Economic Insights

Where are the Hidden Risks in Your Portfolio Currently? Plus, an idea.

Allocators add new exposures for a variety of reasons; diversification, returns, risk mitigation, etc. Understanding this, what is the most over-owned and expensive sector today?

Consumer Spending: Are Consumers Tapped Out or Pushing Back?

Consumer Spending: Are Consumers Tapped Out or Pushing Back?  Key Summary: Sentiment towards the consumer and spending is about as negative as I’ve seen. Assets...

Knocked Down Inflation: July 2024 HANDLS Monthly Report

After a red-hot June built on expectations that the Federal Reserve may succeed at killing inflation without killing the economy, July saw investors begin to question the soft-landing narrative.

Carry Traders Get Carried Out

It looks like a big margin call started in Japan. The Japanese Yen has become a funding currency in recent years, a source of cheap financing with the proceeds reinvested in better returning assets – such as US$ listed AI stocks.

Small Cap Catch-Up: Market Reset?

This week marks the beginning of a significant earnings season, with reports expected from several major companies including NFLX, ASML, JNJ, BA, MS, UNH, TSM, and GS.

June Retail Sales Report Leads to More Questions

Today's retail sales release has us scratching our heads. The posted number showed strong retail sales for the month of June (ex-autos) with the control...

June HANDLS Monthly Report: Summer Heat

The graph and table above provide return data for major income-oriented asset categories for the month of June 2024 and YTD 2024. Returns for...

The Fed is Fighting Yesterday’s Problem & Creating Tomorrow’s Economic Challenge

While the first quarter's CPI prints this year were above expectations, one needs to 'look under the hood' to have a better view on inflation (where it was and where it is going).

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The Fed’s Dilemma: Why Rate Cuts Could Trigger a “Crack-Up Boom”

The crack-up boom happens when everyone tries to get out of a losing currency and into “hard assets” like gold, real estate, and other real things.

Rate Cut Hype Fuels Growth: August 2025 HANDLS Monthly Report

Suffice to say, all of this reinforces a timeless investing principle: diversification pays off over the long haul.

How Leading Consumer Brands Have Emerged Stronger Since 2019

The last five years have been among the most intense stress tests in modern business history.

The Market’s “Lost” Moment: How Many Seasons Can This Rally Run?

For months, investors have been scaling what feels like an endless wall of worry. Each concern that gets resolved seems to spawn new uncertainties, yet the market has continued its relentless climb higher.

Can Markets Keep Their Cool? July 2025 HANDLS Monthly Report

Politics Trumps the Numbers, Can Markets Keep Their Cool?