by Mark Chandik | Dec 2, 2025
Retailers are ringing up solid earnings, but consumer confidence surveys tell a different story, suggesting the mood is far from upbeat. This disconnect raises a big question: if shoppers are still buying, as we will highlight in a moment, why do they feel so uneasy...
by Mark Chandik | Nov 24, 2025
Redfin reported last week that sellers are grappling with the strongest buyer’s market since the real estate brokerage firm began compiling records back in 2013. Sellers now outnumber buyers by 37%. More sellers than buyers give those searching for a home an...
by Mark Chandik | Nov 17, 2025
The government shutdown lasted from October 1 to November 12. It was the longest on record. During that period, the S&P 500 rose from 6,688.46 (September 30) to 6,850.92 (November 12), or an advance of 2.4%. As we’ve noted in prior shutdowns, investors typically...
by Mark Chandik | Nov 10, 2025
The government shutdown has been and will always be prominently featured in the 24-hour news cycle. Travelers are feeling it, furloughed federal employees wonder when they will receive their next paycheck, and even the housing market is affected as some buyers are...
by Mark Chandik | Nov 3, 2025
The Federal Reserve delivered a widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut (bp, 1 bp = 0.01%), but Fed Chief Jay Powell tempered market enthusiasm by signaling that a December cut is far from certain. It was the second rate reduction of 25 basis points in the current...
by Mark Chandik | Oct 27, 2025
Among various assets, one unexpected outperformer has been gold. Since the start of the year, the shiny metal has increased by over 50%, easily surpassing the major stock market indexes. The Dollar Index (DXY) is an index (or measure) of the value of the US dollar...
