The Big Picture
MARCH 15, 2024
We sometimes say “Demographics is Destiny,” but that’s abstract. To get a visual sense of what that looks like, see the above chart (via Blackrock ) showing the distribution of various age groups from 2075 to 2050. Note bars in Red are not in the workforce. The post U.S. population distribution, 1975-2050 appeared first on The Big Picture.
Wealth Management
MARCH 14, 2024
The wealthtech company introduced several new features that bring it one step closer to creating a unified system.
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Abnormal Returns
MARCH 13, 2024
Crypto Travis Kling, "The evidence for the rise of Financial Nihilism is all around us." (epsilontheory.com) How much is Bitcoin worth? Nobody really knows. (wired.com) The spot Bitcoin ETF fee war is here. (etf.com) Finance Why Evercore ($EVR) is outperforming other investment banks. (on.ft.com) There is still a lot of uncertainty around office building valuations.
Calculated Risk
MARCH 14, 2024
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-March 2024 A brief excerpt: Yesterday, in Part 1: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-March 2024 I reviewed home inventory, housing starts and sales. In Part 2, I will look at house prices, mortgage rates, rents and more - and review the house price outlook for 2024.
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The Big Picture
MARCH 9, 2024
The weekend is here! Pour yourself a mug of coffee, grab a seat by the fire, and get ready for our longer-form weekend reads: • The economy is roaring. Immigration is a key reason. Momentum in the job market picked up aggressively over the past year — all while Washington is deadlocked on a border deal ( Washington Post ) • The Errors Tour: How the Pros Bungled the End of Zero Interest Rates : A look at the ways forecasters, traders and executives missed the mark over the past two years.
Wealth Management
MARCH 12, 2024
Rising valuations and growing opportunities for media rights and sponsorships make professional sports teams an attractive bet. However, data on how these investments will work in the long term remains scarce.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Calculated Risk
MARCH 12, 2024
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 and is now up 3.9% YoY (increased recently). Click on graph for larger image. This graph shows the YoY price change for Services and Services less rent of shelter through February 2024.
The Big Picture
MARCH 13, 2024
At the Money: How To Know When The Fed Will Cut with Jim Bianco (March 13, 2024) Markets have been waiting for the Federal Reserve to begin cutting rates for over a year. What data should investors be following for insight into when they will begin? Jim Bianco discusses initial unemployment claims data and wage gain to identify when the Fed will start lowering rates.
Wealth Management
MARCH 15, 2024
Advisors are increasingly relying on technology to become more efficient and streamline operations. Urs Bolt details what's driving this shift.
Abnormal Returns
MARCH 14, 2024
Crypto How Grayscale nabbed the coveted $BTC ticker. (axios.com) Clients are asking advisers about crypto. (wsj.com) Finance Swearing on company conference calls is on the rise. (ft.com) ARMs are no longer a bargain. (wsj.com) Media Hollywood is rethinking the value of mergers. (hollywoodreporter.com) Derek Thompson talks with Lucas Shaw about the end of the franchise formula.
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.
Calculated Risk
MARCH 15, 2024
From the Fed: Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent in February after declining 0.5 percent in January. In February, the output of manufacturing rose 0.8 percent and the index for mining climbed 2.2 percent. Both gains partly reflected recoveries from weather-related declines in January. The index for utilities fell 7.5 percent in February because of warmer-than-typical temperatures.
Nerd's Eye View
MARCH 11, 2024
Referrals can play a vital role in the growth of financial advisory firms since finding prospective clients via referral requires virtually no hard-dollar costs, and it takes only a fraction of the time needed for other marketing channels like social media, blogging, and seminars. However, finding reliable sources of referrals can sometimes be challenging for advisors: Centers of Influence (COIs) like accountants and attorneys may not be as attuned to the advisor's services as the advisor's clie
Wealth Management
MARCH 11, 2024
Understanding generative artificial intelligence to maximize opportunities in estate planning and beyond.
Abnormal Returns
MARCH 12, 2024
Markets Are the Magnificent Seven all that overvalued? (morningstar.com) Has Nvidia ($NVDA) earned it valuation? (theirrelevantinvestor.com) Crypto Why this crypto rally is different. (ofdollarsanddata.com) Wall Street is all-in on Bitcoin. (ft.com) Grayscale is cloning its spot Bitcoin ETF with the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ($BTC) is coming. (wealthmanagement.com) Companies Why Reddit isn't allocating too much of its IPO to power users.
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.
Calculated Risk
MARCH 11, 2024
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 0.4% week-over-week. It is likely inventory bottomed in mid-February, as opposed to mid-April in 2023, and inventory is now up 1.3% from the 2024 February bottom. Click on graph for larger image. This inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of March 8th, inventory was at 501 thousand (7-day average), compared to 498 thousand the prior week.
