Friday,
February 17, 2023
Market recap
Dow Jones
33,696.85
-431.20 (-1.26%)
S&P 500
4,090.41
-57.19 (-1.38%)
Nasdaq
11,855.83
-214.76 (-1.78%)
Top Story
Many Americans also fear the impact the high rate of inflation could have on future Social Security benefits. We have strategies to help you approach retirement in this volatile environment.
• The producer price index, which measures change in wholesale prices, jumped 0.7% month-over-month. The increase was notably higher than market forecasts of 0.4%. It marked the most elevated reading in seven months, adding more fuel to the already-precarious inflation fire.
• On the employment front, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week declined to 194,000. The number of jobless claims came in below market forecasts of 200,000 and highlighted yet another sign of a relatively resilient labor market.
• Elsewhere in markets, Bitcoin’s price hit its highest level since August 2022 on Thursday, topping out at just shy of $25,000. The move came days after a bout of increased regulatory scrutiny by US authorities, which crypto markets seemingly shrugged off as they surged higher.
• Investors will get monthly reports for imports and exports. In December, exports dropped 2.6% from November, while imports rose 0.4% over the same period.
• In earnings news, Marcus & Millichap (MMI) will round off the week. The global brokerage firm will be able to provide a comprehensive look at both commercial and residential real estate markets.
Tomorrow is Thumb Appreciation Day (a real holiday!) and the perfect time to make sure your thumbs and your life have the right amount of life insurance.
Wondering how to do the math to find out how much life insurance you need? Let us help you out with some simple methods for calculating that amount of coverage that will give you peace of mind.
And if you’re ready to use your thumbs to secure the financial future of your loved ones who rely on you, consider SoFi’s offering of affordable term life insurance in partnership with Ladder. It’s quick and easy to set up a policy, and the coverage amount and associated premiums can be adjusted at any time with just a couple of clicks. No hassles.
Not-So-Breaking News
Apple (AAPL) delayed the release of its XR mixed-reality headset. It will now debut at the WWDC in June. This anticipated product was originally supposed to be released in 2019.
Warren Buffet’s longtime investment partner Charlie Munger heavily favors the stock BYD (BYDDY) over Tesla (TSLA) based on performance of the two companies in China. Munger reportedly called the Chinese EV stock his favorite stock ever.
Despite a slow housing market in 2022, Zillow (Z) beat analyst expectations for earnings and revenue. The housing app stated it continues to see strong growth and traffic in multifamily properties.
Crocs (CROX) reported record 2022 revenues for both its HEYDUDE and flagship brands. The casual footwear company expects another record year in 2023, fueled by international expansion.
The success of Top Gun: Maverick helped Paramount+ (PARA) eclipse 77 million users. However, despite this user growth, losses for the streaming platform increased to $575 million.
Financial planner tip of the day
“Consider using budgeting apps to help you keep track of your spending and savings. Your time is likely better spent planning and monitoring your budget than it is manually entering your purchases and transactions.”
Brian Walsh, CFP® at SoFi