Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast

By John Norris

What's Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast about?

In this podcast, John & Sam exchange perspectives on current events that are impacting our economy and influencing investment strategies. Trading Perspectives is hosted by Oakworth Capital Bank's Chief Economist, John Norris along with Sam Clement, Associate Managing Director.

https://www.oakworth.com/

[email protected]

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Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast episodes:

04.18.2024
Can the United States Win A Global War?
With all the turmoil around the world, and the subsequent drawdown on US stockpiles, just how prepared would the US be if the planet erupted in a hot war? Would the United States have enough ammunition, missiles, ships and planes...
04.10.2024
California Dreaming - Minimum Wage Edition
Last week, the minimum wage for fast food workers in California went to $20. This will become the de facto minimum wage for unskilled labor across the state. While it might seem like a win for workers, what will be...
04.03.2024
Is the Key Bridge Key to the Economy?
Last week, a wayward container ship struck the Key Bridge causing it to collapse. This effectively closed the Port of Baltimore until the powers that be can clear the wreckage from the shipping channel. Will these delay derail the US...
03.28.2024
Our Men & Women in Haiti?
The recent turmoil in Haiti begs the question just what is the United States’ role in that fractured country? However, what should our role be in the Democratic Republic of Congo? Somalia? Myanmar? Gaza? Ukraine? The jungles of Colombia? Central...
03.21.2024
EV or Not EV? That is the Question.
This week the Administration restated tailpipe emission standards which will effectively end the American auto industry as we currently know it. The goal is simple: to have more Americans drive more electric vehicles in order to drive down harmful carbon...
03.13.2024
Can't Buy Me Love?
Everywhere you look, it seems people are doing better than you are. They drive nicer cars. Eat better food. Wear nicer clothes. Have cooler friends. Take fancier trips. You name it. However, the chances are someone is looking at you,...
03.06.2024
Not So Super Tuesday
What if they threw an election and no one cared? After all, both Biden and Trump had pretty much locked up their party’s nomination long before this week. So, a lot of Americans didn’t even bother voting. How will the...
02.29.2024
To Spend or Not to Spend? That is the Question.
The government says the economy is growing rapidly and the U.S. consumer is alive and well. However, people don’t seem to believe this apparent good fortune, and complain about having to tighten their belts. So, just how strong is the...
02.14.2024
When Will Inflation Quit Inflating?
This week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was higher in January than analysts had been predicting. The markets didn’t like the news, much like consumers. The question remains: how much longer will inflation be...
01.31.2024
The Case Against Emerging Markets
There is little argument much of this century’s economic growth will come from emerging economies. However, that doesn’t mean there will always be money to be made in them for US investors. Growth is one thing, profit is another and...
01.24.2024
The Campaign is Already Wearing Thin
The bickering, back-biting and name calling which we have come to expect from election cycles is already at a fever pitch. Although Donald Trump still has to get past Nikki Haley, the two political parties are wasting little time bad-mouthing...
01.11.2024
Crypto for Grandma
This week, the SEC effectively approved Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency ETFs for retail investors. No longer will folks have to trade on some shadowy platform or even open up a Coinbase account. It is cryptocurrency for the masses, but is it a good...
01.04.2024
A Few Resolutions to Start the Year
While a lot of people make resolutions to start the year, few of them actually see them through to fruition. With that in mind, what should the planet’s most powerful people resolve to do this upcoming year? What will they...
12.27.2023
A Look Into the Crystal Ball for 2024
What will the stock market do next year? Will the economy go into recession? How many times will the Fed cut rates, if they do so at all? As always, there are so many questions leading into a new year....
12.14.2023
The End of Higher Rates - For Now
This week, central banks across the world essentially said their collective fight against inflation was over. In the United States, the Fed’s own data suggested it would start cutting the overnight rate roughly 3 times in 2024. Couple that with...
12.06.2023
College Football Tomfoolery?
This past weekend, the CFP Committee chose its Top 4 teams to participate for the national championship. But were they the best, let alone the most deserving teams? Is there any real difference between the best and the most deserving?...
11.29.2023
The Global Shift to the Right?
After surprising right-wing victories in elections in Argentina and the Netherlands, pundits have noticed there seems to be a growing trend towards nationalism, especially in Europe. While some outlets blame record immigration levels for this change in sentiment, the causes...
11.22.2023
Bringing AI Back to the Front Page
This past week, the board of directors at OpenAI abruptly terminated co-founder and CEO Sam Altman. This came as a shock to just about everyone but the board itself. However, it reopened the conversation about AI and its potential future...
11.15.2023
Is America's Influence Declining?
Depending on to whom you are talking, America’s global influence is either plummeting or slowly decreasing. Regardless, it seems no one feels the US is in ascendency. How did this come about and what are the reasons? Further, what does...
11.08.2023
When Will the Consumer Quit Complaining?
Although analysts keep saying inflation is coming down, prices at the store certainly aren’t. This is the difference between relativity and absolutism. Although prices have been elevated for a while, consumers continue to have sticker shock. So, how much longer...
10.25.2023
How Are We Going to Buy for Everything?
As everyone knows, Washington is already running eye-watering deficits. What happens when the U.S. has to significantly increase defense expenditures in order to fulfill our global promises? Couple that with an apparent unwillingness to address runaway entitlements programs, and how...
10.19.2023
How Weight Loss Impacts the Economy
Recently, consumers have been using drugs approved to treat diabetes to lose weight. Depending on the person, the results can be significant. Further, it seems people using these drugs for weight loss often change their consumption patterns, at least to...
10.12.2023
Turmoil in the Middle East
Last weekend, Hamas unleashed a coordinated military attack against southern Israel, catching the latter off guard. While the world’s leaders have condemned the attack, social media message boards and websites aren’t anywhere close to being one-sided for the Israelis. Far...
10.05.2023
How Much Higher Will Rates Go?
Long-term interest rates have climbed dramatically over the last two months. This has negatively impacted bond and stock investors. However, many people fear they have higher still to go. After all, Washington keeps running massive deficits. The Federal Reserve and...
