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Here is another monthly update on lumber prices. SPECIAL NOTE: The CME group discontinued the Random Length Lumber Futures contract on May 16, 2023. I switched to a physically-delivered Lumber Futures contract that was started in August 2022. Unfortunately, this impacts long term price comparisons since the new contract was priced about 24% higher than the old random length contract for the period when both contracts were available.
Finance Why Bill Ackman spends so much time on Twitter. (sherwood.news) Hedge funds are boosting their electricity trading capabilities. (wsj.com) Human FX traders are getting replaced by algorithms. (bloomberg.com) Why you should expect to see more ETFs designed by, and for, institutional investors. (institutionalinvestor.com) Housing Housing supply and affordability go hand-in-hand.
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
Podcasts Brendan Frazier talks with Sonya Lutter about everything advisors need to know about love and money. (wiredplanning.com) Daniel Crosby talks with Andy Baxley, Senior Financial Planner at The Planning Center. (standarddeviationspod.com) Brad Barrett talks all things Social Security with Mike Piper. (choosefi.com) Inflation How do older Americans react to inflation?
Today, the conversation isn’t led by you saying, “Let me tell you about our firm.” It’s led by prospects saying, “Hey, I’ve been following your content, and now I want to meet.
After several turbulent years in both markets and workforces, 2024 appears to be the 'most normal' year of late, with strong market performance, cooling (or at least no longer rising!?) interest rates, and relatively little new tax legislation (yet). Yet the need for advisor education – and the regulatory requirements to get it (in the form of Continuing Education obligations) – never ends, with the latest focus for most financial advisors being on the ongoing expansion of NASAA's 20
After several turbulent years in both markets and workforces, 2024 appears to be the 'most normal' year of late, with strong market performance, cooling (or at least no longer rising!?) interest rates, and relatively little new tax legislation (yet). Yet the need for advisor education – and the regulatory requirements to get it (in the form of Continuing Education obligations) – never ends, with the latest focus for most financial advisors being on the ongoing expansion of NASAA's 20
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 1.1% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 32.1% 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 July 5th, inventory was at 653 thousand (7-day average), compared to 646 thousand the prior week.
From Matthew Graham at Mortgage News Daily: Mortgage Rates Gently Lower to Begin New Week CPI has been the most important input for rates as far as economic reports are concerned. Thursday's is an exciting installment as it has a chance to confirm a promising shift seen in last month's data. If confirmed, rates should move easily into the 6's. [ 30 year fixed 7.01% ] emphasis added Tuesday: • At 6:00 AM ET, NFIB Small Business Optimism Index for June. • At 10:00 AM, Testimony, Fed Chair Jerome P
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.
Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Fannie and Freddie: Single Family Serious Delinquency Rate Decreased in May, Multi-family Increased Slightly Brief excerpt: Single-family serious delinquencies decreased in May, and multi-family serious delinquencies increased slightly. Freddie Mac reports that the multi-family delinquencies rate increased to 0.36% in May, up from 0.35% in April, but down from the recent peak of 0.44% in January.
Multiple jobholders account for 5.1% of civilian employment. The survey captures data for four subcategories of the multi-job workforce, the relative sizes of which we've illustrated in a pie chart.
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?
Long-time readers know I have not been a fan of the Chevron deference. I think it was one of the worst decisions of the last century. I've been aware of it because I'm in a regulated business.
“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.” Jenny Han, writer of The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy The start of the second half of the year looked much like the first half, with the S&P 500 gaining 2% over a holiday-shortened week. July has been the best month of the year over the last 20 years and second best over the last 10.
UltraTech Cement: Beneath the shining facade of modern India lies a network of heroes like Ultratech Cement. They work tirelessly to build a strong foundation for the nation’s growth. Even though their story isn’t being splashed often across headlines their work is etched in the towering pillars of the bridges that connect communities and infrastructure that fuels the economic growth.
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.
Women can do anything because we are truly amazing. And if you’re looking for side hustles for women that make real money, we have just the list for you! To choose the right side hustle for you to try, it’s all about looking for ones where you can use the skills you already have. Then you’ll need to decide how much money you’d want to earn.
As the world of financial advice continues to evolve from being mostly investment product-driven to delivering a one-time financial plan as a basis for investment recommendations and, more recently, toward ongoing, comprehensive financial planning advice, the tools advisors use to analyze client situations and generate insightful advice have also evolved.
Let's take a close look at June's employment report numbers on Full and Part-Time Employment. The latest data shows that 82.6% of total employed workers are full-time (35+ hours) and 17.
How does the perception of the need to hold emergency cash relate to overconfidence in one's degree of financial literacy? The answer is surprising. Overconfidence May Lead to Poor Emergency Planning was originally published at Alpha Architect. Please read the Alpha Architect disclosures at your convenience.
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.
Those wishing to explore the gap between the nation’s apparent macroeconomic success and its microeconomic malaise would do well to consult Ruchir Sharma’s What Went Wrong with Capitalism.
🔊 Play Audio Have you heard of the Income Tax Saving Festival in India? Well, usually it starts in the last quarter of the financial year (Jan-Mar) when many employees scurry to provide investment proof to save tax outgo. Sadly, many of our last-minute decisions prove to be poor investments thereafter and hence it’s a good idea to start the tax planning exercise early on.
Since June 2023, when sports betting legislation was passed, I and other North Carolina residents have seen a constant stream of celebrity ads or promotions from the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, ESPNBet, and Caesars. On March 11, North Carolina … Continued The post Taxation and Gambling appeared first on Financial Symmetry, Inc.
Here is the latest update for July from Validea’s market valuation tool. Rather than focusing on market-cap weighted indexes like the S&P 500, our tool focuses on the valuation of the average stock relative to history. We use the median of our investable universe of 2700 stocks to perform the calculation. Despite the big run in the S&P 500, the average stock actually got cheaper on the month due to a combination of the narrowness of the rallly and continued earnings growth.
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.
The bond trade that some of Wall Street’s biggest banks say will dominate the rest of 2024 is gaining steam before a crucial inflation reading that will help seal the wager’s fate.
UltraTech Cement: Beneath the shining facade of modern India lies a network of heroes like Ultratech Cement. They work tirelessly to build a strong foundation for the nation’s growth. Even though their story isn’t being splashed often across headlines their work is etched in the towering pillars of the bridges that connect communities and infrastructure that fuels the economic growth.
The oil company declared its traditional business was all but over. “The demand for fossil oil products will continue to decline,” it said in late 2020 as the pandemic slashed consumption. Even when Covid-19 is over, consumption wouldn’t “recover to previous levels.
On May 3, 2024, NAIFA Member, Herschel Hester, III, CLTC, LUTCF, CRPC, passed away at the age of 82. Hester was born on May 11, 1941, in Parsons, Kansas. He graduated from Webster State College in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science and from Utah State University in 1967 with a Master of Science. Hester was active in NAIFA-Utah, joining in 1986, and was a past NAIFA Quality Award recipient.
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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