Wed.Aug 23, 2023

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Investing is the Study of Human Decision Making

The Big Picture

Most people believe that investing is the science of generating a return on capital. That is an accurate but incomplete assessment. I believe it is more useful and comprehensive to define investing as the decision-making behavior of human beings as they interact with money: What their financial desires are, the risks they embrace, how they think about wealth, and what emotional pain they willingly suffer in order to generate that return on capital.

Investing 246
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Dianne Feinstein's Trust Drama Intensifies

Wealth Management

Sen. Feinstein accuses trustees of late husband’s trust of elder abuse in newest lawsuit.

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Insiders

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Wednesday links: expert communicators

Abnormal Returns

Strategy Better investing comes from better decision making. (ritholtz.com) Quant strategies are not free from human input. (blog.validea.com) The only way to learn about investing is actually putting money on the line. (flyoverstocks.com) Expertise does not shield you from failure. (portfoliocharts.com) Finance Zero-day options are coming to Europe.

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401(k) Real Talk Episode 73: August 23, 2023

Wealth Management

Open, honest and candid discussions about the latest news in the RPA industry.

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Live Demo - Supercharge your Month End Close

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

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New Home Sales increase to 714,000 Annual Rate in July

Calculated Risk

The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 714 thousand. The previous three months were revised down, combined. Sales of new single‐family houses in July 2023 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 714,000 , according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Sales 243
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Taxpayer Challenges IRS’ Aggregation of Two Minority Interests

Wealth Management

The agency has previously lost on this issue in several cases.

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More Trending

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Canter Steps Down as President of Bluespring

Wealth Management

David Canter will transition to a senior strategic advisor role, while Bluespring conducts a search for a new president.

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AIA: Architecture Billings "Stable" in July; Multi-family Billings Decline for 12th Consecutive Month

Calculated Risk

Note: This index is a leading indicator primarily for new Commercial Real Estate (CRE) investment. From the AIA: AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index Sees Stable Business Conditions in July The American Institute of Architects (AIA)/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) results for July signals mostly stable business conditions. The ABI score was 50.0, indicating that billings at architecture firms remained flat for the month.

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ETFs With the Greatest Inflows in the Past Month

Wealth Management

These funds took in the most money over the past 30 days.

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August Vehicle Sales Forecast: 15.3 million SAAR, Up Sharply YoY

Calculated Risk

From WardsAuto: August U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales Tracking to a 19% Increase; SAAR Weakens from July (pay content). Brief excerpt: Keeping sales from growing faster are still-elevated average vehicle prices and inventory stuck at historic lows with the mix slanted toward higher cost models and trims levels. Fleet volume in August also is not expected to rebound from a seasonal decline in July and is partly behind the expected 6.3% increase in inventory from July. emphasis added Click on graph for

Sales 130
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2025 Industry Index: How Top Advisors Are Scaling Smarter (and Faster) This Year

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

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United Capital Never Found a Home at Goldman Sachs

Wealth Management

“United Capital was an entrepreneurial firm, based on doing great things and having freedom and being able to function with autonomy. And then you go to a firm where you are completely locked down,” said one former Goldman Sachs advisor.

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MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey; Purchase Applications "lowest level since April 1995"

Calculated Risk

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications decreased 4.2 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending August 18, 2023. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 4.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

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Beta-Bing, Beta-Boom: Why Passive Investing May Be Setting Up Long Term Investors to Fail

Wealth Management

Monday, September 25, 2023 | 2:00 PM ET

Investing 244
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Employment: Preliminary annual benchmark revision shows downward adjustment of 306,000 jobs

Calculated Risk

The BLS released the preliminary annual benchmark revision showing 306,000 fewer payroll jobs as of March 2023. The final revision will be published when the January 2024 employment report is released in February 2024. The number is then "wedged back" to the previous revision (March 2022). Usually, the preliminary estimate is pretty close to the final benchmark estimate.

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Data Talks, CFOs Listen: Why Analytics Are Key To Better Spend Management

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.

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Animal Spirits: Rates to the Hilt

A Wealth of Common Sense

Today’s Animal Spirits is brought to you by YCharts: Submit your email here to receive 20% off a YCharts subscription for new clients and here for YCharts Value vs. Growth Trends Report On today’s show, we discuss: Why the era of historically low-interest rates could be over Real interest rates hit 2% Misconceptions about individual bonds vs bond funds How to get rich and famous from a stock market crash .

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New Home Sales increase to 714,000 Annual Rate in July; Median New Home Price is Down 12% from the Peak

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: New Home Sales increase to 714,000 Annual Rate in July Brief excerpt: The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 714 thousand. The previous three months were revised down, combined. The next graph shows new home sales for 2022 and 2023 by month (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate).

Sales 130
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The Great and Awful Thing About These Interest Rates

The Irrelevant Investor

The era of low interest rates is over. In the blink of an eye, the Fed went from punishing savers to punishing borrowers. If you’re depending on income to fund your retirement, 5% rates are a blessing. But if you’re in need of credit, current rates are a curse. For years and years, investors bemoaned that the Fed was forcing them out on the risk curve.

