Investments
Consumer Confidence Is Likely Low Because Americans Are Stuck
Poor consumer confidence has been bit of a puzzle recently, given historically low unemployment and easing inflation. In fact, the “misery index,” which is the sum of the inflation rate and the unemployment rate, looks quite normal. It sits at 7.3% as of April, which is below the historical average (1950-2023) of 9.3%. Meanwhile, consumer …
Sonu Varghese
June 4, 2024
Under the Hood: 5 Takeaways First Quarter Earnings
“Far more money has been lost by investors trying to anticipate corrections, than lost in the corrections themselves.” – Peter Lynch, Magellan Fund Manager The first quarter earnings season brought mostly positive news for investors, including the fastest earnings growth in five of the last six quarters. Many companies have seemingly recovered from pandemic-induced turmoil, …
Carson Group
June 3, 2024
Big Picture: There’s No Inflation Resurgence
Hotter-than-expected inflation data in the first quarter led to a lot of concern that inflation is likely to rear its ugly head again. However, as I pointed out in several blogs over the first few months of the year (including two weeks ago), there was really no need to panic if you just peeked under …
Sonu Varghese
May 31, 2024
Why There Won’t Be a June Swoon
“It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine… it’s summertime!” – Kenny Chesney “Summertime” June historically isn’t a very good month for stocks, with the old saying ‘June Swoon’ quite common. Heck, the past 20 years only September has been worse, so could we see a swoon this year? We don’t think …
Ryan Detrick
May 30, 2024
Data Has Shown Most American Households Have Come Out Ahead of Inflation
Home prices and stock prices have risen to record levels, and as Ryan just wrote about, consumer balance sheets are in really good shape. Yet the title of this blog is likely quite controversial, especially since we just had the highest inflationary episode in over 40+ years and consumer sentiment suggests people aren’t happy about …
Sonu Varghese
May 29, 2024
Talking About Markets and Life with Jeremy Schwartz
Markets remain uncertain, but sitting down with top industry insiders can help clear the uncertainties. In this episode, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group & Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, are joined by Jeremy Schwartz, Global Chief Investment Officer at WisdomTree Asset Management. Together they engage in a rich …
Ryan Detrick
May 29, 2024
The Stock Market Isn’t Rigged and Consumers Are Just Fine
First off, we hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. We are grateful to all those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so we can remain free and the families that hold them dear. The incredible disconnect between how people feel and what they do continues. In today’s blog I’ll explain why the stock …
Ryan Detrick
May 28, 2024
Here’s Why We’re Still Pessimistic About China and Underweight Chinese Stocks
There’s been a lot of a chatter about China’s stock market recently, thanks to strong momentum. Chinese stocks (proxied by the iShares MSCI China ETF) are up over 18% over the past 5 weeks, versus a 5.5% return for the S&P 500. Of course, if you pull back the curtain to the last decade you …
Sonu Varghese
May 23, 2024
A Glance at Global Valuations
Omaha in May brings value investors from around the world to the ‘Woodstock of Capitalism,’ a chance to listen to Warren Buffett opine on life and his latest investments. The event serves as a good reminder to take time to step back and look at the long term. After an April swoon, a May rebound, …
Grant Engelbart
May 22, 2024
Dow 40k, Now What?
As investors contemplate the significance of the Dow hitting 40,000, they are wondering about the market’s next moves. In this episode, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group & Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, chat about the Dow reaching 40,000, the implications for investors, and the broader market sentiment. They …
Ryan Detrick
May 22, 2024
Thoughts on Dow 40,000
“It isn’t about timing the market, it is about time in the market.”-Old investment saying It took nearly 128 years, but the Dow closed above 40,000 for the first time in its history last week. This was yet another reminder to investors that one of the best ways to create long-term wealth and beat inflation …
Ryan Detrick
May 21, 2024
The Resurgence of GameStop and the Gaming Industry: A New Wave on the Horizon?
Remember the frenzy of 2021, when Roaring Kitty and the meme-stock mania sent shares of GameStop and AMC Entertainment soaring to astronomical heights? The world watched in awe as day traders on Reddit bought shares of these heavily shorted stocks and caused them to skyrocket. GameStop’s stock reached dizzying heights in just a few short …
Carson Group
May 20, 2024