Nerd's Eye View
MARCH 11, 2024
Referrals can play a vital role in the growth of financial advisory firms since finding prospective clients via referral requires virtually no hard-dollar costs, and it takes only a fraction of the time needed for other marketing channels like social media, blogging, and seminars. However, finding reliable sources of referrals can sometimes be challenging for advisors: Centers of Influence (COIs) like accountants and attorneys may not be as attuned to the advisor's services as the advisor's clie
Wealth Management
MARCH 15, 2024
Also, Brooke Juniper was named the new CEO Of TIFIN’s CIO platform Sage and FusionIQ has appointed John Phillips as a senior strategic advisor.
Abnormal Returns
MARCH 14, 2024
Books An excerpt from Abigail Shrier’s new book, “Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up.” (wsj.com) An excerpt from "The Human Disease: How We Create Pandemics, From Our Bodies to Our Beliefs" by Sabrina Sholts. (smithsonianmag.com) An excerpt from "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection" by Charles Duhigg. (behavioralscientist.org) American Flannel An excerpt from "American Flannel: How a Band of Entrepreneurs Are Bringing the Art and Business of Making Clothe
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
MARCH 13, 2024
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Q4 Update: Delinquencies, Foreclosures and REO A brief excerpt: I’ve argued repeatedly that we would NOT see a surge in foreclosures that would significantly impact house prices (as happened following the housing bubble). The two key reasons are mortgage lending has been solid, and most homeowners have substantial equity in their homes.
Nerd's Eye View
MARCH 13, 2024
Most of the time, people are subject to state taxes in the states where they live and/or earn their income. So when moving to a lower-tax state or another, their income tax burden likewise shifts to the new state along with them. Which is, for example, why so many people opt to move to lower-tax or no-tax states like Florida or Texas in retirement, where they can enjoy lower state income taxes and preserve more of their retirement savings for use by themselves or their heirs.
Wealth Management
MARCH 12, 2024
Northwestern’s Trenton Hazen will lead new division and develop retirement plan services as the $500M RIA builds out a family office framework.
Abnormal Returns
MARCH 12, 2024
Private equity How has private equity performed outside the U.S.? (alphaarchitect.com) On the growing importance of private equity secondary transactions. (linkedin.com) Why do private equity firms allow co-investment? (papers.ssrn.com) Does venture debt still have a future? (papers.ssrn.com) Skewness Investors love to pay up for skewness. (alphaarchitect.com) People (poker players) love skewness.
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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.
Calculated Risk
MARCH 14, 2024
Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Friday: • At 8:30 AM ET, The New York Fed Empire State manufacturing survey for March. The consensus is for a reading of -8.0, down from -2.4. • At 9:15 AM, The Fed will release Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization for February. The consensus is no changed in Industrial Production, and for Capacity Utilization to decrease to 78.4%. • At 10:00 AM, University of Michigan's Consumer sentiment index (Prelim
A Wealth of Common Sense
MARCH 10, 2024
I entered the workforce in 2005. That means I’ve been working in the investment business for 20 years now. The longer I’m in the money management business the more there is to learn but these are some of the things I’ve learned thus far: 1. Experiences shape your perception of risk. Your ability and need to take risk should be based on your stage in life, time horizon, financial circumstances and goals.
Wealth Management
MARCH 14, 2024
The broker/dealer network now has a formal policy on the use of the ETFs, and advisors can begin training March 25.
Abnormal Returns
MARCH 15, 2024
Crypto How spot Bitcoin ETFs are managed in real life. (davenadig.substack.com) Wealth management firm Cetera Financial Group has approved four spot Bitcoin ETFs. (theblock.co) Matt Reustle talks the FTX restructuring with Erin Broderick who is a restructuring and insolvency specialist at Eversheds Sutherland. (joincolossus.com) Crypto riches could fuel another bull market in used Rolexes.
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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?
Calculated Risk
MARCH 14, 2024
The DOL reported : In the week ending March 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 209,000 , a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 7,000 from 217,000 to 210,000. The 4-week moving average was 208,000, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's revised average.
A Wealth of Common Sense
MARCH 15, 2024
There are two types of inflation rates that matter. Economists and market observers care about the government reported data — CPI, core PCE, ex-shelter, whatever your preferred method is. Everyday Americans only care about two price points — gas and grocery store prices. Why is this the case? These are the prices you experience on a regular basis.
Wealth Management
MARCH 13, 2024
Will you be there to help clients with wills, trusts and estate planning needs?
Abnormal Returns
MARCH 15, 2024
Immigration Cardiff Garcia talks immigration with Andrew Selee who is the head of the Migration Policy Institute. (podcasts.apple.com) Stephen Dubner and guests on America's 'supremely messed-up immigration system.' (freakonomics.com) Innovation Cameron Passmore and Justin Carbonneau talk with Adam Alter, whose new book "Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most.
Speaker: Aaron Berson
Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g
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