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Black Knight: Mortgage Delinquency Rate Increased Slightly in July

Calculated Risk

From Black Knight: Black Knight’s First Look at July Mortgage Performance Data: Foreclosure Inventory Hits Lowest Level in 15 Months, While Serious Delinquencies Continue to Decline • While the national delinquency rate edged up 9 basis points in July to 3.21% , it was down 12 basis points year over year and remains within 12 basis points of March’s record low • Meanwhile, serious delinquencies (90+ days past due) continued to improve , falling to 468K – the lowest level seen since the pre-Great

Numbers 100
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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

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.

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The Compelling Opportunity in Small-Cap Stocks

Advisor Perspectives

Several factors point to why this is an exceptional time to invest in small-cap stocks. Small-cap stocks tend to outperform after inflation peaks and in the aftermath of recessions. Small-cap valuations are at 20-plus-year lows relative to large-cap equities. Earnings revisions for small caps are stabilizing and beginning to outpace those of large caps.

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Tata Chemicals Vs Aarti Industries – Financials, Future Plans & More

Trade Brains

Tata Chemicals Vs Aarti Industries: Chemical companies were the trend a few quarters ago with almost all of them giving multi-bagger returns. However, the margins and volume came down, and so did the stock prices. However, they are in fashion again with heavy CAPEX announcements. Are they expanding for a brighter future and are attractive to investors again?

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Embracing Millennial Clients in 2023: What Financial Advisors Need to Know

Indigo Marketing Agency

Ah, millennials—those dynamic individuals who’ve reshaped everything from sustainability to dining norms. These trendsetters now form the bulk of the global workforce, and as they ascend, they’re on the lookout for financial advisors who understand their evolving financial landscape. Why Engaging With Millennial Clients Matters Sure, millennials have been stereotyped as entitled and impatient, but there’s more to them than meets the eye.

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The Mysteries of UBS: Deciphering What Drives its Wins and Losses

Diamond Consultants

UBS advisors describe a culture defined by wins and losses—and they are asking tough questions about what the future holds. UBS is a mystery, even to many of its own advisors—who, with surprising consistency, point out contradictions within the firm that force them to weigh the good against the bad on a regular basis. On the one hand, as the largest global wealth manager, the firm boasts an internationally renowned brand, a sophisticated investment, trust, and lending platform, and a more boutiq

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How to Avoid Pitfalls In Automation: Keep Humans In the Loop

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.

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Unlocking Growth: A Guide to Measuring Your Business Performance with Proven Formulas

The Richer Geek

With us today is Preston Brown, a serial entrepreneur, multiple 8-figure business owner, and expert in disruptive innovation and profitably scaling companies. With 18 successful businesses that generate $200 million or more each year in gross revenues, Preston has advised hundreds of CEOs and entrepreneurs on how to grow and scale their companies. He’s also a sought-after speaker with a passion for sharing his insights and expertise.

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Episode #496: Phil Bak, Armada ETFs – Masterclass in (Liquid) Real Estate Investing

Meb Faber Research

Episode #496: Phil Bak, Armada ETFs – Masterclass in (Liquid) Real Estate Investing Guest: Phil Bak is the CEO of Armada ETFs, which provides investors broad access to the real estate asset class. He has previously served as Founder/CEO of Exponential ETFs, an ETF issuer and sub-advisor acquired by Tidal ETF Services in 2020. […] The post Episode #496: Phil Bak, Armada ETFs – Masterclass in (Liquid) Real Estate Investing appeared first on Meb Faber Research - Stock Market and I

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Before Buying This ETF, Read The Ingredients

Validea

What measure to use to determine what’s a value stock and what’s a growth stock is an ongoing debate, and especially relevant now, when Microsoft—typically not considered a value stock—is the largest holding in the S&P 500 Value Index, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. Amazon and Netflix are also in the index’s top 10. An ETF that tracks the index, the $25 billion iShares S&P 500 Value ETF (IVE), has risen 12% in 2023, compared to under 5% for some of its competition th

Sales 52
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Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin Tumbles to $26K

Advisor Perspectives

Bitcoin's price tumbled to $26,000 for the first time in over two months and is now up ~60% year to date. Here's the latest charts on three of the largest cryptocurrencies by market share through 8/22.

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

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.

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Joel Greenblatt Magic Formula Stock Screen: Intersection of Warren Buffett & Ben Graham in One Model

Validea

This week we use the Magic Formula, developed and written about by Joel Greenblatt in his book, The Little Book that Beats the Market. Today’s Screen: X Pass the Earning Yield Model with at least 90% (stocks are percentile ranked based on Earnings Yield and ROTC and then sorted based on the combined rank) X Long-Term EPS Growth greater than 15% X Trailing PE Ratio below 10 X Percent Below 52 Week High at least 20% X Current Ratio greater than 2.0 Passing Names: BKE | BUCKLE INC, MBUU | MAL

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A Recession Is Coming, Or Is It?

Advisor Perspectives

Since the beginning of 2022, the media has regularly warned a recession is coming.

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How Will AI Transform Investing?

Validea

Trying to predict how AI will transform the investment industry? Look back to how computers changed the industry in the 1980s, posits an article in Morningstar. Back then, computers offered more information to portfolio managers, gave financial advisors software to manage their business, and provided researchers with better analytics. How will AI affect those three industry roles?

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Vanguard’s Tax-Busting Fund Design Is Getting Its Latest Revamp

Advisor Perspectives

Vanguard Group has famously stood apart in the money-management world with its popular mutual funds offering the liquid ETF wrapper.

Taxes 52
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Stop Falling Short When It Matters Most—The Elite Advisor’s Playbook to Success

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?