Insights topic
Anton's Weekly UPdate on markets, the consumer, jobs, housing, and the Fed
It seems investors entered 2025 with guarded optimism. Interest rates and inflation are stable, and household finances continue to improve. The labor market continued to add more workers, slowly reducing the millions of
Anton Bayer · February 18, 2025 · 7 min read
The US economy continues to improve in many areas which would indicate continued positive momentum and continued growth. Today, our focus will be on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Turnover (JOLTS) rep
Anton Bayer · February 5, 2025 · 6 min read
After two consecutive years of robust US stock market gains, investors are nervous about stock values and meeting high growth expectations, especially in the tech sector. For reference, the major indices' two-year run ha
Anton Bayer · January 28, 2025 · 6 min read
We have mentioned in past UPdates the importance of monitoring the financial health and sentiment of US consumers. The primary reason is that American spending represents a whopping 67.9% of America’s Gross Domestic Prod
Anton Bayer · January 21, 2025 · 5 min read
The US economy has had two extraordinary consecutive years of stock market gains. What happened to the recession analysts and major media pundits warned investors in 2022? Although many sectors and indices did not match
Anton Bayer · January 15, 2025 · 6 min read
It may be just physiological, but I really enjoy January. Granted it’s just another 30-day period like any other month. But January is motivating to me because it’s the start of a new year to achieve new goals and experi
Anton Bayer · January 8, 2025 · 5 min read
For the past three years, small business owners have been struggling with economic and social issues that have limited their ability to grow. Each month the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) publishes
Anton Bayer · December 17, 2024 · 6 min read
My daughter loves to shop. In fact, her two love languages are shopping and someone is paying for it. Apparently, at least the shopping part is also a language of love for a lot of people. Adobe Analytics reported that b
Anton Bayer · December 11, 2024 · 4 min read
Late Friday afternoon on November 29, 2024, 61 of us traveled from San Antonio to Reynosa, Mexico to volunteer for Strategic Alliance to build three houses for three related families all living in small shacks.
Anton Bayer · December 4, 2024 · 8 min read
The housing market came to an abrupt halt for the second time this century. The first shock to housing was following the 2008 Great Recession when existing home sales plummeted from a record 7.25 million annual sales in
Anton Bayer · November 20, 2024 · 7 min read
As long-time readers know, to determine potential future events I refer extensively to similar historical periods for insights and guidance of what the future may hold. The saying is very true “That if you don’t know whe
Anton Bayer · November 13, 2024 · 8 min read
I don’t know about you, but it seems the costs for everything are getting crazy. My wife went to the grocery store and items that were $9 last week are $14 this week. You can’t tell me grocery store or supplier costs hav
Anton Bayer · November 6, 2024 · 4 min read
According to this month’s University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers report, Consumers for the fourth consecutive month have improved their view of their finances and the economy. It’s been a rough road for consumers t
Anton Bayer · October 30, 2024 · 6 min read
September retail sales increased 0.4% from August and is the third consecutive month over month (MoM) it has increased. The 0.4% is substantially higher than August’s 0.1% monthly increase. Even though retail sales have
Anton Bayer · October 23, 2024 · 6 min read
We have warned at the end of the strong first half of 2024 that a summer selloff is not unusual. Not only are selloffs and market corrections typical, but they are also necessary to extend a positive growth trend of stoc
Anton Bayer · October 9, 2024 · 4 min read
Today we have received a trove of economic reports that indicate that companies are still hiring and growing while it appears the economy is in a mild slow-down cycle. This seems contradictory and begs the question:
Anton Bayer · October 2, 2024 · 8 min read
The very low volume of existing home sales reported last week by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) would indicate the continued impact of current decades' high mortgage interest rates. The NAR reported only 3.86
Anton Bayer · September 25, 2024 · 4 min read
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released its Small Business Optimism US Index today indicating it has decreased to 91.2 in August. This breaks the improving trend since dropping to a multi-year low
Anton Bayer · September 11, 2024 · 6 min read
After a long Labor Day weekend, investors started the first trading day of September by selling. The reason floated out by the main media for today’s selloff is investors skittish about the S&P Global US Manufacturing Pu
Anton Bayer · September 4, 2024 · 5 min read
As we forecast in June, the US stock market to enter a period of weakness with stock prices declining during the summer after the major indices had a solid rally in the first half of 2024. The reasons for summer weakness
Anton Bayer · August 29, 2024 · 5 min read
For general education only, not individualized tax or investment advice. Up Capital Management is a Registered Investment Adviser.