In this week’s Steady Investor, we provide insight into the biggest news stories and key factors that we believe are currently impacting the market such as:
• Home prices hit new record in September
• The secret weapon in the labor market
• Hot button items on the tariff list this Christmas
A Mixed Picture for the U.S Housing Market – Are prices for homes in the U.S. rising or falling? The answer depends on the type of home. Existing homes are feeling upward pressure on prices, as higher mortgage rates disincentivize would-be home sellers from moving—and giving up their low mortgage rate in the process. Existing home sales make up a majority of sales in the housing market, and in October they decreased 4.1% from September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.79 million, the lowest level since August 2010. With low national inventory and falling demand, prices are being pressured higher. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index rose 3.9% in September, compared to a 2.5% annual increase in August. As seen in the chart below, home prices can be volatile over time, but the post-pandemic surge means the starting point for rising prices today is very high.1
Is Trading Your Retirement Worth the Risk?
If you’re planning for retirement in the new year, we recommend thinking about how you would like to manage it. It’s different from managing your investments, and even if you’re a smart investor, trying to self-direct your retirement investments poses an extremely high risk.
So, instead of letting your emotions take control, take a look at our free guide, “Why Trading Your Own Retirement Can Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health”. You’ll get insight on:
• The conflicting goals of investment trading and long-term retirement strategy
• Common investor behaviors that can have long-term negative impact
• The near-impossibility of picking consistent winners over time
• Plus, more of the hazards of actively trading your retirement assets, and our views on how to avoid them
Download Your Copy of “Why Trading Your Own Retirement Can Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health.”2
National Home Prices (% Change Year-Over-Year)
But as mentioned at the outset of this story, not all home prices are rising. The median price of a new home fell nearly 18% in October from a year earlier, as builders have taken to building smaller homes while using incentives to keep prices down. New homes tend to be more expensive than existing homes, but at least the supply side of the equation is working in the buyer’s favor.
The Secret Weapon in the Hot Labor Market: Healthcare Workers – We often write in this space about the strength of the labor market, with strong job growth for over two years and rising wages to boot. But one area of the economy in particular has been a key generator of jobs, even as other sectors, like technology, have been shedding jobs in recent months. That area is healthcare. Providers from hospitals to clinics to pharmacies and doctors’ offices accounted for about one-third of all job gains in the last six months, even as the healthcare sector only makes up about 11% of the U.S.’s total workforce. As the baby boomer population ages, an increasing amount of healthcare workers will be needed to meet their needs and provide care, which suggests that the strong hiring trend in the healthcare sector could continue for years to come.4
Healthcare and Social Assistance – New Hires
Hot Button Items on the Tariff List This Christmas – Back in 2018, the U.S. imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum from Europe, and the EU retaliated by implementing tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, from Levi’s jeans to Harley Davidson motorcycles to orange juice. But one item in particular is facing a steep tariff starting on January 1, 2024, unless the U.S. and EU reach an agreement – whiskey. Each bottle shipped faces a 50% tax unless U.S. and EU officials hammer out a deal this month. The likely outcome for now appears to be that both parties will agree to delay the implementation of the tariff as negotiations continue, but in the words of Olof Gill, a European Commission spokesman, until the U.S. permanently removes the steel and aluminum tariffs, “the EU cannot permanently end its countermeasures.”6
Thinking About Trading Your Retirement? Managing for retirement is different than managing your own investments—and you don’t want to risk jeopardizing your financial security in your golden years.
Our free guide, “Why Trading Your Own Retirement Can Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health7” offers some compelling reasons—backed by facts and research—why trading your retirement assets can be hazardous to your financial health.
This guide also explores some of the key differences between trading and investing for retirement:
• The conflicting goals of investment trading and long-term retirement strategy
• Common investor behaviors that can have a long-term negative impact
• The near-impossibility of picking consistent winners over time
• Plus, more of the hazards of actively trading your retirement assets, and our views on how to avoid them.
If you have $500,000 or more to invest, get our free guide today!
Disclosure
2 ZIM may amend or rescind the “Why Trading Your Own Retirement Can Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health” guide for any reason and at ZIM’s discretion.
3 Fred Economic Data. November 28, 2023. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CSUSHPINSA#
4 Wall Street Journal. November 24, 2023. https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/hot-healthcare-hiring-bolsters-cooling-u-s-labor-market-336a7b27?mod=djemRTE_h
5 Fred Economic Data. November 1, 2023. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/JTS6200HIL#
6 Wall Street Journal. November 27, 2023. https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/u-s-whiskey-is-collateral-damage-in-trans-atlantic-trade-fight-688541bc
7 ZIM may amend or rescind the “Why Trading Your Own Retirement Can Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health” guide for any reason and at ZIM’s discretion.
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