Lagniappe

We’ll react to Jerome Powell’s post-Quarter 1 comments and look at inflation and the economy related to oil/gas, real estate, and commodities prices. We’ll then look at strong financial numbers coming out of Mexico and prognosticate what a bright future could look like with our Southern neighbors as a main manufacturing partner. We’ll finish by joining the national narrative on Caitlin Clark, LSU,...

We’ll start with the flurry of current event news, from the Baltimore Bridge to Trump’s new SPAC. We’ll then look at the FOMO effect of positive markets and discuss how long-term holds can be a time-tested tool to grow your wealth. Key Takeaways [00:17] - Trump’s Truth Social SPAC [03:53] - Baltimore bridge tragedy [08:00] - Historic data after 5-month wins streaks & the start of bear markets  [11...

We’re beginning to sound like a broken record as we record each week coming off more market highs. We’ll discuss how Crypto has roared back after making it through multiple speculative cycles. We’ll also review the positivity that comes with broader market participation. We’ll then examine why you can’t have the debt conversation without also looking at assets and end with the effect of inflation...

With the markets at all-time highs and earnings rising in tandem, we’ll look at why and how the narrative changed so drastically over the last 6 months. Plus, we’ll discuss recession risks being taken off the table with commercial real estate rebounding and the Fed having lots of room to make cuts.   Key Takeaways [00:17] - One of the greatest 19-week rallies ever [02:12] - The recession narrative...

This week, we’ll start with the latest jobs report and examine NVIDIA’s wild ride over the last two weeks. We’ll then discuss troubles with Apple and the airline industry and address concerns that the Fed will lower rates too late. We’ll wrap up with a look at this bull market cycle and how a healthy correction could take place. Key Takeaways [00:17] - Jobs and NVIDIA’s last 15 days [04:10] - Appl...

We’re coming off of another good market month. Sentiment is bullish, and we’ll look into why that’s the case. We’ll then discuss how/why we should hedge that optimism with historical data and end with updates on the electric vehicle and bond markets. Key Takeaways [00:16] - The risk appetite has returned [04:52] - Why are the vibes the way they are right now? [09:09] - Hedging optimism [13:15] - M...

NVIDIA is the story of the week. We’ll look at their rising market cap and why price matters more than hype when it comes to new hot sectors like AI. We’ll also discuss practical AI uses, from big banks to our personal relationships. We end with our suggested advice on how to handle thinking about peaks vs. cliffs during market highs.  Key Takeaways [00:16] - AI is becoming the new hot topic [03:5...

During the Mardi Gras break, we welcome on Seth Johnson, a partner at 388 Ventures. With his wealth of real estate experience and insight, he’ll tell us about the impact of COVID and how it got us to this point. We’ll discuss the challenges that developers and project sponsors are facing, the emergence of a new, alternative lending market, and the banks’ current decision tree. Seth also gives his...

Happy early Mardi Gras from New Orleans! Before we head into a weekend of floats and football, we question why we’re hearing so many economic bears coming out of the woodwork. In that vein, we’ll look at potential bearish indicators like tech bubble rumblings and the country’s unsustainable fiscal path. We’ll then examine tech’s impact on the economy and society as a whole, why some are calling th...

Thanks for joining us each week for 100 episodes of the Lagniappe Podcast. We’ll continue our conversation from last week about small and large caps and what it means to have such a large gap between them. We’ll then look back on a great January and how it falls in line historically, check in on bond market predictions, and track the normalization of the economy after rapid growth and rate hikes....

Coming off the heels of hitting a new high for the S&P 500, we’ll talk about how, why, and what it means that we are in a bull market. We’ll then examine the latest on earnings, inflation, and the effect of a massive cash surplus. With some football talk mixed in, we finish by taking a broader perspective to look back on lessons we learned in a post-COVID cycle.  Key Takeaways [00:18] - China stum...

2024’s markets have gotten off to a choppy start, but that hasn’t stopped economists from calling this a period of vibespansion. We’ll look into the merits of that notion as well as how fixed debt is working to the advantage of home and small business owners. We’ll also take a look at the economic impact of China invading Taiwan and discuss the red flags of investing in countries with autocratic r...

