Casual Friday: Financial Insights
Welcome to Ford Financial Group's Casual Friday Podcast, where we review subjects relevant to investing, and topics that impact our clients and their plans for retirement.Investment advice is offered through Ford Financial Group, a Registered Investment Advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial. The Financial Advisors of Ford Financial Group are also Registered Representatives with and securities are offered through LPL Financial, Member SIPC, www.sipc.org.For a list of states in which we are registered to do business, please visit www.FordFG.com.1-856451
Episodes
This week Brian and Ryan took to the second half of 2024 by reviewing some of the key highlights from LPL Research's recently unveiled Midyear Outlook 2024: Still Waiting for the Turn, the semi-annual report that recaps where markets and the economy have been over the first half of 2024.
As we reach the halfway point of 2024, a sense of persistence defines the economic and market landscape. Trends from late 2023 have continued...
Over the past few years, the path of interest rates has been highly unpredictable due to factors like inflation, economic growth, and the Federal Reserve's policies. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield exemplifies this volatility, having surged from 3.8% at the end of last year to a peak of 4.7% in April, before recently settling around 4.2%. These higher rates have confounded the expectations of investors and economists, creating...
In this eye-opening episode of the Casual Friday: Financial Insights podcast, hosts Brian and Ryan delve into the ever-evolving world of online scams, fraud, and identity theft. As the digital landscape expands, so do the tactics of cybercriminals. Brian and Ryan shed light on some of the most common and insidious scams circulating today, from phishing emails and fake tech support calls to social media scams and fraudulent websites...
This week Brian is joined by our special guest Brian Domingos, owner of Premier Valley Realty, a full-service real estate brokerage firm based in Fresno, California.
Brian and his brokerage assists clients with buying and selling residential properties in the Central Valley, Central Coast, and Sierra Nevada areas. In addition to real estate sales, they offer property management services through their subsidiary Cypress P...
This week Brian and Ryan talk about how the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached 40,000 for the first time recently as markets continue to rebound from a 5% decline earlier this year. While this has felt like a difficult year for many investors due to inflation, high interest rates, and growth concerns, the reality is that the broad market has achieved 23 new all-time highs. Other asset classes, including international stocks and c...
In uncertain market conditions, cash holdings can offer a sense of security for investors. The past few years have seen significant market volatility due to various factors such as the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, monetary policy changes, inflation concerns, and technological disruptions. Amidst this turmoil, the allure of cash has grown, especially as interest rates on cash instruments have reached multi-decade highs, presenti...
In this episode of Casual Friday: Financial Insights, Brian and Ryan delve into the recent pullback in the markets, which have dipped at the onset of the second quarter. After kicking off the year with strong gains, the landscape has shifted due to a combination of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, rising inflation concerns, and uncertainties around corporate earnings.
Join us as we discuss strategies for understan...
This week Ryan and Brian come up for air from a busy tax season to examine how current tax brackets, both personal and corporate, compare to where brackets have been historically. They also touch on the possibility of brackets changing in the future, especially in light of the Federal debt to GDP ratio (spoiler: it's high).
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As we delve into the intensifying presidential election season, every day brings us closer to November 5, Election Day. We're witnessing what appears to be an impending rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Given the months ahead until November, it's understandable for investors to feel uneasy about the potential effects of political events on the stock market and the broader economy.
The current political...
This week Eric and Brian review how much "dry powder" is in money market funds and how these cash equivalent investments have swollen to record levels as rates have risen. However, event the Federal Reserve has said rates are coming down, so what are investors options if those sweet interest rates on money market funds really start to fall?
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Su...
This week Ryan and Brian discuss how all of the jobs lost during the pandemic have been recovered (and then some), and how business are still having trouble hiring, despite the large number of unemployed workers.
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This week Ryan and Brian review what could be ahead this year as the Fed begins to cut interest rates, and discuss how that impacts both equities and bonds in portfolios.
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Questions? Email us at info@FordFG.com
Web: FordFG.com
...
This week Ryan and Brian review LPL Research's 2024 outlook for stocks, bonds and the economy, and give there take on what could be ahead.
LPL Research 2024 Outlook: https://bit.ly/3RKkZXG
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Click here for Ryan's chart: ht...
This week Ryan and Brian talk about how both stocks and bonds have been accelerating into the end of the year, though there may be reason to temper your optimism for 2024.
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In this episode, we dive deep into the world of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). Join us as we explore how QCDs can be a tax-savvy way to support your favorite charitable causes while benefiting your retirement savings. Brian shares valuable insights and practical tips to help you navigate this powerful financial strategy.
A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) is a tax-free donation from an IRA to a qualified...
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Questions? Email us at info@FordFG.com
Web: FordFG.com
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performanc...
Bonus episode time! This week Brian discusses how tax bracket thresholds and Social Security benefits are adjusted for inflation.
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup
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Questions? Email us at info@FordFG.com
Web: FordFG.com
The opinions voiced in this mate...
This week Ryan and Brian talk about how the positive year to date performance of the S&P 500 has been driven by just a few stocks, and how a bear & bull market chart might be able to tell us when the S&P 500 could return to all time highs is in store for the US economy.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup
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This week Ryan and Brian talk about how AI has the potential to radically change the profitability of certain industries, and how economists polled by the Wall Street Journal are now evenly mixed on whether a recession is in store for the US economy.
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Click here for Ryan's chart
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And the Wall Str...
This week Ryan and Brian talk about how bond yields have shot higher recently, and how stock and bond markets have taken a beating as a result.
Click here to register for FFG's October 17th Webinar
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Click here for Ryan's chart
Click here for CNN's Fear and Greed Index
Seasonality chart referenced by Brian from...
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