Cadent Capital, LLC Blog

The Federal Reserve (Fed) and Biden Administration cautioned earlier this year that rising inflation was to be expected and that it was transitory in nature. While they did not choose to provide guidance for what constitutes a transitory period, it is, by definition, not to be thought of as permanent. As the months and quarters tick by, it is clear the inflation we are experiencing extends beyond a purely transitory rebasing of prices and disrupted supply chain phenomenon.

If you’re considering entrusting your finances to a professional, you’ll want to make sure you do your research. There are plenty of individuals who will vie for your business, promising to work in your best interest, but it’s important that you take the time to weed out the good from the bad. When planning a meeting with a promising advisor, you may feel uneasy about what to ask. Before your appointment, spend some time thinking about what it is you want from a financial advisor, and consider asking to ask these 5 questions to help you determine if who you’re hiring is right for you.

Last quarter, we took a look at inflation and taxes as rising concerns, and why they may not derail the stock market recovery. Since then, tax hike fears have moderated a bit, but that is a topic still very much in flux. Conversely, inflation concerns have accelerated as we’ve seen year‐over‐year inflation hit 5.4% as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI‐U). While admittedly alarming, upon deeper inspection, it is more like a small dog, more bark than bite, so far.

A little over a year ago, just before COVID-19 was coming into focus, the economy and stock market seemed to have the “IT” factor.  The global economy was improving, trending toward synchronous growth.  Unemployment rates, inflation levels, interest rates and taxes were historically low – at least by modern standards.  By most measures, the early 2020 economy and stock market could do no wrong.  They had a certain je ne sais quoi that was hard to put a finger on, but it was undeniably working…you could say it had the IT factor.