Fri.May 24, 2024

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Hotels: Occupancy Rate Increased 0.2% Year-over-year

Calculated Risk

From STR: U.S. hotel results for week ending 18 May The U.S. hotel industry reported higher performance from the previous week and positive comparisons year over year, according to CoStar’s latest data through 18 May. 12-18 May 2024 (percentage change from comparable week in 2023): • Occupancy: 67.4% (+0.2%) • Average daily rate (ADR): US$163.11 (+2.6%) • Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$109.93 (+2.8%) emphasis added The following graph shows the seasonal pattern for the hotel occupancy r

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Steward Partners Scoops Up $320M Merrill Team in Florida

Wealth Management

After nearly 40 years with Merrill, advisor Alicia Fuller and her team join under Steward's W2 employee model and will use Raymond James for custody.

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Podcast links: pod shopping

Abnormal Returns

Economy Derek Thompson talks with David Leonhardt author of "Ours Was the Shining Future." (theringer.com) Ezra Klein talks with James Pethokoukis author of "The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised." (podcasts.apple.com) Russ Roberts talks with Nick Bostrom author of "Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World.

Economy 277
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The WealthStack Podcast: The Importance of a Growth Partner With Andree Mohr

Wealth Management

Integrated Partners President Andree Mohr details the benefits of having the right partner.

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Are Robots Replacing You? Keeping Humans in the Loop in Automated Environments

Speaker: Erroll Amacker

As businesses increasingly adopt automation, finance leaders must navigate the delicate balance between technology and human expertise. This webinar explores the critical role of human oversight in accounts payable (AP) automation and how a people-centric approach can drive better financial performance. Join us for an insightful discussion on how integrating human expertise into automated workflows enhances decision-making, reduces fraud risks, strengthens vendor relationships, and accelerates R

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Friday links: finding your tribe

Abnormal Returns

Markets Why do companies do stock splits? (sherwood.news) T+1 settlement is here. (axios.com) Strategy Ian Cassel, "Time is always trying to put you out of business." (microcapclub.com) A rock, digital or not, is still just a rock. (humbledollar.com) Crypto The SEC has approved spot Ethereum ETFs. (theblock.co) It was a big week for cypto regulation.

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SEC Adopts Updated Cybersecurity Rules

Wealth Management

On the same day the 24-year-old updates to Regulation S-P were announced, Interactive Brokers reported a customer data breach.

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More Trending

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Ratings Agencies Drop Outlooks on Focus, Edelman

Wealth Management

Moody’s changed its outlook on Focus to negative, citing the firm’s “hub” strategy. Meanwhile, the agencies assigned junk ratings to Edelman’s proposed $575 million term loan.

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Q2 GDP Tracking: 1.8% to 3.5%

Calculated Risk

From BofA: 2Q GDP tracking is down a tenth to 1.8% q/q saar. Also, we expect the second print of 1Q GDP to be revised down to 1.2% from 1.6%. [May 24th estimate] emphasis added From Goldman: We boosted our Q2 GDP tracking estimate by 0.1pp to +3.2% (qoq ar) and our domestic final sales estimate by the same amount to +2.5%. [May 24th estimate] And from the Altanta Fed: GDPNow The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the second quarter of 2024 is 3.5 perce

Sales 173
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Debt Ratings Agencies Lower Outlook on Focus, Issue Junk Rating On Edelman Loan

Wealth Management

Moody’s changed its outlook on Focus to negative, citing the firm’s “hub” strategy. Meanwhile, the agencies assigned junk ratings to Edelman’s proposed $575 million term loan.

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Watch Months-of-Supply!

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Watch Months-of-Supply! A brief excerpt: Although inventory is well below normal levels, so are sales. I think we need to keep an eye on months-of-supply. Historically nominal prices declined when months-of-supply approached 6 months - and that is unlikely this year - but we could see months-of-supply back to 2019 levels later this year.

