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From the NAR: Existing-Home Sales Ascended 2.2% in December Existing-home sales climbed in December, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales advanced in three major U.S. regions and slipped in the Midwest. Year-over-year, sales accelerated in all four regions. On an annual basis, existing-home sales (4.06 million) declined to the lowest level since 1995 , while the median price reached a record high of $407,500 in 2024.
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that while overall financial advisor headcount remains relatively flat, the RIA channel continues to gain share in terms of both headcount (as brokers break away to start their own independent firms and aspiring advisors seek positions that don't rely on an 'eat what you kill' approach) and assets managed (as consumers might be attracted to the differentiated service prop
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NAR: Existing-Home Sales Increased to 4.24 million SAAR in December Excerpt: Sales in December (4.24 million SAAR) were up 2.2% from the previous month and were 9.3% above the December 2023 sales rate. This was the third consecutive month with a year-over-year increase after declining YoY every month for over 3 years.
This week, we speak with Mike Freno , Chairman and CEO at Barings. The firm is owned by Mass Mutual, and half of its $431 billion in invested assets are from the insurance giant, with the rest coming from institutional investors. Over 20 years with the firm, Freno has held various positions including Managing Director, Head of Global High Yield, and Head of Global Markets.
Automation generally supercharges any process and brings its value to the forefront. See how infusing automation such as ART (our month-end close solution), into your close can get you to the next level of closing. We will share a live demo of SkyStem's solution, ART and share the key elements of month-end close automation. Through ART, we'll take a look at: What month-end close automation entails Which process steps can and should be automated Benefits of achieving process automation, and Why i
Container traffic gives us an idea about the volume of goods being exported and imported - and usually some hints about the trade report since LA area ports handle about 40% of the nation's container port traffic. The following graphs are for inbound and outbound traffic at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in TEUs (TEUs: 20-foot equivalent units or 20-foot-long cargo container).
Strategy Market consensus is max bullish. (downtownjoshbrown.com) How to find, and invest in, meme-worthy stocks. (drorpoleg.com) Crypto MicroStrategy ($MSTR) has a tax dilemma. (wsj.com) More crypto ETFs are likely coming to market. (sherwood.news) Costco Costcos ($COST) shareholders rejected a proposal to reverse its DEI practices. (fastcompany.com) Coke products are coming back to the Costco ($COST) food court.
From WardsAuto: Some Letdown but January U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales Continue Q4-2024's Growth (pay content). Brief excerpt: While demand in the middle of the month was negatively impacted by extreme weather conditions across most of the country, with a week remaining in January there is upside to the outlook. On the flipside, there could be pause among some consumers, as they wait to see how the apparent revamping of federal policies and institutions by the new administration plays out.
From WardsAuto: Some Letdown but January U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales Continue Q4-2024's Growth (pay content). Brief excerpt: While demand in the middle of the month was negatively impacted by extreme weather conditions across most of the country, with a week remaining in January there is upside to the outlook. On the flipside, there could be pause among some consumers, as they wait to see how the apparent revamping of federal policies and institutions by the new administration plays out.
Here’s a question from a podcast listener: On a recent episode of TCAF (Ep. 171 withHarvey Schwartz) you and Josh mention how wealth management has drastically changed over the last~20 years specifically citing that CFP candidacies are at record highs whileCFA candidacies are at record lows. Knowing you and Ben are both charterholders, what do you think of this trend and how would you suggest a young person co.
What matters is not the expectation of future growth, but the deviation between projected growth and realized growth, which, by definition is a surprise, and, thus, is not forecastable. Growth Predictions, Growth Surprises, and Equity Returns was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.
The acquisition of Merriman Wealth Management marks the ninth for Focus Partners Wealth, the newly rebranded The Colony Group and Buckingham Strategic Wealth, since Jan. 1, 2024.
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
How to differentiate if you are getting genuine investment advice or being sold products that benefit the advisor more than you? Many of our clientscome to us after dealing with traditional wealth management setups. At the time of taking over their portfolios under our advisory, we do a portfolio audit to understand their current portfolio structure and what changes need to be done to align the investments with their risk profile and market conditions.
