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From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications increased 6.9 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending August 2, 2024. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 6.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
Markets Good luck trying to figure out the stock market these days. (sherwood.news) Mortgage spreads have room to come down. (axios.com) Strategy The stock market is not economy, and vice versa. (awealthofcommonsense.com) What to do the next time the stock market tanks. (tonyisola.com) 'Don't panic' isn't necessarily helpful advice. (edgyoptimist.substack.com) Disney Disney ($DIS) warns about theme park weakness.
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey indicates that clients of financial advisors are more confident than others about their financial preparedness for retirement and are more likely to have a financial plan in place that can weather the ups and downs of the economy (perhaps increasingly relevant given recent market volatility), indicating that advisors have an opportunity to frame the v
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
From Dodge Data Analytics: Dodge Momentum Index Expands Another 8% in July The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Dodge Construction Network, increased 7.9% in July to 216.3 (2000=100) from the revised June reading of 200.5. Over the month, commercial planning increased 6.8% and institutional planning expanded 11.1%. “While data centers have had an outsized influence on nonresidential planning activity in recent months, more momentum is building across many other major sectors and diversifyin
Top clicks this week Are small caps cheap for a reason? (awealthofcommonsense.com) A look at the valuation of the S&P 490. (disciplinefunds.com) Bonds are doing okay in 2024, except for long duration. (capitalspectator.com) How major asset classes performed in July 2024. (capitalspectator.com) Commodities are back down to their lows of the year.
Top clicks this week Are small caps cheap for a reason? (awealthofcommonsense.com) A look at the valuation of the S&P 490. (disciplinefunds.com) Bonds are doing okay in 2024, except for long duration. (capitalspectator.com) How major asset classes performed in July 2024. (capitalspectator.com) Commodities are back down to their lows of the year.
Traditionally, people tend to think of their estate as comprising one big 'pot' of assets, focusing on the sum of all the assets rather than on each individual asset itself. Consequently, when in estate planning, thinking about how to divide their assets after their death, they often aim to simply apportion the whole pot among their beneficiaries, without regard to the nature of each individual asset.
From the Federal Reserve: The July 2024 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices The July 2024 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices (SLOOS) addressed changes in the standards and terms on, and demand for, bank loans to businesses and households over the past three months, which generally correspond to the second quarter of 2024.
Financial advisors view the market correction as a normal course of events and a good buying opportunity. “Market volatility is my best friend,” one advisor said. “This is an opportunity to show clients why they pay us a fee, to navigate difficult times with a rock steady approach.
Markets This proposed ETF filing top ticked the market. (allstarcharts.com) Has the tech momentum trade fully unwound yet? (ft.com) Strategy Forecasting interest rates is just as hard as forecasting the stock market. (awealthofcommonsense.com) The stock market has always found a group of stocks that fit a 'new paradigm.' (alphaarchitect.com) Bitcoin A “strategic bitcoin reserve” is an absurd idea.
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.
This week, we speak with Meir Statman , the Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University. Named one of the 25 most influential people by Investment Advisor, his breakthrough book, “ What Investors Really Want , ” changed how we view investor motivations. Statman is a member of the advisory board of the Journal of Portfolio Management, the Journal of Wealth Management, the Journal of Retirement, the Journal of Investment Consulting and the Journal of Behavioral and Exp
From the NY Fed: Household Debt Increased Moderately in Q2 2024; Auto and Credit Card Delinquency Rates Remain Elevated The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data today issued its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. The report shows total household debt increased by $109 billion (0.6%) in Q2 2024, to $17.80 trillion.
Business Logan Bartlett talks with Dara Khosrowshai, CEO of Uber ($UBER). (podcasts.apple.com) Shane Parrish talks with Brian Halligan, founder and former CEO of HubSpot. (fs.blog) Patrick O'Shaughnessy talks AI and more with Sarah Guo is the founder and CEO of Conviction. (joincolossus.com) Trading Ted Seides talks trading with Todd Simkin is an Associate Director at Susquehanna International Group.