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

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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401(k) Real Chat: Saumen Chattppadhyay

Wealth Management

Retirement industry thought leaders answer three probing questions on critical issues, providing an open, honest and candid dialogue.

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The S&P 500 vs. the U.S. Economy

A Wealth of Common Sense

Here are some facts and figures about the S&P 500: According to Global Financial Data, the S&P only contained 90 stocks when it was created in 1928. It became the S&P 500 in 1957. At the time, the index was comprised of 425 industrial stocks, 60 utilities and 15 railroads. Financials and transportation stocks weren’t added until 1976.

Economy 140
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Momentum Everywhere, Even Cross-Country Factor Momentum

Alpha Architect

There is strong empirical evidence demonstrating that momentum (both cross-sectional and time-series) provides information on the cross-section of returns of many risk assets and has generated alpha relative to existing asset pricing models. Momentum Everywhere, Even Cross-Country Factor Momentum was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.

Assets 134
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Investor Toolkit to Private Markets

Wealth Management

Discover new opportunities for your clients' portfolios.

Marketing 132
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Stop Falling Short When It Matters Most—The Elite Advisor’s Playbook to Success

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?

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Michigan Consumer Sentiment Drops 10% in May to Six-Month Low

Advisor Perspectives

Consumer sentiment fell over 10% in May to a 6-month low according to the final report for the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index. The index fell 8.1 points (-10.5%) to 69.1 from the April final. The latest reading was above the forecast of 67.4.

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Sigachi Industries: Fueling Pharma Growth with High-Quality MCC

Trade Brains

We all know that the pharmaceutical industry is a complex ecosystem where countless components converge to produce life – saving medicines. A reliable supply of these components is fundamental for the smooth functioning of this industry, impacting everything from development timelines to patient access to meditation. Here’s where Sigachi industries play a major role through their production of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC).

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Five Critiques of GAO’s Report on Target Date Funds

Advisor Perspectives

The GAO report was three years in the making. At $4 trillion and growing, target date funds are very important. The GAO report has the potential to improve the industry.

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40% In Commodities? What?

Random Roger's Retirement Planning

Barron's had an interesting article about a BofA study showing that over a period of many decades an asset allocation of 60% equities/40% commodities outperformed an allocation of 60% equities/40% fixed income by 0.80% per year. You might expect a tradeoff of having to take on more volatility for that extra return but the article didn't really dig in beyond noting bonds tending to be less volatile.

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Demo SkyStem’s Award Winning Month-End Close Solution & Earn $100

Is your finance team bogged down by endless data requests and disorganized spreadsheets during the month-end close? It’s time to consider a better option – automate with ART! SkyStem’s solution works alongside your ERP to transform the close and account reconciliation process and speed up month-end work. Explore SkyStem’s ART - the award-winning account reconciliation automation platform - and receive a $100 Amazon gift card as a thank you for your time.

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The New Dream Job Is Working for … the Government?

Advisor Perspectives

One of the best parts of being a young college graduate, and naïve to the grim realities of the working world, is being deluded about how great your career will be. Maybe you’ll found the next Nvidia, or win the Nobel Prize in your field, or start a charity that will make the world a better place.

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What Is New and Sexy in the Income-Protection and Disability Insurance Space?

NAIFA Advisor Today

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. To mark the occasion, Advisor Today is please to bring you this article by the DI Geek, himself, Corey Anderson. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

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Nvidia Stock Surges as Sales Forecast Delivers on AI Hopes

Advisor Perspectives

Nvidia Corp., the chipmaker at the center of an artificial intelligence boom, jumped in premarket trading after a bullish sales forecast showed that AI computing spending remains strong.

