Abnormal Returns
APRIL 18, 2024
Strategy Passive investors don't change relative prices. (bloomberg.com) A good outcome doesn't necessarily mean it was a good decision. (novelinvestor.com) Don't change your asset allocation in response to a market pullback. (rogersplanning.blogspot.com) Crypto The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ($GBTC) continues to leak assets. (wsj.com) Bitcoin is whatever you want it to be.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 19, 2024
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that CFP Board announced that it has crossed the milestone of 100,000 CFP professionals in the United States, and despite having just celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, just set a record high in the number of advisors sitting for the CFP exam this March, reflecting the value many financial advisors and consumers place on the brand, including the requirements to obtain i
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The Big Picture
APRIL 13, 2024
I wanted to share a few thoughts about the new podcast we formally launched in December of last year, At the Money. The idea behind the show: Short, focused conversations with experts about any and all issues that affect you and your money, from spending it to investing it. Think of it as a guided tour of key ideas, sherpaed with the experts who I believe add enormous value to our understanding of how humans do behave — and should behave — around money.
Carson Wealth
APRIL 19, 2024
Congratulations, recent college graduate! You’ve worked hard to earn your degree, and now you’re ready to embark on the next chapter of your life. This is an exciting time – one filled with lots of changes, like starting a new career and learning how to manage living on your own. As you transition into the “real” world, one of the most crucial skills you can develop is managing your finances effectively.
Speaker: Nancy Wu, Head of Sales and Customer Success at SkyStem
Join us for an enlightening webinar as we delve into the transformative realm of modern accounting practices. In today's digital age, the convergence of outsourcing and automation has revolutionized how businesses manage their financial operations. In this webinar we will explore the synergistic potential of these two strategies to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, save cost and drive strategic decision-making.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 16, 2024
Strategy Joe Wiggins, "It is important to remember that behavioural finance would be redundant if it were easy; if it wasn’t hard it wouldn’t be useful." (behaviouralinvestment.com) Investing requires a measure of optimism in the future. (ofdollarsanddata.com) Fund management 15 more ideas from Seth Klarman's "Margin of Safety" including 'Investment must be thought of as more than stock selection or making a series of solid individual investment decisions.
Financial Advisor Source brings together the best content for financial advisor professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
A Wealth of Common Sense
APRIL 16, 2024
I was perusing the BLS data following the inflation release last week and one number sticks out like Victor Wembanyana standing next to a group of kindergartners. Auto insurance was up 22% over the previous 12 months versus an overall inflation rate of 3.5%. Look at the change in auto insurance rates these past few years: It’s like a meme stock.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 17, 2024
From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications increased 3.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 12, 2024. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 3.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 14, 2024
Also on the site Some interesting developments in the financial media space. (abnormalreturns.com) Top clicks this week These 15 stocks destroyed the most value in the past decade. (morningstar.com) It's way too easy to mislead someone with charts. (awealthofcommonsense.com) Two things you probably don't need to worry about, including index concentration.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 15, 2024
Growing an advisory firm is no easy task – and advisors who start firms often have few resources to spare (beyond their own knowledge and time), face huge to-do lists, and are required to wear a number of hats. Foremost among their responsibilities is business development, which compels them to seek out prospects who will eventually become clients (so that they can grow their firms, allocate resources accordingly, and do even more financial planning!).
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As we step into 2024, the lending landscape evolves rapidly with technology, regulations, and market dynamics driving change. For banks and financial institutions to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of their customers, these drivers must be understood and engaged with. Lenders can anticipate significant transformation fueled by technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer behaviors.
A Wealth of Common Sense
APRIL 18, 2024
A reader asks: I get all the stuff Ben has been saying about inflation — wages have kept pace, economic growth has been higher than the 2010s, wages have risen the most for lower income people, etc. I get all that. My husband and I own a house and own stocks so we’ve benefitted in recent years. Having said all of that, I STILL CAN’T GET OVER HOW HIGH PRICES ARE!!!
Advisor Perspectives
APRIL 19, 2024
In March, nominal home values increased for an 12th straight months while "real" home values were unchanged. Last month's ZHVI came in at $354,179, up 0.44% from the previous month and up 4.09% from one year ago. However, after adjusting for inflation, the real figures are 0.00% month-over-month and -1.71% year-over-year.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 19, 2024
Markets TIPS are on sale. Time to buy. (morningstar.com) Two reasons why yields are higher this year. (carsongroup.com) The stock-bond correlation has flipped positive. (mrzepczynski.blogspot.com) Books Why you should read Rob Copeland's "The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend." (advisorperspectives.com) A review of "Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing" by Larry Swedroe.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 18, 2024
For over a decade, the financial advice industry has been bracing for an "any-minute-now" tsunami of advisor retirements and concomitant sales of financial planning practices. Although that wave has yet to materialize (as many advisors may find that they'd prefer to stay engaged and earn well past the 'traditional' retirement age), the fact remains that, at some point, many aging advisors will have the opportunity to capture the enterprise value that they've spent their careers building.
Speaker: Joe Buhrmann, MBA, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC® Senior Financial Planning Practice Management Consultant eMoney Advisor
During an era of evolving consumer preferences, the banking sector is undergoing a profound shift. As customers continue to broaden their perspectives, banking professionals must support their customers' financial wellness by providing holistic financial advice that aligns with individual goals and circumstances. Without adapting, financial institutions will find that loyalty may crumble amid uncertainty.
Alpha Architect
APRIL 15, 2024
The justification for neutralizing sectors in factor strategies is a work in progress. To date, academic researchers haven't had an empirical model to mimic the impact of removing sector "effects" on the measurement and performance of factor strategies. The authors develop and test a two-component model to address the question of, "Is Sector Neutrality in Factor Investing a Mistake?
