Wealth Management News & Insights
See How Rising Prices in Chicago Compares to Other Metro Areas, Super Bowl 59 Attracts Record 127.7 Million Viewers, The Michelin Guide is No Longer the Only Tastemaker in Town
Primary Sources
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Monetary Policy Report: Inflation moderated a little further last year after having slowed notably in 2023, but it remains somewhat above the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) objective of 2 percent. The labor market appears to have stabilized following a period of easing, with the unemployment rate flattening out at a relatively low level over the second half of last year. [FRB]
Financial Markets
- Walmart Is Retail King Again. Can It Keep the Crown?: America’s largest retailer is gaining share across income groups. [WSJ]
- Major Currencies Steady as Markets Size Up PPI Optimism, Tariffs: The U.S. dollar and major currencies steadied on Friday, as traders assessed the potential impact of Washington’s reciprocal tariffs which will not be immediately implemented, while a U.S. producer price report eased inflation concerns. [CNBC]
- Cocoa Stockpiles Plunge to Record Low: Chocolate makers grab available reserves to counter acute global shortage. [FT]
The chart above displays the share of sales derived from outside the United States for various market indexes. Mag. 7 companies have the highest international sale shares at 49%, followed by the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) at 46%.
Financial Planning
- See How Rising Prices in Chicago Compare to Other Metro Areas: Prices in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area are up 4.3% year over year, exceeding the 3% increase nationwide. The month-over-month increase here was 1.2%, versus 0.5% nationwide. [Crain’s]
- Where is My Tax Refund?: The IRS started accepting tax returns on Jan. 27 — and by the April 15 federal deadline, the agency expects to receive more than 140 million individual tax returns. Here’s a quick guide to navigating the 2025 tax filing season. [NPR]
Retirement Planning
- The 401(k) Has Reached a Tipping Point in Its Takeover of American Retirement: Half of private-sector workers are now saving in these plans, decades after they replaced traditional pensions. [WSJ]
- Retire As A Team – How Couples Can Plan For A Dream Retirement Together: Retirement isn’t just about reaching a financial milestone; it’s about creating a shared vision for your future together. [Forbes]
The table above compares actual January CPI inflation data with forecasted data for various categories. Actual inflation values exceeded forecasted values throughout most categories. Energy and transportation services saw the largest difference between actual and forecasted values.
Business Strategy
- Inside Amazon’s Messy Push to Bring Everyone Back to the Office: The five-day policy dials back flexibility that predated the pandemic; employees are returning to find they have no desks, not enough parking and still endless virtual meetings. [WSJ]
- Musk Says He Will Pull Bid if OpenAI Remains a Nonprofit: Unsolicited offer has complicated Sam Altman’s plans for the ChatGPT maker’s future. [WSJ]
- CNBC Sport Super Bowl 59 Attracts Record 127.7 Million Viewers: The NFL’s big game this year was aired on Fox Corporation’s broadcast network and on its free, ad-supported streamer Tubi. Advertisers shelled out up to $8 million in hopes of getting in front of the biggest live audience on TV. [CNBC]
- Honda and Nissan Scrap $50 Billion Merger Plan: The Japanese companies’ decision to call off negotiations highlights the challenges legacy automakers face in partnering to tackle new technologies. [NYT]
Life & Work
- Planning a Train Trip in Europe? New Sleeper Trains and High-Speed Routes Await: Also in the works, streamlined digital booking and Eurostar competition. [NYT]
- Meet the Adults Who Swear By the Kids’ Menu. ‘Give Me Chicken Tenders and I’m Happy’: Consumers looking to beat rising food prices or stick to healthier diets seek smaller, cheaper options; ‘sometimes there’s a little prize’. [WSJ]
- ‘The White Lotus’ Is Coming to Thailand. So Are the Tourists: Crowds of visitors descended on Maui and Sicily after the HBO show’s first two seasons. Is the tropical resort island of Koh Samui ready for Season 3? [NYT]
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2025 Shortlist Includes OutKast, Maná, Phish and Billy Idol: The shortlist includes a hitmaker from the early rock era who has lobbied for consideration, a groundbreaking Southern rap duo and a rock group who would be the first ever inductees to have performed primarily in Spanish. [NPR]
- The Michelin Guide is No Longer the Only Tastemaker in Town: How is it adapting to changing eating habits? [The Economist]
- From a Celebrated Chef, a New Line of Home Goods: Clare de Boer and her husband, Luke Sherwin, have launched Roseland, a company selling furniture inspired by early American design. [NYT]