUST 2, 2024
As of July 31, 2024, the 10-year note was 357 basis points above its historic closing low of 0.52% reached on August 4, 2020.
Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker
Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.
MainStreet Financial Planning
AUGUST 2, 2024
As the back-to-school season approaches, it’s the perfect time to focus on your family’s financial education. In this edition, we’ve gathered valuable resources and tips to help you and your children start the school year strong, including must-read books, top online tools, informative podcasts, updates on financial literacy initiatives in California , etc.
Advisor Perspectives
AUGUST 2, 2024
The Federal Reserve noted that inflation is moving closer to its 2% target after electing to hold rates steady at its July FOMC meeting.
Truemind Capital
AUGUST 2, 2024
Here is what we are doing to efficiently manage investments after accounting for the budget changes. The Positive impacts : – Investments in Gold funds qualify for LTCG (Long Term Capital Gain) at 12.5% after 2 years of holding. Gold is an important asset class in a globally uncertain environment and should have a 10-15% portfolio allocation. – International investments through mutual funds also qualify for LTCG at 12.5% after 2 years of holding.
Meb Faber Research
AUGUST 2, 2024
“I view diversification not only as a survival strategy but as an aggressive strategy because the next windfall might come from a surprising place.” – Peter Bernstein What is the single most universally held belief in all of investing? Think about it for a minute. Our vote would be “Investors MUST own US stocks.” It […] The post What If You Owned No US Stocks?
Speaker: Erroll Amacker
Automation is transforming finance but without strong financial oversight it can introduce more risk than reward. From missed discrepancies to strained vendor relationships, accounts payable automation needs a human touch to deliver lasting value. This session is your playbook to get automation right. We’ll explore how to balance speed with control, boost decision-making through human-machine collaboration, and unlock ROI with fewer errors, stronger fraud prevention, and smoother operations.
Advisor Perspectives
AUGUST 2, 2024
Global investors are gobbling up bonds that can be turned into stocks, feeling good about the prospects and return potentials of smaller companies.
International College of Financial Planning
AUGUST 2, 2024
Introduction to Short-Term Finance Courses with Job Guarantee The financial sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in India, offering a wide array of career opportunities for fresh graduates. However, breaking into the industry can be challenging without the right qualifications and skills. For students who have just completed their 12th grade, finding a course that provides practical knowledge, industry-relevant skills, and a job guarantee can be a game-changer.
Random Roger's Retirement Planning
AUGUST 2, 2024
One of the reasons I have been negative on bonds with duration is that they take on equity beta and the correlation to equities is no longer reliable in my opinion making for less effective protection against equity volatility. Of course in the last few days, bonds with duration have rocketed higher.which I would cite as an example of equity volatility.
Investing Caffeine
AUGUST 2, 2024
There are many styles of investing, and many ways to make money in the stock market. Just like the styles of men’s ties or women’s dresses come in and out of fashion, so too do the styles of investing. Some stick around for a long time, while other fads flop in short order, leading consumers to rotate into new fashions. I’m still waiting for my Bermuda shorts and pleated pants to come back in style.
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Based off SkyStem's popular e-Book, the book of secrets to the month-end close will be revealed in this one-hour webinar. Learn leading practices when it comes to building a strong and sustainable month-end close that has room to grow and evolve. Learn about the power of precise estimates, why reconciliations are critical to closing the books, how and when to automate, and how the chart of accounts play into your close process.
Advisor Perspectives
AUGUST 2, 2024
The S&P 500 fell for a third straight week and dropped to its lowest close in almost two months on Friday. The index is currently 5.66% off its record high from July 16th, 2024 and is now up 12.73% year to date.
Indigo Marketing Agency
AUGUST 2, 2024
The most recent Google search algorithm update, known as the spam update, has reinforced what we at Indigo have been saying for ages: High-quality custom content is the key to consistently ranking well on Google search results pages. If you had no idea that Google released an algorithm update, you’re not the only one. Most advisors don’t keep track of what it takes to achieve high SEO rankings, let alone the ever-changing algorithms.
Advisor Perspectives
AUGUST 2, 2024
There is a general belief that there are four big indicators that the NBER Business Cycle Dating Committee weighs heavily in their cycle identification process. This commentary focuses on one of those indicators, nonfarm employment. July saw a 114,000 increase in total non-farm payrolls and the unemployment rose to 4.3%.
Validea
AUGUST 2, 2024
In the past 40 years, stocks and bonds have been an unbeatable portfolio. But that hasn’t always been true. Throughout history, periods of positive correlation between stocks and bonds are common. And we have seen that in recent years firsthand. But developing strategies that incorporate other asset classes can be difficult since many of the alternatives do not perform as well as stocks and bonds on a buy and hold basis.
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Like being inches from the end zone, many advisors are frustratingly close to their next level of success. You work hard. You put in the hours. But if your closing rate is stuck or your pipeline feels like a revolving door… something has to change. Most advisors are just one small shift away from dramatically increasing their revenue. The difference?
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