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From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications increased 33.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 10, 2025. Last weeks results included an adjustment for the New Years holiday. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 33.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
For most people, Social Security benefits are calculated using a single formula, which takes into account the individual's history of earning income on which they paid Social Security tax. But historically, a subset of workers that spent at least part of their careers in positions that did not pay Social Security tax – including many state and local government workers like teachers and police officers – have had their Social Security benefits reduced, sometimes down to $0.
At the Money: Lessons in Allocating to Alternative Asset Classes. (January, 15, 2025) Hedge funds, venture capital, private equity, and private credit have never been more popular. Investors have lots of questions when allocating to these asset classes: How much capital do you need? What percentage of your portfolio should be allocated? Full transcript below. ~~~ About this week’s guest: Ted Seides is founder and CIO of Capital Allocators , and learned about alts working under the legendar
Fed's Beige Book Economic activity increased slightly to moderately across the twelve Federal Reserve Districts in late November and December. Consumer spending moved up moderately, with most Districts reporting strong holiday sales that exceeded expectations. Vehicle sales grew modestly. Construction activity decreased overall, with several Districts indicating that high costs for materials and financing were weighing on growth.
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
Podcasts Khe Hy talks with Christine Benz author of "How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful and Wealthy Retirement." (youtube.com) Dan Haylett talks with Dr. Jordan Grumet author of "The Purpose Code: How to Unlock Meaning, Maximize Happiness, and Leave a Lasting Legacy." (humansvsretirement.com) Peter Lazaroff on what you need to know when choosing a financial advisor.
The Cleveland Fed released the median CPI and the trimmed-mean CPI. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the median Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in December. The 16% trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index increased 0.3%. "The median CPI and 16% trimmed-mean CPI are measures of core inflation calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland based on data released in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly CPI report".
Here are a few measures of inflation: The first graph is the one Fed Chair Powell had mentioned when services less rent of shelter was up around 8% year-over-year. This declined, but is still elevated, and is now up 4.0% YoY. Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows the YoY price change for Services and Services less rent of shelter through December 2024.
From the BLS : The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in December , after rising 0.3 percent in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.9 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for energy rose 2.6 percent in December, accounting for over forty percent of the monthly all items increase.
As the wildfires rage unabated across the Los Angeles region, causing billions in damages, some financial advisors are thinking about planning in a different light.
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.
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-January 2025 A brief excerpt: Yesterday, in Part 1: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-January 2025 I reviewed home inventory, housing starts and sales. In Part 2, I will look at house prices, mortgage rates, rents and more.
High free cash flow yield stocks represent companies that generate substantial cash relative to their market value, creating several compelling advantages for investors. These companies typically demonstrate strong operational efficiency and have proven their ability to convert revenue into actual cash flow after accounting for capital expenditures and working capital needs.
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
Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Thursday: At 8:30 AM ET, The initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released. The consensus is for a increase to 215 thousand from 201 thousand last week. At 8:30 AM, Retail sales for December is scheduled to be released. The consensus is for a 0.5% increase in retail sales.
Today’s Animal Spirits is brought to you by YCharts and Fabric: See here for 20% off your initial YCharts Professional subscription (new customers only) Go to meetfabric.com/spiritsfor more information on life insurance from Fabric by Gerber Life Sign up for the citywide fintech demo here Get a random Animal Spirits chart here On today’s show, we discuss: Their Wealth Is in Their Homes.
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.
The median US income in 2023 was $80,610, up from $22,420 in 1984 — a 260% rise over the 39-year time frame. However, if we adjust for inflation chained in 2023 dollars, the 1984 median is $55,828, and the increase drops to 37%.
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.
Advisors who refine their tech stacks and focus on actionable solutions will thrive. Likewise, wealthtech companies that prioritize delivering meaningful outcomes will rise to meet the industry’s new standards.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U) release for December puts the year-over-year inflation rate at 2.89%. The latest reading keeps inflation below the 3.73% average since the end of the Second World War for the 19th straight month. However, inflation now sits just above the 10-year moving average which is now at 2.88%.
Have you ever wondered how pairing operational expertise with transformational coaching could redefine your business success? What if you could simultaneously tackle strategic planning, operational… The post How Can Combining COO Expertise with Transformational Coaching Revolutionize Your Business? appeared first on Leading Advisor - Simon Reilly.
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.
Inflation ticked up in December while core growth slowed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the headline figure for the Consumer Price Index rose to 2.89% year-over-year, right in line with economist expectations. Additionally, core CPI came in lower than expected, slowing to 3.2% year-over-year.
Markets Historical returns are a 'billboard for diversification.' (awealthofcommonsense.com) Venture capital Colossal Biosciences is now valued at $10.2 billion. (techcrunch.com) Intel Capital is spinning off from Intel ($INTC). (axios.com) AI Axios is getting into bed with OpenAI. (engadget.com) Online sports stories are increasingly written by AI.
Bitcoin's closing price remained below $100,000 throughout the past week, yet it continues to hold above $90,000. BTC is up ~2% year to date. Here are the latest charts on three of the largest cryptocurrencies by market share through 1/14/25.
This series has been updated to include the December release of the consumer price index as the deflator and the monthly employment update. The latest hypothetical real (inflation-adjusted) annual earnings are at $51,595, down 6.7% from over 50 years ago.
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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