Markets with Megan: A Quick Financial Markets Update

🚨 The final inflation report is here before next week’s big Fed meeting! 🚨 In today’s Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down the August Consumer Price Index (CPI), the earlier Producer Price Index (PPI), and what both mean for the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates. 📊 Key topics in this episode: - CPI headline vs. core inflation 📉 - How energy & food costs shaped...

The Producer Price Index (PPI) is out — and it’s sending a big signal about inflation, the Fed, and the future of markets. In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down: ✅ What the latest PPI numbers tell us about producer-level inflation 📊 ✅ Why this matters for consumer prices, wages, and supply chains 💵 ✅ How the Federal Reserve could react in upcoming meetings 🏦 ✅ Th...

🚨 The annual payroll revision is out and it’s rewriting the story on U.S. job growth. Are payrolls as strong as we thought, or is the labor market showing cracks beneath the surface? In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down: ✅ What the payroll revision reveals about the economy 📉 ✅ Why earlier job growth may have been overstated 🏦 ✅ How markets and the Fed could reac...

The latest U.S. employment report is shaking up Wall Street and could be the catalyst for long-awaited Fed rate cuts. 📉 In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down the key numbers, market reaction, and what it all means for interest rates, inflation, and investors going forward. 👉 Are rate cuts finally on the table? 👉 What does the jobs data say about the labor market’s st...

📊 The Services Sector just dropped its latest ISM report, and it’s giving investors plenty to think about. While manufacturing has been weak for months, services are still holding up—but inflation pressures and employment signals are telling a different story. In today’s episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down: ✅ The key takeaways from the latest ISM Services data ✅ Why inflat...

📊 Manufacturing in the U.S. just won’t recover. The latest ISM Manufacturing Index shows another month in contraction—making it 30 out of the past 32 months below 50.  Headlines are calling this “good news” because prices paid dipped, but Megan Horneman discusses why the reality isn’t as positive as it sounds. 👉 In this episode of Markets with Megan, we cover: Why U.S. manufacturing can’t shake...

The 2Q earnings season recap is in — and the results were stronger than expected! 📈 Nearly 80% of companies beat Wall Street estimates, with year-over-year earnings growth topping 12%. That’s above both forecasts and the 10-year average. In this episode of Markets with Megan, CIO Megan Horneman breaks down: ✅ Why recession fears are fading (mentions of “recession” fell 90% on earnings calls) ✅...

Inflation continues to move in the wrong direction, complicating the Federal Reserve's September meeting decision despite market expectations for an interest rate cut. The latest core PCE data—the Fed's preferred inflation gauge—rose to 2.9% year-over-year in July, up from 2.8% in June, signaling persistent price pressures throughout the economy. Breaking down the numbers reveals concern...

The latest jobless claims report is out, and the numbers are raising eyebrows. 📉 What does this mean for the U.S. job market, the Fed’s next move, and the broader economic outlook? Megan Horneman, CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors, gives insight in today’s episode of Markets with Megan. ✅ Key insights on jobless claims and labor market health ✅ How rising claims could impact inflation & inte...

The latest jobless claims report is out — and the numbers are raising eyebrows. 📉 What does this mean for the U.S. job market, the Fed’s next move, and the broader economic outlook? Megan Horneman, CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors, breaks it all down in today’s episode of Markets with Megan. ✅ Key insights on jobless claims and labor market health ✅ How rising claims could impact inflation &amp...

The August housing report is in, and it’s raising eyebrows. 🏡📉 In this episode of Markets with Megan, Verdence Chief Investment Officer Megan Horneman breaks down the latest Housing Starts and Building Permits data, what it signals for the real estate market, and how it ties into the broader U.S. economy. With interest rates, inflation, and home affordability all in the spotlight, Megan answers...

July 2025 was a historic month for U.S. equity investors! 📈  In this episode of Markets with Megan, Verdence CIO Megan Horneman breaks down the key drivers behind the S&P 500 hitting 15 record highs, the behavior of the bond markets, and the latest economic data that had investors buzzing.  🌍 From equity strength to interest rate expectations, Megan uncovers whether this market momentum has...