Like any other business or professional service, financial advisors’ number one priority has become having a strong online presence. A well-designed website not only boosts credibility but also effectively attracts potential clients. When it comes to building a financial advisor website, there are two main options to consider: cookie-cutter platforms like FMG and custom WordPress solutions.
In a letter to Acting SEC Chair Mark Uyeda, the Chicago-based firm called the recent complaint a retaliation and cited rushed efforts by SEC staff to push through the filing in the final days of Gary Genslers tenure.
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
Generally speaking, a tender offer refers to a bid or offer to purchase shares of a corporation. In terms of equity compensation, a tender offer can refer to an organized transaction that allows shareholders of private company stock to sell before an initial public offering (IPO). A tender offer creates a short-term liquidity event for private employees, who otherwise may not have much choice or control over selling their company stock (since its not traded publicly on the market yet).
In today’s fast-paced markets, momentum investing has emerged as a powerful strategy for capturing sustained price trends and market inefficiencies. Research consistently shows that stocks exhibiting strong relative strength and positive price momentum tend to continue outperforming, driven by factors like earnings surprises, institutional buying pressure, and the gradual diffusion of positive information throughout the market.
Consumer sentiment fell for the first time in six months, according to the final January report for the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index. The index dropped 2.9 points (-3.9%) from December's final reading to 74.0 and is down 10.0% compared to one year ago. The latest reading was lower than the 73.2 forecast.
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.
It’s OK to Spend Money in Retirement Here are some key takeaways: – Even wealthy retirees fear outliving their money, struggling to transition to spend money in retirement – It’s important to do personalized financial analysis to determine how much “slack” is in your retirement plan – Retirees need to mentally give themselves “permission” to […]
FINRA has released new data for margin debt, now available through December. The latest debt level is at $899.168 billion, the highest level since December 2021. Margin debt was up 0.9% month-over-month (MoM) and up 28.3% year-over-year (YoY). However, after adjusting for inflation, the debt level was up 0.9% MoM and up 24.7% YoY.
![CDATA[ Many individuals face legal issues at some point, yet many are unaware of their rights and the steps to protect them. This uncertainty can lead to increased stress and unfavorable outcomes. Understanding the legal process and how to seek the right assistance are crucial first steps. Whether you're dealing with a criminal case, a civil dispute, or a family matter, having a clear roadmap can.
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.
Listening Do audiobooks count as reading? John Green says heck yeah. (youtube.com) Economics Michael Klein talks with Greg Mankiw about the importance of understanding basic economics. (econofact.org) Will Page and Richard Kramer talk about the future of work with Dror Poleg. (drorpoleg.com) Rick Ferri talks inflation and democracy with Prof. Carola Binder.
Existing home sales rose for the third month in a row to close out 2024. According to the data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing home sales were up 2.2% from November, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.24 million units in December. This figure came in just above the expected 4.19 million. Existing home sales are up 9.3% compared to one year ago.
Meta Platforms Inc. plans to invest as much as $65 billion on projects related to artificial intelligence in 2025, including building a giant new data center and increasing hiring in AI teams, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said Friday.
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.
From BofA: Since our last weekly publication, our 4Q GDP tracking estimate has moved up two-tenths to 2.3% q/q saar. [Jan 24th estimate] emphasis added From Goldman: We left our Q4 GDP tracking and domestic final sales estimates unchanged, each at +2.6% (quarter-over-quarter annualized). [Jan 24th estimate] And from the Atlanta Fed: GDPNow The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the fourth quarter of 2024 is 3.0 percent on January 17, unchanged from Jan
For the third time in four years, the stock picker beating everyone is Fidelity Investments Inc.’s decoder of computer chips, crushing every measure of performance as the more popular passively managed index funds tracking market benchmarks proved little more than also-rans in 2024.
This week on Take 5, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, discuss three major comebacks: President Trump The bull market Market broadening Tune in as they highlight potential tax cuts, tariff uncertainties, and historical trends favoring post-election-year markets! The post Facts Vs Feelings Take 5 – Guess Who’s Back?
The S&P 500 had its 4-day win streak snapped on Friday after falling 0.29%. Despite the loss, the index still posted gains for a second straight week, finishing up 1.74% from last week. The index is now sitting just below its record close from January 23rd, 2025 and is up 3.97% year to date.
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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