Episode 15 of Trading Perspectives

November 19, 2018, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

John and Sam talk about the biggest shopping day of the year known as Black Friday. Where did the term Black Friday come from? Is it still as relevant to consumers and how does it compare to Cyber Monday? Listen here: http://tradingperspectives.libsyn.com/ We are featured on iTunes, the Apple Podcast app, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Google Play.

Historical Common Cents for November 16, 2018

November 16, 2018, by John Norris

For good reason, it seems the Chinese ‘trade war’ and the Federal Reserve have dominated the post-election business headlines. They should have all along, but politics are far more interesting than monetary policy or international trade negotiations for/to most people. I am the outlier. Recently, I either wrote here in this newsletter or mentioned on our podcast (Trading Perspectives) the Chinese don’t adhere to US election cycles. They don’t care too much about arbitrary quarterly...

Episode 14 of Trading Perspectives

November 13, 2018, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

Local business owner, Bew White, talks to John and Sam about what it’s like to be the largest importer in the state of Alabama during the trade war. Mr. White is the owner of outdoor furniture company, Summer Classics, and imports products from China on a regular basis. How are the tariffs impacting his bottom line? Is the trade war effecting his relationships with his Chinese vendors? Listen here: http://tradingperspectives.libsyn.com/ We are featured on iTunes, the...

Common Cents for November 9, 2018

November 9, 2018, by John Norris

It would seem I have no shortage of topics on which to pontificate, if not bloviate, this week, What, with the elections, FOMC meeting, and a whole litany of other attention-grabbing headlines? Certainly, there is ample fodder to wax on finance, politics, society, how they are intertwined, and the impact on your pocketbook. Indeed. However, I am going to resist temptation, at least for about 800 words, to do what most other people are doing...

Episode 13 of Trading Perspectives

November 5, 2018, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

With the Mid-Term Elections less than 24hours away, John and Sam discuss a variety of different outcomes and the possible impact on the economy in 2019. Will the Democrats take the house as predicted in the polls? Find out what John and Sam are predicting in this week’s episode of Trading Perspectives. Listen here: http://tradingperspectives.libsyn.com/ We are featured on iTunes, the Apple Podcast app, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Google Play.

Common Cents for November 2, 2018

November 1, 2018, by John Norris

The opinions expressed herein are those solely of John Norris, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Oakworth Capital Bank, its management, its ownership, or its associates. The $64,000 Question here at the end this week is: “who is going to win the midterm elections this upcoming Tuesday?” I am going to go out on a very short limb and say the media outlets will, as millions of us will tune into the...

Episode 12 of Trading Perspectives

October 29, 2018, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

When the Mega Millions lottery hit a world record high at $1.6 billion, many people, including host John Norris, rushed out to buy tickets in hopes that they could be the next lucky winner. In episode 12 of Trading Perspectives, John and Sam debate over buying lottery tickets. Is it support for a good cause, good for the economy, or a flat-out waste of money? Feeling lucky? You could be the winner of the Trading...

Common Cents for October 26, 2018 (When Will This Month End? Directions Please!)

October 26, 2018, by John Norris

A different week, the same old red ink. I can’t imagine I will be the only person happy to see October in the rear-view mirror. I mean, talk about everyone having a crisis of confidence at the same time. Holy smoke, gee whiz, or whatever ancient exclamation you want to throw at it. I only ask you keep it G or PG, and leave the swearing to the professionals. After all, this has been a...

Incentive Trusts – Keeping a Steady Hand on the Tiller

October 24, 2018, by John Norris

How you chose to pass down your wealth to future generations is very important. Whether it be children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren, a strong legacy is a wonderful way to ensure the future success of your heirs. However, establishing your estate plan can be extremely worrisome as the legacy you’ve established is no longer in your hands. Many tend to worry that a large amount of money could encourage those left behind to make decisions you...

3rd Quarter Economic Update

October 22, 2018, by Lindsey Owens Krausen

As the last several weeks have demonstrated, the current economy and markets are not for the faint of heart. We will continue to see volatility, which will be exceedingly unpleasant at times, for no other reason than the current economic expansion and Fed tightening cycle are getting a little long in the tooth. Or in a tip of the cap to the baseball playoffs, perhaps I should say we are entering the latter innings of...