📉 U.S. jobless claims are rising. But is this a red flag for the economy or just a temporary shift in the labor market?  In this episode of Markets with Megan, 📊 Chief Investment Officer Megan Horneman disects the latest unemployment data, what it means for the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy, and how it could impact your investment strategy heading into the fall. 🏛️ Is the Fed’s tighteni...

The cracks in the U.S. labor market are starting to show—and the Fed is watching closely. In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan covers the June JOLTS Report, which revealed a 275,000 drop in job openings and a decline in the quits rate to just 2%. With fewer people quitting and job openings nearing parity with unemployment, it’s clear: the labor market is cooling. But is it enough for the F...

Consumer confidence is rising—and so are Americans’ expectations for their financial future. In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan covers the Conference Board’s July Consumer Confidence Report, which shows: ✅ Expectations hit a 5-month high ✅ Income confidence at a YTD high ✅ Inflation expectations drift lower to 5.8% ✅ Labor market outlook softens ✅ Markets down despite upbeat sentime...

With the August 1st tariff deadline looming, trade deals are trickling in—and fast.  In this episode of Markets with Megan, we break down the latest developments, including key agreements with the EU, Japan, the UK, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Megan also covers the stalled negotiations with Canada, Mexico, India, and China—highlighting what’s at stake and what could be coming next. Wh...

Housing prices just won't quit—but is that about to change?  In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman, CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors, unpacks the latest housing price data and what it means for buyers, sellers, and the broader economy.  With affordability still a major issue and inventory constraints tightening, Megan breaks down what’s fueling these price trends, how the Fed...

Stocks are climbing and optimism is rising—but is it justified?  In today’s episode of Markets with Megan, unpack the market’s reaction to fresh economic data and what it means for potential Fed rate cuts.  Megan breaks down consumer sentiment trends, inflation signals, and the Fed’s next move. Are investors looking past key risks, or are they betting right on resilience?  Tune in for clear, no-no...

Housing data for June may signal a market thaw despite headline numbers missing expectations, with supply increasing and price growth slowing significantly from 6% to just 2% year-over-year. Although housing transactions fell short of expectations, fundamental shifts in market dynamics could finally break the logjam. Supply of existing homes has increased to levels not seen since June 2016, addres...

Retail sales just surprised Wall Street — again. On this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman, CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors, dives into the latest economic data and why the U.S. consumer continues to defy expectations. June’s retail report came in stronger than economists anticipated, sparking questions about inflation, interest rate policy, and whether this resilience is sustainable....

📉 Are tariffs finally starting to hit your wallet? In today’s episode of Markets with Megan, we break down the latest inflation data and explore how the renewed impact of tariffs is fueling higher prices across the economy. With the Fed still holding rates steady, investors are left wondering: Is a rate cut coming, or are inflation risks rising again? 🚨 Megan dives into: - The fresh inflation nu...

Small business optimism just slipped again, and it may be telling us more about the economy than you think. In this episode CIO Megan Horneman dives into the latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index and breaks down why this matters for investors, the economy, and future Fed decisions. With five out of the last six months showing a decline in sentiment, are business owners signaling deeper trouble...

Today's market headlines about inflation being subdued don't tell the full story. Core PCE, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, came in hotter than expected at 2.7% year-over-year, moving further from the Fed's target. • Core PCE rose to 2.7% year-over-year, above expectations of 2.6% and higher than last month's 2.5% • Inflation impacts from tariffs haven't shown up...

The Federal Reserve may finally be tipping its hand. In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan discusses Jerome Powell’s two-day testimony to Congress and what it reveals about the Fed’s strategy heading into the second half of the year. From interest rate timing to inflation risks and looming tariffs, this episode dives into the key takeaways every investor needs to know. In this episode: • Wh...

After U.S. military action over the weekend, markets opened with mixed signals. Megan Horneman, CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors, shares how investors are interpreting the unfolding events in the Middle East, what’s happening with oil and gold, and how this could influence the Fed's path on interest rates. Key topics covered: -Market reaction to geopolitical tension -Investor sentiment and sa...