Tariffs are controversial. Some Wall Street analysts worry that tariffs could put a brake on global growth and cause inflation. Others believe that tariffs could be a valuable tool for achieving economic and political objectives, which include balancing trade, protecting certain key industries, and national security.

The market climbs a wall of worry, and there is no reliable way to predict what will happen in the short term or even year-to-year. The sudden shifts and often hysterical narrations of the financial media can make investing a fraught experience. But as we gather today with friends and family to give thanks for life’s blessings, it could be helpful to remember that investors in America have a lot to be grateful for.

According to Statista, Thanksgiving is America’s favorite holiday, narrowly ahead of Christmas and Memorial Day. Americans annually brave the busiest airports and highways of the year to gather together with friends and family, enjoy a feast, and take a moment to appreciate all they have to be grateful for. They may not realize it, but that spirit of Thanksgiving is good for their financial security. In this blog we’ll examine nine ways that gratefulness can make you a better investor.

Every once in a while, a new company bursts on the scene and captures the imaginations—and the money—of millions of investors. Typically, that company is in a new category, like electric vehicles or online conferencing. These stocks often experience a rapid and very steep rise in price as investors pile in, and almost always then see a significant drop as the euphoria dissipates. This pattern triggers two very different but problematic behaviors in retail investors: FOMO when they buy and the Disposition Effect when they sell.

Every once in a while, a new company bursts on the scene and captures the imaginations—and the money—of millions of investors. Typically, that company is in a new category, like electric vehicles or online conferencing. These stocks often experience a rapid and very steep rise in price as investors pile in, and almost always then see a significant drop as the euphoria dissipates. This pattern triggers two very different but problematic behaviors in retail investors: FOMO when they buy and the Disposition Effect when they sell.

The Fed made news on September 17, announcing a half percent drop in the fed funds rate. Headline after headline proclaimed “the first rate cut in four years,” but we should remember that rates were at or very near zero until March of 2022, when it appeared that the pandemic-driven inflation had gotten out of hand. Between that March and July of 2023, the Fed raised rates 11 times. This latest rate cut signals that the Fed now perceives a recession to be a bigger threat than rising prices. Investors may wonder what the impact of fed rate changes may have on their portfolio, so with this blog, we seek to provide some historical perspective.