Calculated Risk
JUNE 10, 2024
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 1.1% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 23.8% from the February bottom, and at the highest level since August 2020. Click on graph for larger image. This inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of June 7th, inventory was at 612 thousand (7-day average), compared to 605 thousand the prior week.
The Big Picture
JUNE 9, 2024
@TBPInvictus here. About a decade or so ago, the city of Seattle undertook to raise its minimum wage, over time, to $15/hour. (Massive credit to my friend Nick Hanauer for his efforts to make that happen.) What followed in the immediate aftermath of both the announcement and implementation was nothing less than a apocalyptic, collective head explosion on the right about the devastating effects the increase would have, particularly in the food services sector: However, there’s little doubt that t
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Wealth Management
JUNE 18, 2024
The report shows advisor interest in alternative investments even as some struggle with implementation, according to CAIA Managing Director Aaron Filbeck.
Abnormal Returns
JUNE 16, 2024
Also on the site Father time is undefeated: on the impact of cognitive decline on financial outcomes. (abnormalreturns.com) Top clicks this week The S&P 500 is getting three new members. (reuters.com) We are in a 'bear market for diversification.' (thinkadvisor.com) The stock market is increasingly concentrated. Should you be worried? (theirrelevantinvestor.com) More investors are facing up to the problem with illiquid alternatives.
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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
JUNE 21, 2024
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that affluent Americans believe they need an average of $5.5 million in assets to both retire and pass on a legacy interest (though many have yet to establish an estate plan), according to a recent survey. At the same time, they also overwhelmingly recognize the value of financial advisors , not only for increasing their wealth beyond what they could have achieved on thei
Calculated Risk
JUNE 4, 2024
From the BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary The number of job openings changed little at 8.1 million on the last business day of April , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, both the number of hires and total separations were little changed at 5.6 million and 5.4 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (3.5 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.5 million) changed little. emphasis added The following graph shows job openings (black line), hires (
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Wealth Management
JUNE 11, 2024
Explaining the fallacy of a free dividend can overcome both investor ignorance and their biases.
The Big Picture
JUNE 27, 2024
I’ve been observing how radically unusual various sentiment readings have been for a few years now. It made little sense to me that the post-pandemic era saw sentiment levels far below major dislocations such as the ‘87 crash, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Dotcom implosion, or the 08-09 great financial crisis. We have tried to identify the causal factors by considering social media , increases in partisanship , ignorance, even trolling of pollsters.
Calculated Risk
JUNE 24, 2024
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 2.2% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 28.4% from the February seasonal bottom, and at the highest level since July 2020. Click on graph for larger image. This inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of June 21st, inventory was at 634 thousand (7-day average), compared to 621 thousand the prior week.
Calculated Risk
JUNE 26, 2024
Note: This index is a leading indicator primarily for new Commercial Real Estate (CRE) investment. From the AIA: ABI May 2024: Business conditions at architecture firms continue to soften The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score declined to 42.4 for the month , as more firms reported a decrease in billings in May than in April. In addition, there is increasing softness in the pipeline of new work coming into firms.
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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
The Big Picture
JUNE 6, 2024
I spend a lot of time debunking investment-related b t. Given the general innumeracy of the public, it’s easy for a dishonest publisher of economic data to create narratives that are not only false and misleading but effective at confusing the public. Typically, it takes years before sufficient data amasses to prove how wrong these people were.
Wealth Management
JUNE 4, 2024
The tenth annual WealthManagement.com Industry Awards ceremony will be held in New York City on Sept. 5.
Wealth Management
JUNE 17, 2024
Cox, a former investment analyst at eToro, will be Ritholtz Wealth Management’s first market expert fully dedicated to its advisors.
Calculated Risk
JUNE 7, 2024
The headline jobs number in the May employment report was well above expectations, however March and April payrolls were revised down by 15,000 combined. The participation rate and employment population ratio decreased, and the unemployment rate increased to 4.0%. Construction employment increased 21 thousand and is now 613 thousand above the pre-pandemic level.
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.
Wealth Management
JUNE 17, 2024
How an $8,000 marketing investment turned into a $650,000 risk.
Wealth Management
JUNE 12, 2024
Four key considerations for advisors regarding Medicare.
The Big Picture
JUNE 17, 2024
A quick break from book authorship to share a fascinating set of data and charts, via Sam Ro. In his weekly missive, Sam points to some amazing charts from Global Financial Data. They are based on historical data that looks at 200 Years of Market Concentration. You might be surprised at the findings. As the chart above shows, there are long periods of market concentration.
Wealth Management
JUNE 6, 2024
F2 Strategy's co-founder and CEO provides his take on the most important wealth management technology news of the last month.
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.
Wealth Management
JUNE 4, 2024
SAM INSIGHTS, Ask SAM and SAM Score are the latest iterations of the Canadian firm’s AI-based planning platform.
Wealth Management
JUNE 21, 2024
What wealth advisors need to know about taxing unrealized gains.
Abnormal Returns
JUNE 23, 2024
Strategy Mean reversion happens in the stock market. Good luck trying to time it. (awealthofcommonsense.com) Successful investing requires getting your time horizon correct. (disciplinefunds.com) Always check the ticker. (scheplick.com) Business The degenerate economy is booming. (howardlindzon.com) How veterinary medicine became a big business. (nytimes.com) The defense sector can't hire workers fast enough.
Wealth Management
JUNE 7, 2024
According to the new Capgemini World Wealth Report, advisors and families offices are eyeing the same pool of ultra-wealthy clients. By working together, they could both benefit.
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.
Calculated Risk
JUNE 21, 2024
From the NAR: Existing-Home Sales Edged Lower by 0.7% in May as Median Sales Price Reached Record High of $419,300 Existing-home sales slightly declined in May as the median sales price climbed to a record high, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. In the four major U.S. regions, sales slid month-over-month in the South but were unchanged in the Northeast, Midwest and West.
Wealth Management
JUNE 18, 2024
Does the wisdom of age outweigh the other limitations it can impose?
Wealth Management
JUNE 11, 2024
An RIA’s level of satisfaction with a custodian is directly correlated with the proportion of assets held with them.
Wealth Management
JUNE 21, 2024
PhilanthPro's Nicholas Palahnuk discusses how clients' growing interest in philanthropy demands a more integrated approach, where giving is strategically aligned with overall financial goals.
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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?
Wealth Management
JUNE 12, 2024
The chief investment officers for T. Rowe Price and Schwab Asset Management discussed disconnects between how RIAs and retail investors view current opportunities.
The Big Picture
JUNE 13, 2024
@TBPInvictus here A few days ago, Barry and I detailed how unscrupulous bad actors had taken Not Seasonally Adjusted data to falsely claim that California’s new $20/hour minimum wage had cost the state almost 10,000 quick-serve restaurant (QSR) jobs. I wrote: It appears to me that the Journal got that number from BLS. However, BLS only offers the series without seasonal adjustment; this makes a very meaningful difference.
Wealth Management
JUNE 5, 2024
BlackRock, Fidelity Investments, Franklin Templeton and State Street will collaborate with the technology provider more than ever before to personalize creation of investment portfolios.
Abnormal Returns
JUNE 9, 2024
Top clicks this week The best time to prepare for a bear market is before it begins. (awealthofcommonsense.com) A review of major asset class performance in May 2024. (capitalspectator.com) Why you shouldn't be worried about index funds just yet. (thefinancialbodyguard.com) The current bull market is mid. (tker.co) The market has always been rigged, just not in the way you think.
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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.
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