As I have been saying for some time, the best indicator for the economy as a whole is the jobs market. With consumer spending representing more than two-thirds of the economy, as long as people are working, they can spend. And the jobs numbers tell us whether they are working.
Commonwealth
Will Midterm Madness Affect the Markets?
One of the questions I have been getting recently is about the effect of the midterm elections on markets. This is normal. In fact, given the level of partisan rancor—and the number of ads I’ve been seeing on TV—it is surprising that there isn’t more concern around the elections. But with voting just a couple of days away, let’s consider what the elections could mean for our investments.
Market Thoughts for November 2022 [Video]
It was a good month for the markets after a difficult September. The Dow and S&P showed strong gains, and developed markets did well. The rebound was driven by the prospect of a slowdown in future rate increases. On the economic front, job growth remained solid, driving increases in personal income and spending.
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Economic Release Snapshot: Economy Rebounds in the Third Quarter
Each week, we break down the latest U.S. economic reports, including what the results mean for the overall health of the economy. Here, you will find how economists’ forecasts compare with actual results, key takeaways to consider, as well as a list of what’s on tap for the week ahead.
How Did ESG Investing Become an Ideological Hot Button?
As fiduciaries, advisors are tasked with putting client interests ahead of their own. They have a duty to preserve good faith and trust. From an investment perspective, that includes considering all materially relevant information to mitigate risk and improve returns through prudent investment management. But from an ESG investing perspective? It’s where the rift between proponents and opponents of this investing strategy begins.
Inflation: Shocks Vs. Trends
This will be the second blog post that’s come out of my efforts to try to finish my talk for Commonwealth’s National conference. If you remember, in the previous post, the question was whether we were headed back to the 1970s, with all that implies (inflation, stagflation, high unemployment, disco), or back to the 1950s (which, for all its faults, did not have disco).