Hurricane season typically runs from June to November. For 2024, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned of an ‘extraordinary’ Atlantic season. In fact, NOAA has forecast eight to 13 hurricanes - with four to seven of those being deemed as ‘major hurricanes’. Furthermore, NOAA has said that there is an [...]
Are you feeling the economic uncertainty in the air? You're not alone. Recent data on consumer confidence paints a complex picture of the current economic landscape, with implications that could significantly impact your investment decisions. The latest Consumer Confidence Index has dipped to 100.4 in June from 101.3 in May. While this might seem [...]
Monday: Tech Gains Propel Markets Higher Wall Street kicked off the week on a positive note, largely driven by strong performances in the technology sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.5%, the S&P 500 rose by 0.8%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite led the pack with a 1.0% increase. The bullish sentiment in [...]
Written by: Angela Akers As they have done for the last year, the Federal Reserve moved last week to leave interest rates unchanged at the elevated rate of 5.25% – 5.50% and signaled only one cut this year. That same morning, the May Consumer Price Index was released, coming in at a lower-than-expected increase [...]
U.S. Retail sales figures were released this week and revealed yet another sign that consumer sentiment is cooling. While sales did grow, up 0.1% month-over-month in May 2024, it was still below forecasts of 0.2%. Importantly, the figure also follows April’s figures, which showed a decline in sales. Taken together, this would indicate that [...]
Written by: Angela Akers Dr. DiLiddo introduced us to the Investment Matrix decades ago in his classic little green book, “Stocks, Strategies & Common Sense.” “Without knowing it, each of us has an investment style which is distinctly our own.” – Dr. Bart DiLiddo The four basic investment styles are categorized by using [...]
When it comes to investing, one of the most crucial metrics you need to understand is the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data. With the upcoming CPI release this week, it's important to grasp what this data is, how it impacts the market, and why it matters to your investment strategy. Let's explore CPI in [...]
Monday: Mixed Market Reactions to Manufacturing Data The week started with a mixed response on Wall Street, primarily driven by discouraging manufacturing data that seemed to weigh on investor sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by 0.3%, reflecting concerns over the economic outlook for manufacturing. In contrast, the S&P 500 managed a modest [...]
Written by: Angela Akers Over the last two weeks, we have been reviewing investment styles and how to pick stocks that are consistent with each style. Dr. DiLiddo reviews these in Chapter 12 of “Stocks, Strategies & Common Sense” which is aptly named, “Investment Styles & Strategies” where he introduces the VectorVest Investment Matrix. [...]
The impending release of the latest US employment data, scheduled for this Friday, carries significant weight. According to US News, economists are projecting the addition of 190,000 jobs in May, which would maintain the unemployment rate at 3.9%. Following April’s gain of 175,000 jobs, this anticipated increase in employment signals growth and is technically [...]