09.27.2023
Are EV Dreams a Nightmare?
This week, Ford announced plans to pause production on an electric vehicle battery assembly plant in Michigan. This was due to political pushback stemming from the realization that Ford was going to license the necessary technology from the Chinese firm...
09.21.2023
How Many Strikes Are In An Out?
The division between labor and management seems to be growing around the world. From railway workers in Sri Lanka to doctors in the U.K. to screenwriters in Hollywood to autoworkers in the Midwest. Does it make sense? Or do those...
09.14.2023
Will Inflation Eat Your Wallet?
Recent sharp increases in energy prices have caused pain at the pump and pushed the inflation gauges higher. Couple this with student loan repayments, and what, then, is the state of the U.S. consumer heading into the holiday shopping season?...
09.06.2023
Student Debt Payback Blowout!
After years of pandemic-related moratoriums on the repayment of student loan debt, the clock has finally stopped ticking. Unless something dramatic happens, people will have to start paying back what they have borrowed. Have they budgeted for it? Not likely....
08.30.2023
COVID. Come Again?
It seems COVID is rearing its ugly head again. As a result, more and more people are wearing masks in public and consciously keeping their distance from others. It begs the question: what would the public’s response be to future...
08.23.2023
Are High Interest Rates as Bad as Advertised?
Everyone knows lower interest rates are supposed to stimulate economic growth. If that is the case, the inverse must also be true. However, is that really the truth? After all, the Japanese have had manufactured low interest rates for almost...
08.16.2023
Who is Going to Buy Our Debt?
The Chinese have been reducing their holdings of U.S. Treasury securities. The Federal Reserve has stopped adding huge amounts to its balance sheet. However, Washington will still have to borrow trillions of dollars over the next decade. Will we be...
08.10.2023
The Dog Days of Summer Have Finally Arrived
After a positive July, the dog days of summer have shown up in August. The heat has been oppressive, Fitch downgraded U.S. Treasury debt, Moody’s downgraded the banks and the tech stocks have fallen apart. Is it time...
08.03.2023
They Downgraded the Nation's Debt. So What?
This week, the Fitch Rating organization downgraded U.S. Treasury debt from its highest rating of AAA to AA+. But what did it accomplish? Is the U.S. Treasury market no longer the world’s most liquid? Is the U.S. dollar no longer...
07.26.2023
Barbie Movie Magic?
For much of 2023, commentators have been wondering about the health of the domestic movie industry. Actor and screenwriter strikes aside, a lot of tried-and-true formulas weren’t performing as well as the studios wanted. Was this a change in consumer...
07.19.2023
Beating the Heat
Although the economic data has been a little cooler recently, the temperatures outside have been blisteringly hot. What are people doing to escape heat? Further, what can governments around the world do to combat what seems to be more volatile...
07.12.2023
Where Did Our Trust Go?
Recently, Gallup released the results of its annual survey tracking Americans’ faith in their public and private institutions. Not surprisingly, the results were pretty disappointing. It seems, we don’t place a lot of trust in much in 2023. However, this...
07.05.2023
Did You Have a Meatless Holiday?
Considering all of the advancements in artificial animal protein products, are they logical substitutes to the real thing? After all, all of that soy and pea proteins have to come from somewhere. That doesn’t even include the palm and coconut...
06.28.2023
How Much Would You Pay to Explore the World?
Last week, the terrible saga of the OceanGate Titan made global headlines. Will this put an end to commercial exploration or give it a spark? What’s more, who should pay for search and rescue missions when things go awry? Finally,...
06.21.2023
The High Cost of Hidden Fees
It seems there is always a ‘gotcha’ hidden fee whenever you purchase anything. From thinking you are getting a good deal to sticker shock, this has been a bane for consumers for years. A fee here, a fee there and...
06.14.2023
Are They Really Taking My Stove?
Recently, the Administration has pushed for the eventual elimination of natural gas stoves. Intuitively, this could eventually entail hot water heaters, furnaces and other gas powered appliances or products. Is this feasible? Who will produce all of the necessary parts,...
06.07.2023
The Vanishing Hourly Worker
From Dothan, Alabama, to Edinburgh, Scotland, it seems good help is hard to find. Despite soft economic data, the labor markets remain surprisingly strong. This is especially true for hourly workers. Why are they in such short supply? Are there...
06.01.2023
America's Population Problem
Americans currently aren’t having enough children to replenish the population. Fortunately, immigration should be able to make up some of the domestic shortfall. What is the cause of this? Is it economic in nature? Or is it societal? Essentially, why...
05.25.2023
What Keeps You Up at Night?
At a recent presentation, someone asked John what kept him up at night. Was it the debt ceiling imbroglio? The Federal Reserve? The potential for a recession? War in Asia? War in Ukraine? With so many different problems from which...
05.17.2023
The Boys of Summer Make How Much?
Currently, four of the five big professional sports leagues are in action. While these depend on the common man for success, the money the athletes make is anything but common. The numbers boggle the mind. The question remains: “how much...
05.10.2023
Will Inflation Ruin My Vacation?
While the rate of inflation has recently gone down, prices remain higher than where they were this time last year. Will this impact any summer vacation plans? If so, how? Will more folks have staycations? Or will people make more...
05.03.2023
Is the Dollar Almighty?
The US dollar has been the preferred reserve currency and method of international exchange since the end of WWII. How much longer can this continue? After all, the rest of the world wants a say about how the global financial...
04.26.2023
The Nanny State
Over time, the government has gotten more involved in the lives of American citizens. It seems there is a law, ordinance or tax on just about every action and transaction we make. While the argument is always that they are...
04.19.2023
Can You Be Influenced?
Recently, Bud Light has made a lot of headlines for using social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote its product. This has unleashed a firestorm of opinion on the role of influencers in general. Are they effective? Are they cost...
04.13.2023
Pay What For a Used Car?
Anyone who has been in the market for a new or used car lately knows they have gone up sharply in price. Inventories are still extremely low for both and borrowing costs are substantially higher. Can potential buyers still get...
04.05.2023
Are Layoffs Coming to Your Town?
The U.S. labor markets have been incredibly strong for the last couple of years. However, a few months ago, cracks began to show as tech companies started to let workers go. For a while, the job losses seemed relatively contained...

