Consumers Gear Up for the Holidays November 20, 2024 The Resilient U.S. Consumer Carries On Retail spending in October remained above trend with improved data for September. Let us think about the big picture: over the last three months, annualized retail sales are up 4.6% y/y. This compares to the 20-year average increase of 4.2% […]

Special Edition: Russia and Ukraine Escalations Rise November 20, 2024 1. Russia/Ukraine Escalation: Worry or Not to Worry? Tuesday morning, Ukraine fired U.S.-made ATACMS missiles toward Russian weapon arsenals, the first time such an attack has taken place since the beginning of the war on February 24, 2022. The attack comes two days after the Biden administration […]

W/ Stephanie Link We Are in the Soft Landing Week of November 18, 2024 1. Markets Realign after Trump Rally. Markets pulled back last week following the U.S. presidential election and the November Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting as investors focused on what the Trump Administration will look like for growth and inflation. The S&P 500 […]

A New Dawn of Health Care November 13, 2024 The Turnaround of a Global Epidemic? In September, the CDC reported that 40.3% (~134 million) of adults in the United States were considered obese (defined as a body-mass index (BMI) reading above 30).1 These statistics have risen steadily in the U.S. and across the globe. In the […]

With Stephanie Link Markets Climb, Volatility Falls   Week of November 11, 2024 1. The Most Anticipated Week of the Year. The markets typically do not like uncertainty. Last week there were three major events that provided more clarity for markets: the U.S. election outcome, the Federal Reserve monetary policy changes, and China’s level of detail on […]

A Market-Moving Trump Victory November 06, 2024 Wednesday Morning: What We Know Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States. As it stands Wednesday morning, Trump has obtained 276 electoral college votes, surpassing the 270 needed for victory. Additionally, the Republican party has flipped three Senate seats and taken hold […]

with Stephanie Link Markets are Rationalizing Crosscurrents  Week of August 12, 2024 1. Unknowns Will Lead to Further Volatility. Markets digested a lot of information last week. On Monday, the S&P 500 had its largest single-day decline (-3%) since September 2022 and still finished the week flat. The VIX also had its largest ever intra-day jump on […]

Olympic Rotation – Week of July 29, 2024 1. More Market Rotation Equity markets underwent further re-allocation last week, out of mega-cap tech and into styles, sectors, and industries that have lagged this year. The Russell 2000 was up over 3% in the week with the S&P 500 declining about 1%. Since the July CPI report, the […]

Stephanie Link on CNBC July 19 – July 26, 2024 Hightower’s Chief Investment Strategist, Head of Investment Solutions and Equity Portfolio Manager Stephanie Link is a frequent CNBC contributor on The Halftime Report, Squawk Box, The Closing Bell and Power Lunch. Stay up to date each week as she shares her on , economy and […]