Advisor Perspectives
APRIL 19, 2024
Existing home sales experienced their largest monthly decline in over a year in March. According to the data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing home sales fell 4.3% from February to reach a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.19 million units. This figure came in lower than the expected 4.20 million. Existing home sales are down 3.7% compared to one year ago.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 17, 2024
Podcasts Roger Whitney talks retirement challenges with Christine Benz. (youtube.com) Sam Parr talks with 'Ryan' and 'Jeff' about the reality of retiring early. (podcasts.apple.com) Peter Lazaroff talks with Taylor Schulte and Benjamin Brandt about the new Retirement Podcast Network. (peterlazaroff.com) Justin Castelli talks curiosity and more with Tom Morgan.
Nerd's Eye View
APRIL 16, 2024
Welcome back to the 381st episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Ashley Quamme. Ashley is the Founder of Beyond The Plan, a consulting firm based in Evans, Georgia, that offers a Fractional Financial Behavioral Officer service including consulting and training to advisory firms and even direct meeting support for new or existing clients.
Speaker: Carolina Aponte - Owner and CEO, Caja Holdings LLC
In today's rapidly changing business environment, building a resilient balance sheet is crucial to the survival of any business. A resilient balance sheet allows a company to withstand financial shocks and adapt to changing market conditions. To achieve this, companies need to focus on key strategies such as maintaining adequate liquidity, managing debt levels, diversifying revenue streams, and prioritizing profitability over growth.
Wealth Management
APRIL 16, 2024
KKR logged $3 billion in sales in products aimed for the private wealth channel—up from $400 million in sales per quarter in 2022. Morningstar published an explainer on the growing world of interval funds. These are among the investment must reads we found this week for wealth advisors.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 19, 2024
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NMHC: "Apartment Market Continues to Loosen" Excerpt: From the NMHC: Apartment Market Continues to Loosen Amidst Worsening Financing Conditions Apartment market conditions continued to weaken in the National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC’s) Quarterly Survey of Apartment Market Conditions for April 2024.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 16, 2024
Asset allocaiton Is regret a better measure to target for portfolio allocations? (blogs.cfainstitute.org) Why asset allocation is sensitive to goals and assumptions. (priceactionlab.com) The case against a cryptocurrency allocation. (insights.finominal.com) Global macro hedge funds are mid. (klementoninvesting.substack.com) Corporate finance Are family-controlled firms more at-risk of price crashes?
Advisor Perspectives
APRIL 19, 2024
Manufacturing activity continued to decline in New York State, according to the Empire State Manufacturing April survey. The diffusion index for General Business Conditions fell to -14.3 from -20.9 in March. The latest reading was worse than the forecast of -5.2.
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All accounting teams know what it is like to dread the inevitable month-end scaries. If there was a way to feel less burdened and maybe even a little enthusiastic to work on your month-end close and reconciliation process, would you do it? No, don't answer that, of course you would! Automate your month-end close process by up to 40% with SkyStem's ART and see how much more alive you feel!
NAIFA Advisor Today
APRIL 18, 2024
Congratulations to NAIFA Trustee Stephen Kagawa , LUTCF, FSS, on being named the 71 st recipient of NAIFA-Los Angeles ’s Will G. Farrell Public Service Award. The CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Pacific Bridge Companies has been a loyal NAIFA member since 1986.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 15, 2024
On a monthly basis, retail sales were up 0.7% from February to March (seasonally adjusted), and sales were up 4.0 percent from March 2023. From the Census Bureau report : Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for March 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $709.6 billion, up 0.7 percent from the previous month , and up 4.0 percent above March 2023.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 15, 2024
Podcasts Daniel Crosby talks about the unique needs of women and money with Lindsey Lewis. (standarddeviationspod.com) Christine Benz and Amy Arnott talk asset allocation and more with Matt Krantz. He is the personal finance and management editor at Investor’s Business Daily. (morningstar.com) The biz Why Dynasty Financial stands since putting plans for an IPO on ice.
Advisor Perspectives
APRIL 19, 2024
Month-over-month nominal retail sales in March were up 0.7% and up 4.02% year-over-year. However, after adjusting for inflation, real retail sales were up 0.3% MoM and up 0.52% year-over-year.
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Digital platforms can provide you with plenty of solutions, yet many are still intimidated by them. It's time to end that worry and embrace what could make a major difference for your bank. Understanding how they work and how to best utilize them for your banks is key toward success. In this article, Biz2X breaks down all things digital platforms, including the many advantages of embracing them.
Wealth Management
APRIL 18, 2024
Monaco Capital and Saling Simms have become the second and third firms to join Steward Partners’ new Legacy Division, established via acquisition late last year.
Calculated Risk
APRIL 18, 2024
Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NAR: Existing-Home Sales Decreased to 4.19 million SAAR in March Excerpt: Sales Year-over-Year and Not Seasonally Adjusted (NSA) The fourth graph shows existing home sales by month for 2023 and 2024. Sales declined 3.7% year-over-year compared to March 2023. This was the thirty-first consecutive month with sales down year-over-year.
Abnormal Returns
APRIL 14, 2024
Finance Franklin Templeton ($BEN) is moving aggressively beyond stocks and bonds. (wsj.com) How fast can Blackrock ($BLK) really grow earnings? (riabiz.com) How this hedge fund cleaned up on the sale of Seagen to Pfizer ($PFE). (wsj.com) Companies It's hard to overstate the importance of Alphabet's ($GOOGL) YouTube. (wapo.st) Global plastic making capacity keeps rising.
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