What's Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Trading Perspectives: An Economic Podcast episodes:

Can the United States Win A Global War?

California Dreaming - Minimum Wage Edition

Is the Key Bridge Key to the Economy?

Our Men & Women in Haiti?

EV or Not EV? That is the Question.

Can't Buy Me Love?

Not So Super Tuesday

To Spend or Not to Spend? That is the Question.

When Will Inflation Quit Inflating?

The Case Against Emerging Markets

The Campaign is Already Wearing Thin

Crypto for Grandma

A Few Resolutions to Start the Year

A Look Into the Crystal Ball for 2024

The End of Higher Rates - For Now

College Football Tomfoolery?

The Global Shift to the Right?

Bringing AI Back to the Front Page

Is America's Influence Declining?

When Will the Consumer Quit Complaining?

How Are We Going to Buy for Everything?

How Weight Loss Impacts the Economy

Turmoil in the Middle East

How Much Higher Will Rates Go?

Are EV Dreams a Nightmare?

How Many Strikes Are In An Out?

Will Inflation Eat Your Wallet?

Student Debt Payback Blowout!

COVID. Come Again?

Are High Interest Rates as Bad as Advertised?

Who is Going to Buy Our Debt?

The Dog Days of Summer Have Finally Arrived

They Downgraded the Nation's Debt. So What?

Barbie Movie Magic?

Beating the Heat

Where Did Our Trust Go?

Did You Have a Meatless Holiday?

How Much Would You Pay to Explore the World?

The High Cost of Hidden Fees

Are They Really Taking My Stove?

The Vanishing Hourly Worker

America's Population Problem

What Keeps You Up at Night?

The Boys of Summer Make How Much?

Will Inflation Ruin My Vacation?

Is the Dollar Almighty?

The Nanny State

Can You Be Influenced?

Pay What For a Used Car?

Are Layoffs Coming to Your Town?