Investments
Recession Narrative Fades on Strong Retail Sales
As long as employment is strong, consumer spending will be strong. Yes, job gains slowed in July but prime age (25-54) participation in the labor market remains near record levels, layoffs remain low, and aggregate income growth has been solid. Those numbers were the underpinning of a large upside surprise in July retail sales. Headline …
Barry Gilbert
August 16, 2024
Market Reaction to Inflation Muted (and That May Be a Good Thing)
There were few surprises in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data yesterday for July. The “headline” reading was in line with expectations at 0.2%, which brought the one-year reading down to 2.9% versus expectations of 3.0%. The core reading (excluding food and energy) was also in line with expectations at 0.2% for the month …
Barry Gilbert
August 15, 2024
The Evolving Employment Landscape: How Previous Tech Waves Elevated Workers
The employment landscape has continuously evolved with technological advancements, reshaping industries and altering the nature of work. Historically, technological waves have led to job displacement but have also created new opportunities and higher-paying roles. The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and subsequent automation of previously manual processes may usher in similar disruptions. The introduction of …
Blake Anderson
August 14, 2024
What Is It About August?
The month of August can often bring unexpected market volatility, and in this release we touch on the reasons behind it and how investors can stay prepared. In this episode, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group & Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, explore the recurring phenomenon of August market …
Ryan Detrick
August 14, 2024
What Is It About August?
“What is it about August?” George H.W. Bush after his second consecutive summer vacation was disrupted in August, once when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the other the 1991 Soviet Union coup Are we having fun yet? Last week saw some of the most volatility we’ve seen in years, with the S&P 500 down 3% on …
Ryan Detrick
August 13, 2024
Under the Hood: Earnings from Consumer Facing Companies
As macroeconomic data points to a resilient yet slowing economy, corporate earnings updates are reinforcing this narrative, especially in consumer-oriented businesses. The first quarter revealed a more selective consumer, with shoppers trading down; as Walmart noted, wealthier customers were increasingly seeking value, evidenced by fancier cars in their parking lots. Initially, it was believed that …
Carson Group
August 12, 2024
Top 5 Ways Financial Advisors are Using AI Today
It’s funny, despite the extraordinary level of investment in AI, use cases may appear limited at first glance. There are a few game-changing examples or “killer apps” to highlight. However, its influence is subtly growing across various aspects of our daily routines. From refining search results in Google, assisting with email composition in Outlook, analyzing …
Carson Group
August 9, 2024
AI’s Evolution: From Code to Images
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world around us. The rapid advancement and adoption of this technology was catalyzed by Nvidia GPUs, powerful processors that have revolutionized the interaction between technology and humans. The evolution of these semiconductors has enabled researchers and developers to create more sophisticated and human-like AI systems. These systems reflect the …
Blake Anderson
August 8, 2024
The Low Volatility Anomaly: Sometimes Less is More
Risk vs. reward. How do we balance both? Consider the child who calculates whether sneaking a cookie from the cookie jar is worth the risk of getting caught by an angry parent. Or the adventurer who knows the risks of scaling a tall mountain, but imagines the reward of reaching the highest peak. The risks …
Mike Lawrence
August 7, 2024
Is There Anything to Fear?
How do you know when to stay the course or press the panic button during market volatility? In this special episode, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group & Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, chat with Barry Gilbert, CFA®, Ph.D. Vice President, Asset Allocation Strategist at Carson Group, and Grant …
Ryan Detrick
August 7, 2024
10 Talking Points About the Recent Volatility
“The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing.” -John Bogle It might not feel like it, but stocks were having one of their strongest and least volatile years ever just a few weeks ago. Now it feels like each day has more worries and more volatility. To help, we put together …
Ryan Detrick
August 6, 2024
Chaos Is Normal
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.” -Harry S. Truman What a few weeks it has been. A former president was inches away from being assassinated, while the current president was forced out of running again by his own party, even though he won basically all the …
Ryan Detrick
August 5, 2024