Good morning.
Is consumer growth good? It seems to depend on who you ask … as Goldman Sachs recently reduced recession concerns thanks to a strong consumer … while others see third-quarter GDP increases projected by economists as worrisome … as it deflates the hope of the Fed reducing rates any time soon … and stocks are declining this morning as worries over this gain traction.
The problem, of course, is inflation. And the first article below mentions ways individuals are attempting to cope with rising prices.
One of the items mentioned is … well … shopping around for “sales” on basic items. Somehow it seems many have been favoring convenience over financial smarts without adding up the extra costs they have been paying on a daily basis.
Sorry about the soapbox on this … but I saw a video last night where Shark Tanks’ Kevin O’Leary (“Mr. Wonderful”) gave the opinion that anyone who gets a job where they are barely scraping by … especially those first starting out … who then goes out and spends $15 on lunch (vs. an assumed $1 of making a sandwich at home and bringing it in) … is not so wise … and he makes a good point.
I find myself falling into the convenience trap and promise myself to take more careful notice.
Just the other day I was in a local restaurant with decent food … ordered a diet coke … and my half- filled glass (with tons of ice) cost $4.99. I am ashamed to say what the total bill came to even though we skipped dessert … but when I received the bill for 3 people … I realized could have bought a 50” TV at Costco and still had money left over.
Speaking of TV, I included an article below where more NFL games are now on “streaming channels” (rather than regular stations) than ever before. Frankly, I find it problematic … and last year I had to search around to find where a game would be shown … ESPN+? Apple TV? Amazon Prime? … it is maddening.
But last year was not such a big problem … as my Jets proved they would be out of the playoffs starting in early September … as they usually have been every year.
But it is finally their time to shine.
I am just not sure how … or where … to watch the games.
Have a great day,
Joseph G. Witthohn, CFA
Vice President
Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC
610 Freedom Business Center Drive
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Direct: (610) 285-9905
cell: (856) 625-7915
wit@teamemerald.com
#vaccinatetosave
As of 11:58 AM today …
Is the Fed winning or losing the battle against inflation? It depends on who you ask, but for quite a few Americans the war has already been lost as they struggle to survive (USAToday)
… and no one seems to be going anywhere any time soon … as mortgage demand continues to drop as rates remain high (CNBC)
Even though there are so many stories about AI … there are other advancements making positive noise. Medical improvements continue … (ScienceFocus)
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/reverse-paralysis-injection
Take this one with a grain of salt as the world just faced its hottest summer on record … but the record doesn’t really go back too far. Statements like this need more data (CNBC)
Do you want to age faster? Silly question, of course … but if you are not getting good night’s sleep you may be unintentionally aging yourself (CNBC)
The NFL season is about to start … but how can you watch your favorite teams? Suddenly you are being forced to switch to a streaming site … and maybe more than one (CNBC)
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/06/football-nfl-shift-toward-streaming-away-from-regular-tv.html
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The statements above are supplied for educational purposes only. The statements depict the viewpoints and opinion of the author and are not necessarily the views of Emerald Asset Management or its affiliates. The information described herein is taken from sources which are believed to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed by us.
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