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Markets, Inflation, & the Fed

Bell Investment Advisors

On Friday, May 24 th at 12pm Pacific time, Investment Advisor & Financial Planner Laurent Harrison, CFP® joined Bell Portfolio Manager Ryan Kelley, CFA® for an engaging discussion of the following topics: Stock & Bond Market Commentary Global Economic Update Inflation Concerns & the Federal Reserve Are Stocks Expensive? 2024-25 Bell Webinar Markets, Inflation, and the Fed Speakers: Laurent Harrison, CFP®: Senior Investment Advisor, Financial Planner Ryan Kelley, CFA®: Portfolio Ma

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Next-Level Fraud Prevention: Strategies for Today’s Threat Landscape

Speaker: Sierre Lindgren

Fraud is a battle that every organization must face – it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Every organization is a potential target for fraud, and the finance department is often the bullseye. From cleverly disguised emails to fraudulent payment requests, the tactics of cybercriminals are advancing rapidly. Drawing insights from real-world cases and industry expertise, we’ll explore the vulnerabilities in your processes and how to fortify them effectively.

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Durable Goods Orders Rise More Than Expected in April

Advisor Perspectives

New orders for manufactured durable goods rose more than expected in April, coming in at $284.07B. This is a 0.7% increase from the previous month and more than the expected -0.9% decline. The series is down 0.9% year-over-year (YoY). If we exclude transportation, "core" durable goods were up 0.4% from the previous month and up 1.7% from one year ago.

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How to save on financial advisor fees?

Sara Grillo

Financial advisor fees can be reduced – here are some ways. Don’t get suckered out of your hard-earned money! But before we get to the blog… Look, there are alot of schmucks out there hawking crap products disguised as financial advice. Don’t be fooled! Please subscribe to my newsletter to receive updates that raise awareness of consumer financial issues.

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S&P 500 Snapshot: See-Saw Week Ends with Minor Gains

Advisor Perspectives

The S&P 500 see-sawed this week, ending with only minor gains (+0.03%) from a week ago. The index is currently up 11.85% year to date and has recorded a new all-time high 24 times this year.

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How do I time my sales pitch to get it right?

Sara Grillo

Timing a sales pitch is a work of art. Question from a follower: “I never know when to actually tell the prospect what I do, during the sales meeting. What’s the best time?” Don’t just mutter it in a ho-hum way. Steer the conversation into an emotional high and then WHAM drop the pitch. Take this action TODAY: (listening part) The beginning of the meeting should be where you let the prospect talk, asking guiding questions that probe deeper into what they need, their psycholog

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Fall In Love With the Month-End Close

It's the time of year to give our close process some TLC. Join us in this one hour webinar where we discuss how to adopt leading practices and infuse technology into the month-end close process to improve our experience and increase our productivity during month-end and quarter-end close. Learning Objectives: This course's objective is to understand how the month-end close can be improved with automation and adoption of leading practices.

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JPMorgan Hunts for Private Credit Firm to Grow in Hot Sector

Advisor Perspectives

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is on the hunt to buy a private credit firm to augment its $3.6 trillion asset management arm, as the biggest US bank makes more inroads into Wall Street’s buzziest sector.

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“How do I create a marketing calendar?”

Sara Grillo

Question from a subscriber: “ How do I create a marketing calendar for each segment of your client base (ie, boomer and gen x business owners, near retirees, recent retirees)? “ The most effective content you could create for someone comes from what is most relevant to them. Relevance comes from analyzing real world interactions that you have with your clients, and what you taught them.

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RecessionAlert Weekly Leading Economic Index

Advisor Perspectives

The weekly leading economic index (WLEI) is a composite for the U.S economy that draws from over 20 time-series and groups them into the following six broad categories which are then used to construct an equally weighted average. As of May 10th, the index was at 22.165, up 1.698 from the previous week, with 5 of the 6 components in expansion territory.

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“How do I communicate everything I do?”

Sara Grillo

Question from a subscriber: “How do I create a unified message about the extraordinarily wide spectrum of things I do well?” Here is how to communicate what you do, when talking to a prospect or lead. I can not state it any more clearly than this: If you communicate more than three points , it comes off as a mish mosh , and there is no point to saying anything at all.

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The Future Of Finance: How To Manage Spend The Right Way

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