Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast

Last week, Target Corporation announced disappointing sales growth for its 3rd Quarter of 2024. This was just another hint at a broader U.S. consumer slowdown or cooling. While spending forecasts aren’t dire, how much fuel does the average American household have in the tank to propel the upcoming holiday shopping season? Will it be merry and bright for retailers? Or will Santa be leaving coal in their stockings?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the upcoming holiday shopping season, and whether the U.S. consumer can continue to spend money at the same pace it has.

Though November 20th, Bitcoin has more than doubled in value since the start of 2024. Since the end of 2022, it has more than quintupled. But why? Even the most passionate crypto investors have a difficult time explaining exactly what Bitcoin is in terms the average person can understand. It doesn’t pay dividends or interest. It doesn’t generate revenue or profits. You can’t hold it. Heck, you can’t even see it. So why do certain investors love it as much as they do? This asset class which exists out in the technological ether?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the recent rally in Bitcoin and wonder just how much longer can it last. After all, it seems like we have been through this previously. So, is this time different?

Now that the U.S. elections are finally over, investors are looking at their portfolios and wondering if the United States is still worth the risk. Will it still be able to generate attractive rates of growth? Are its institutions still relatively stable? Is its currency still sound? Will the Republicans spoil a good thing?

On this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss how the U.S. remains the most attractive investment market for the foreseeable future.

The U.S. stock market took off like a rocket the day after the election. Why did it rally as strongly as it did? Was it policy? Something to do with Trump himself? Relief the painful campaign process was finally over? Or could it be the next 2-4 years looks a little less cloudy than it did on Monday? After all, investors have already had 4 years of a Trump presidency. Or could it be some sort of combination?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the markets’ extreme reaction following the U.S. elections, and what to expect for the remainder of 2024 and moving into 2025.

Leading up to election, social media has been inundated with posts about minimum and living wages. However, what are they exactly? Do they actually work? Whom do they benefit and whom do they hurt, if anybody? Or, are they mostly political props candidate use to curry favor with voters?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the minimum wage and the concept of a living wage, and why they are difficult to enact, at best, across a nation the size of the United States.

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss trends in the restaurant industry and the likely causes for many of the recent closures. John also gives a huge shout-out to Current Charcoal Grill here in Birmingham.

After another crazy year in the economy and markets, will there ever be a return to some sense of normalcy? Join John Norris, Sam Clement and David McGrath from our investment committee in this recorded webinar panel discussion on this topic and more:

- How will the Fed rate cuts impact the economy? - Why the disconnect between the economic data & public perception? - What can the stock market do for an encore? - Will the U.S. be able to avoid a recession? - Will the presidential election have an impact on the markets?

We'll talk through this and more! Plus, listen in on our Q&A session at the end. 

To the outsider, American consumers must be a weird bunch. They will bemoan the cost of something insignificant, like a carton of eggs, while spending obscene amounts of money on concert tickets, sporting events and other types of activities. Undoubtedly, this change in consumer behavior will impact the economy moving forward. However, are the government agencies accurately capturing its impact using methodology they developed for a simpler time? What if our experiences are changing how we look at the economy?

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the soaring cost of having fun and what it means for the economy on our daily lives.

Last week, The People’s Bank of China threw an unprecedented amount of stimuli on the Chinese banking system in order to spur the sluggish economy. The Chinese stock markets have soared in response. However, will it be enough? The Chinese economy and banking system are facing severe structural challenges which could take decades to repair. From declining demographics to the collapse in the residential real estate market to the Communist Party exerting control over the private sector, China is probably not the growth engine it once was.  

In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris talk about the recent attempts to jumpstart the floundering Chinese economy. Will they work? Or will China be in for a decade of discontent?

In the United States, millions of people use some form of social media every second of every day. For many, it is their primary source of information. If so, just how accurate is it? Further, are they getting news from a number of different sources and voices? Or is it the same people saying the same thing over and over again? In this week’s Trading Perspectives, Sam Clement and John Norris discuss the impact social media outlets will have on the upcoming elections?