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?
Boy that escalated quickly. Markets sold off in a hurry this week. The S&P 500 is down almost 6% from the recent highs. The Nasdaq 100 is in an 11% drawdown. After an extremely calm year, the past week or so has finally seen some volatility in the stock market. Here’s the thing — it’s what happened before this that was not normal: This really cool chart came out a couple of weeks ago (via Sherwood).
Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 1.0% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 38.4% from the February seasonal bottom. Click on graph for larger image. This inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of August 2nd, inventory was at 684 thousand (7-day average), compared to 677 thousand the prior week. This is the highest level of inventory since June 2020 ; however, inventory is still far below pre-pandemic levels.
Books A Q&A with Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz, author of "Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery." (npr.org) A review of "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" by Jonathan Haidt. (econlib.org) Oil ExxonMobil's ($XOM) big Guyana oil discovery almost wasn't. (bloomberg.com) Jonathan Blake, "Before LA became Tinseltown, it was an oil town.
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
Houston, We Have Turbulence The S&P 500 fell 2.0% last week, declining for the third consecutive week, but unlike the past few weeks, this time the selling was across the board. Economic data last week showed the economy slowing more than expected, adding to worries about a potential recession. We still think a recession can be avoided, but risks have increased.
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.
Markets Bryce Elder, "The “long Japanese equities/short yen” trade worked until it didn’t." (ft.com) Market sentiment got way too bullish. (allstarcharts.com) Strategy There's always a (different) reason to sell. (theirrelevantinvestor.com) Investors need to plan for down markets. (awealthofcommonsense.com) If you sell stocks, you have to decide when to get back in.
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.
Over the past few decades, financial advisors have explored new ways to structure, build, and grow successful businesses alongside a growing acceptance that "successful business" can be defined in many different ways. Nevertheless, while firm owners have a variety of options available for structuring and building their businesses, the reality is that they can only prioritize a limited number of goals at one time, which then begs the question – how can firm owners navigate the options of wo
Notes: This CoreLogic House Price Index report is for June. The recent Case-Shiller index release was for May. The CoreLogic HPI is a three-month weighted average and is not seasonally adjusted (NSA). From CoreLogic: CoreLogic: Annual US Home Price Growth Below 5% for Second Consecutive Month as June Home Prices Cool • U.S. home prices posted a 4.7% year-over-year gain in June, with only one state posting double-digit gains. • By summer 2025, prices are predicted to slow to 2.3% as home price gr
Retail Using LLMs to identify retail trader strategies. (papers.ssrn.com) A look at the value, or lack thereof, of WallStreetBets stock picks. (alphaarchitect.com) Analysts Why are all-start investment analysts influential? (papers.ssrn.com) Can LLMs replace the average human analyst? (wsj.com) Institutional investors How institutional investors want to consume content.
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.
Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 397th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast ! My guest on today's podcast is Jaime Benedetti. Jaime is the Managing Principal of Benedetti, Gucer, and Associates and BEAM Wealth Advisors, hybrid advisory firms based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Covington, Louisiana that oversee a total of $1.2 billion in assets under management for approximately 900 client households.
This graph shows heavy truck sales since 1967 using data from the BEA. The dashed line is the July 2024 seasonally adjusted annual sales rate (SAAR) of 485 thousand. Heavy truck sales really collapsed during the great recession, falling to a low of 180 thousand SAAR in May 2009. Then heavy truck sales increased to a new record high of 570 thousand SAAR in April 2019.
In recent earnings calls, both alternative asset managers provided updates on their respective products as they plan to enter an increasingly crowded playing field.
Podcasts Carl Richards talks with Meb Faber about what really matters. (podcasts.apple.com) Peter Lazaroff talks alts with Phil Huber, author of "The Allocator’s Edge: A Modern Guide to Alternative Investments and the Future of Diversification." (peterlazaroff.com) Barry Ritholtz talks with Dave Nadig about whether there is a wrong way to invest. (ritholtz.com) Dan Haylett talks true wealth with author Ken Honda.
Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System
Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.
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