It’s peak season in Nola with Jazz Fest, the Zurich Classic, the Pels in the Playoffs, and town is buzzing. We’ll zoom out to examine what all that spending means for the national economy. We’ll also look at wide-breadth market participation and why despite a sell-off in tech, the rest of the market is holding up well. We finish with a rearview mir…

While the debt doomers circle, we’ll examine why no one is good at forecasting and why widely acceptable notions of cross-asset correlations are wrong. We’ll also focus on the market's strengths and discuss the incredible power of America’s dollar, wages, and efficient energy output. Key Takeaways [00:17] - Inflation Update + shelter’s outsized eff…

New CPI data is here, and the economy continues to run hotter than the market was expecting. What does that mean for the Fed cuts we’ve been talking so much about? And are we now in a position to be more accommodative if the market does stall? All of that, plus global parenting trends and our hopes for Tiger at Augusta. Key Takeaways [00:17] - CPI …

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 joi…

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-m…

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 looki…

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-wee…

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 [00:1…

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…

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…

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 …

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 econo…

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 …

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 pos…

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…

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…

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 …

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…

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 inter…

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 slo…

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] - Pa…

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,…

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, b…

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…

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 [0…

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 opport…

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:…

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,…

We kick off this week looking at the bond yield and the risk/reward that the bond/fixed income market presents. We’ll also look at how interest rates/inflation are affecting housing, stocks, the odds of a recession, and general consumer spending. Key Takeaways [00:16] - Looking at the Bond yield [07:38] - The risk/reward of bonds now and in the fut…

We’ll check out a choppy market and how it reacted to last week’s Fed announcement that rates will be higher for longer and another rate hike is on the way. We’ll also look at why we may be entering a time to buy fixed income, how opinion sentiments of inflation have an impact, and give updates on the oil and crypto markets. Key Takeaways [00:18] -…

We start this week with our thoughts on the Fed estimating rates will be higher for longer. We’ll then dive into the craziness of the venture capital industry over the last few years and how interest rates are playing a role. We finish with a historical perspective on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds and bullish takes on Taylor Swift and our New Orleans…

Join us as we examine sticky core CPI numbers and how shelter factors in. We’ll also look at why deflation may be our biggest economic risk right now. We’ll finish with tales of a Somali pirate stock exchange and how an idea from the movie Trading Places is playing out in real life. Key Takeaways [00:25] - Housing’s effect on inflation and CPI [04:…

As we head into a big, energized sports weekend, we go all in on all things energy. From oil and gas stocks to the demand and performance of EVs, we’ll review where we’ve been and where we’re headed in the world of energy investing. Key Takeaways [02:45] - The current state of the oil market [04:41] - The demand for and price of electric cars [08:1…

As we head into Labor Day weekend, we fittingly look at the latest jobs report and the revised GDP numbers. We’ll also think location, location, location as we investigate the areas that are winning and losing the migration/real estate race. Finally, we’ll review some of our favorite COVID-era IPOs and wonder if the euphoria bubble is over for now.…

As the Federal Reserve hosts its annual conference out West in Jackson Hole, we’ll take a look at what Jerome Powell said and what they forecasted that they’ll do next. We also discuss how mortgage rates, cash buyers, and new builds are affecting the real estate market. We finish with Humble Dollar’s seven financial superpowers that can help you ma…

After Michael Burry (of Big Short fame) made his crash prediction, we decided to go back through the success rate of his predictions. We then go abroad and take a look at the Chinese economy’s contraction, how Britain and our Mississippi neighbors are similar, and more insane sportswashing from Saudi Arabia. We’ll end with data on young homeowners …

We start this week by looking at perma-bear prognosticators and on the flip side, the excitement and danger behind the hype of the “next big industry”. And staying on winners and losers, we’ll examine UPS drivers, the decline in petroleum interest, and Phil Mickelson’s eye-opening bets. We will, of course, finish with our weekly inflation update. K…

