Investments
Slowing, Not Cracking
In the latest episode of Facts vs Feelings, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist, dive into the messy, muddy Q1 GDP report and break down why the headline number might be misleading. They also explain the disconnect between public sentiment and actual economic data, touch on Warren Buffett’s retirement announcement, …
Ryan Detrick
May 7, 2025
About Last Month
“It is human nature to overestimate risk and underestimate opportunity.” Jeff Bezos, Executive Chairman and Former CEO, Amazon What an end to April, and May is off to a strong start as well. In fact, the S&P 500 finished higher the last seven days of April, trying the longest win streak to end that month …
Ryan Detrick
May 6, 2025
Under the Hood: Tech Earnings Takeaways
Investors digested results from some of the largest companies in the world this past week. The reports largely met or exceeded expectations, with five of the six largest companies trading higher after their announcements – perhaps reflective of ‘better than feared’ reports. These positive surprises were a welcome relief to investors who may have entered …
Blake Anderson
May 5, 2025
The Labor Market Hasn’t Cracked, but That Means Higher Rates for Longer
The economy created 177,000 jobs in April, above expectations for 138,000 jobs. At the same time, this number can be revised quite a lot. (Job creation in February and March were revised down by a combined 58,000.) This is why the 3-month average is more useful, and right now that’s at 155,000. That’s not great, …
Sonu Varghese
May 2, 2025
How Have Active Managers Navigated 2025?
“Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” – Warren Buffett. An apt quote at this part of the year, as we head towards the Berkshire annual shareholder meeting to pay homage to one of the best active managers of all time. The first four months of this year have …
Grant Engelbart
May 1, 2025
Why We Think You Shouldn’t Sell in May
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.” Richard Feynman, American theoretical physicist Buckle up, as the trigger points for one of the most well-known investment axioms, “Sell in May and go away,” is nearly here. This gets a ton of play in the media, as …
Ryan Detrick
April 30, 2025
Did the Stock Market Win the Tariff Throwdown?
In the latest episode of Facts vs Feelings, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist, dissect the market’s strong rally amid tariff turmoil and examine whether policy pullbacks from Washington are signaling a win for the stock market. The duo also dives into technical indicators, sentiment extremes, earnings expectations, and …
Ryan Detrick
April 30, 2025
Market Takeaways for Trump’s Next 100 Days Based on What We Saw in the First 100
Today is Day 100 of the second Trump administration (counting Inauguration Day as Day 1). We’ve learned a lot in the first 100 days, but if you’re a market person you’re aim is always to look ahead, not backwards. Carson’s global macro strategist Sonu Varghese did just that in his recent blog, “What’s Next? The …
Barry Gilbert
April 29, 2025
Healthcare Acquisitions Ramp Up
Acquisition activity in the healthcare sector is picking up pace in 2025. This surge comes amid continued underperformance from large cap pharmaceutical companies and may also point to flaws in their previous allocation of capital—particularly around research and development. The strategic pivot toward acquisitions may signal a broader shift as companies look externally for the …
Blake Anderson
April 28, 2025
Houston, We Have A Zweig Breadth Thrust and Four More Bullish Developments
“One of the frustrating things for people who miss the first rally in a bull market is that they wait for the big correction, and it never comes. The market just keeps climbing and climbing.” Martin Zweig, American stock investor What a difference three days makes. After a 2.4% drop on Monday, the S&P …
Ryan Detrick
April 25, 2025
What Next? The Bull Case and the Bear Case
Uncertainty may be the new normal. Markets have been extremely volatile, with the S&P 500 experience nine 1%+ intraday moves over the first three days of this week. It’s not that we’ve never seen volatility before — that’s part and parcel of investing. The difference now is that markets are hanging on, and reacting to, …
Sonu Varghese
April 24, 2025
3 Thoughts on Trade and the Market Reaction
Let’s Keep It Simple Sometimes I find it helpful when I think through a problem to state the obvious. So here it goes. Stating the obvious when it comes to trade, the main reason the US has a net trade deficit with the rest of the world is because we consume more than we produce …
Barry Gilbert
April 23, 2025