Heading into a big NFL weekend, we look at the wins and losses and what we learned from the market in 2023. We also chat about conflicting inflation data leading to renewed calls for recession. We then finish with a blitz of news including Boeing, Bill Gates, and Zuckerberg’s cows.  Key Takeaways [00:17] - Why the disciplined investor is paid off in the long run [05:18] - Conflicting inflation/CPI...

Happy New Year from Stokes Family Office. We kick off the new year by looking at what historically happens after a good market year and pose the question, are we better off simply expecting positive performance? We’ll then dive into incredibly interesting demographic data, look at the correlation of stocks and bonds, and examine the Ozempic effect on the markets. Key Takeaways [01:03] - Historical...

As we head into Christmas, we’ll discuss whether or not we’ve already seen our Santa Claus rally. We’ll then dive into core CPE numbers and take our weekly look at inflation. Finally, we’ll review the biggest narratives of 2023 before looking ahead to what we hope will be a big 2024 as we explain our pragmatic stance on being long-term bullish. Key Takeaways [02:05] - Have we already had our Santa...

There’s a narrative brewing that the market has beaten inflation/a recession, but we’ll look into why the game is not over yet. We’ll also examine the coiled spring of small and mid-caps, how this bear market stacks up historically, and the wild ride we’ve been on over the past 6 weeks. Key Takeaways [00:17] - Is the market declaring that the interest rate hiking cycle is over? [04:45] - The infla...

Amidst a cloud of public negativity, we’ll combat the perma-bull narratives and go through a list of things you don’t see in a recession. We’ll then discuss why we might need to consider skipping our typical “rules of thumb” during this COVID period. Finally, with the new jobs report in hand, we’ll talk about what happens if the economy doesn’t slow down, what’s on the horizon for multifamily, and...

We dive straight into the bond market as it comes off its best month in the last 40 years. We’ll then discuss how interest rates are affecting residential & commercial real estate markets differently, what the Fed’s next move can/should be, the life of Charlie Munger, and the crazy spending on Holiday travel and shopping. Key Takeaways [00:13] - Patting ourselves on the back (momentarily) for our...

As we look forward to Thanksgiving, we start by saying what we’re grateful for including being American at this point in time of history. We’ll then juxtapose that with what’s going on in one of our favorite countries, Argentina as well as across Latin America and the world. We take note of the strength of the economy in the everyday things we see, give our weekly Fed/inflation update, and finish...

After another positive week in the markets, we’ll go through our weekly inflation check-in, re-examining our own opinions over the past year and looking ahead to what the Fed can/will do next. We’ll then take note of the big bank forecasts that are rolling in and how they compare to last year’s and discuss why in times of elevation in volatility, bearish opinions come out of the woodwork. Key Take...

After a volatile, but positive past week, we’ll discuss comments from Jerome Powell and how the Fed continues to drive the markets while earnings continue to grow. We’ll also reexamine fearmongering prognostications and provide context around the headlines on surging debt. Key Takeaways [00:17] - How the Fed continues to be the market driver  [06:15] - Why some of the most interest rate-sensitive...

Happy All Saints’ Day from the home of the Saints. After recapping Halloween from Uptown New Orleans, we’ll jump into a discussion on the secrecy of some of the largest hedge funds. We’ll then look at the intertwined relationship and valuation of stocks and bonds, the trajectory of the U.S. markets, and our weekly inflation update.  Key Takeaways [01:20] - Looking behind the curtain at hedge funds...

We start today with the narrative that Google’s earnings are the impetus for the markets selling off. Then with a historical perspective, we’ll share what we’re telling our clients during this choppy, ping pong market. We’ll finish with our thoughts on why we actually haven’t slipped into recession and how the U.S. missed a major refinancing opportunity. Key Takeaways [00:17] - Are Google’s earnin...

We open with Saints sadness after a night in the Dome. Then on the anniversary of 1987’s Black Monday, we’ll look back at that historic day and how it compares to today’s choppy market. We’ll then take a deep dive into the bond and real estate markets before examining a narrative shift where good news is actually good news again. Key Takeaways [00:17] - The Saints are no longer fun [03:45] - Looki...

With the new CPI report in hand, we’ll take a look at inflation and how it continues to affect purchasing power and the markets across the board. We’ll also examine why when you start investing can be as vital as anything else. Then, we’ll finish with our weekly Taylor Swift conversation, rave about our own personal experience with Patrick Mahomes, and marvel at the human achievement of a new mara...