As potentially positive economic factors pile up, we look at the market’s recovery, what’s factored into disinflation, and where we go from here. We’ll also examine two strategic competitions: oil vs electricity and real estate vs. the S&P 500. Key Takeaways [03:17] - The tailwinds of deflation [07:49] - Is our power grid ready for mass EV usage? […

As performance numbers roll in from some of the country’s largest companies, we take a look at how the markets are performing here vs. the World and how America became a global economic leader. We also discuss how the market deals with intra-year volatility and check back in on Taylor Swift and Messi as market impactors. Key Takeaways [02:38] - Bre…

This week, we look at what comes from cooling inflation paired with a resilient economy. With the latest inflation numbers in hand, we’ll examine how shelter impacts the numbers, visualize the staggering amount of empty office space, and try to explain what’s going on at Disney. Key Takeaways [00:18] - The latest inflation report and shelter’s role…

As we wrap up the week, we take a look at the June jobs report and how it may affect the calls for recession and the Fed’s actions moving forward. We’ll also dissect movement in the electric vehicle, T-Bill, and housing markets and end with our takes on the great American summer blockbusters. Key Takeaways [00:27] - Looking at the newest jobs repor…

As we trot into the locker room at the halfway point of this year, we examine the competing ideology of calls for a recession vs. declining inflation leading to a bull market. We’ll also look at the economy’s resiliency, how America is viewed across the world, and the unprecedented play of Shohei Ohtani. Key Takeaways [00:17] - Recapping the market…

This week, we start by discussing the biggest story in the news, the Titan Submersible tragedy. We’ll also look at the transformation of real estate and stock markets and examine the go-forward outlook of the U.S. economy vs. the World. Key Takeaways [00:22] - Recapping the Titan Submersible tragedy [07:25] - The most expensive U.S. cities to buy a…

We discuss the new CPI data, look back at what the experts predicted, and hopefully put the Fed conversation to rest. We’ll also talk about the potential fading of oil demand and ESG importance, and close with our favorite Indiana Jones movies. Key Takeaways [01:00] - Summarizing inflation data and the Fed’s reaction [05:15] - Did experts see this …

This week, we discuss the two biggest stories in not only the sports world but the world at large. We also dive into how people are living and spending their money and what that could mean for a recession as well as give updates on the bond and oil markets and ChatGPT vs the S&P 500. Key Takeaways [00:58] - Messi’s unprecedented move to the MLS [06…

Stokes’ Managing Partners start by revisiting a point from last week’s episode on down and sideways markets and whether they’re bullish or bearish on a go-forward basis. They’ll also join the discourse on the debt ceiling bill, look at the beginnings of what could be the era of AI, and continue the weekly Fed conversation. Key Takeaways [00:28] - L…

Before we head into the holiday weekend, Greg and Doug Stokes discuss why and how so much has happened over the last two years with very little market movement. They also talk about the possibility of a bull market quietly brewing during this time of consolidation and finish with a recap of Greg’s trip across the pond. Key Takeaways [01:25] - A 10,…

Doug and Greg start this week by noting a pod prediction that came true in regard to the latest CPI/inflation numbers. They also look at current and past S&P 500 top 10 holdings to answer a hypothetical investment question on diversification vs. the big tech stalwarts. Finally, they prepare for the ramifications of the debt ceiling debate, check in…

The Stokes Brothers are back this week to discuss their favorite topic, the Federal Reserve. They question the Fed’s decision to raise rates again, look at the latest bank failure, and examine how these occurrences may slow down the economy. Key Takeaways [00:17] - A busy week with a rate hike and more bank failures [08:54] - The effect of large ba…

This week, the guys are joined by a very special guest. Steve Lane is the author of Mickey Mantle: A Life In Memorabilia which chronicles the life and career of Mickey Mantle through the items in Steve’s extensive collection. They discuss his incredible Mantle items and how sports cards and memorabilia have now become a legitimate investment vehicl…