February 12, 2024

Weekly Market Update

By Michael McKeown, CFA, CPA - Chief Investment Officer

Weekly Market Update

Chart of the Week

Betting against the US consumer is usually not a winning wager.

Households have more money. It started with the stimulus in 2020-21. Now incomes are growing faster. With inflation falling towards a more normal level, spending is at a higher trend level.

While the excess savings may run out in 2025, the runway for this year looks clear.

Real consumer spending above pre-COVID trend

What We’re Reading

NFL Succession Crisis Forces Teams to Let Private Equity In – Bloomberg
A Few Thoughts on Spending Money – Morgan Housel
Eye on the Market: Five Easy Pieces – JPMorgan
NDR: ‘No recession and a Strong Bull Market’ — Or a ‘Recession and a Bust for the Fed’ – Institutional Investor

Podcast of the Week

Interview with Yours Truly (Michael McKeown) on the CFA Society Cleveland podcast – Guardians of Finance

Last Week

On the heels of a stellar jobs report, the data last week shows a growing economy. The services data beat expectations. Jobless claims came in lower than expected. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow, which attempts to show a real-time look at growth this quarter, came in at 3.4%.

The Past Week

The Week Ahead

On the docket we have the inflation report on Tuesday, which is estimated to show an annual inflation rate of 3%. Later in the week we will keep an eye on the Philly Fed Business Index and retail sales. Companies are in the heart of the earnings reporting season. Many consumer companies report this week, which will give us an idea of the status of business fundamentals.

The Week Ahead

Thank you for reading.

Important Disclosure Information

Marcum Wealth, LLC (“Marcum”) is an investment adviser registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a specific level of skill or training. A copy of Marcum’s current written Disclosure Brochure discussing its advisory services, fees, and material conflicts of interest is available upon request.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Marcum), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this communication, will be profitable, equal any corresponding historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Certain strategies and vehicles referenced in this communication, such as private investments, Opportunity Zones, and ESG investing, may present increased or novel risks, including potentially higher management fees, reduced liquidity, shorter performance histories, or increased legal or regulatory exposure, compared to more traditional publicly traded securities and investment strategies. All investors should consider these potential risks in light of their individual circumstances, objectives, and risk tolerance. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this commentary serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Marcum. The asset allocations reflected in this communication are targets only. Actual allocations can and often will deviate from these targets, including in instances of volatile markets, large deposits or withdrawals, or during account rebalancing.

Historical performance results for investment indices, benchmarks, and/or categories have been provided for general informational/comparison purposes only, and generally do not reflect the deduction of transaction and/or custodial charges, the deduction of an investment management fee, nor the impact of taxes, the incurrence of which would have the effect of decreasing historical performance results.  It should not be assumed that your Marcum account holdings correspond directly to any comparative indices or categories. Please Also Note: (1) performance results do not reflect the impact of taxes; (2) comparative benchmarks/indices may be more or less volatile than your Marcum accounts; and (3) a description of each comparative benchmark/index is available upon request.

Not all services described herein will be necessary or appropriate for all clients. The scope of the services to be provided depends upon the needs of the client and the terms of the engagement. The potential value and benefit of the adviser’s services will vary based upon a variety of factors, such as the client’s investment, tax, and financial circumstances, and overall objectives. Neither personalized services nor financial or professional resources or processes should be construed as a guarantee of a particular outcome. All investing comes with risk, including risk of loss.

If you are a Marcum client, please remember that it remains your responsibility to advise Marcum, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. Unless, and until, you notify/advise us, in writing, to the contrary, we shall continue to provide services as we do currently. Marcum is neither a law firm, nor a certified public accounting firm, and no portion of the commentary content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. Tax and accounting services provided by Marcum, LLP. Insurance services provided by Marcum Insurance Services, LLC.