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Inflation is still running hot while real incomes quietly slip, creating a growing disconnect beneath record market levels. This week Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down why investors are focused on strong corporate results even as consumers grow more selective with their spending across retailers like Costco, Dollar Tree, and Best Buy. Plus, we dive into the widening gap between AI winners and worriers and what it signals for the next phase of the market. Plus, segments on the importance of Roth accounts and solo aging.

This week, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down a fast-moving mix of global headlines and what they mean for your money, from rising tensions overseas to new policy moves that could reshape housing and trade. We also dig into the latest economic data and what the Federal Reserve is really signaling about inflation, interest rates, and where things could head next. From AI driven mega deals and IPO buzz to what retailers, homebuilders, and everyday companies are seeing right now on the ground. Also, important money habits you should pass on to children that aren't just saving.

Big global moves this week as the US and China reopen trade channels on beef, oil, and agriculture, even as tensions flare over Taiwan. Meanwhile, political shakeups hit both sides of the Atlantic with Kevin Warsh narrowly taking the helm at the Fed and the UK prime minister stepping down after market jitters. Back home, Trump pushes a gas tax pause and cheaper beef while economists flag the risks of populist policies, and housing data barely ticks higher. Also, how to navigate the ups and down of the retirement smile along with contribution strategies.

This week’s episode tackles big, politically charged developments, from the SEC’s proposal to scale back quarterly reporting requirements to the ongoing uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz and its global implications. Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down key economic signals, including tighter lending standards from banks and what shifting loan conditions say about business confidence. Plus, we explore real-world impacts—from a hesitant housing market facing affordability pressures and rising costs, to war-driven uncertainty that’s cooling spending and threatening the pace of recovery. Also, why is retirement confidence low?

This week, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen tackle a high‑stakes mix of geopolitics and monetary policy, from escalating Middle East tensions and OPEC fractures to the curious push for rate hikes despite elevated oil prices. They break down a sharply divided Fed, increasingly hawkish signals from global central banks, and what could be Chair Powell’s closing chapter as a leadership transition approaches. Meanwhile, the hard data stay firm, solid GDP growth and jobless claims that echo a “Summer of ’69” labor market, plus practical insights on filing tax extensions and finding long‑term care solutions for a loved one.

This week, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down why retirement confidence has fallen to its lowest level in a decade, with rising costs and uncertainty driving fresh anxiety for workers. We also look ahead and ask whether less Fed transparency could mean more rate volatility, why balance sheets may matter more than ever, and how global energy flows could be quietly re‑routing away from geopolitical chokepoints. Other segments include uncovering the confusion about Roth conversions and tax filing extension myths.

This week, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down the political crosscurrents driving market anxiety, from the abrupt pause of Kevin Warsh’s nomination hearing and a stunning regime change in Hungary to stalled U.S.–Iran talks and the ongoing issues with the Strait of Hormuz. They connect the dots to an economy showing strain: softer housing data, rattled small businesses, cautious hiring, rising input costs, and a Beige Book dominated by uncertainty. The picture isn’t quite recessionary, but it’s far from healthy. Plus, former Navy SEAL John Choate joins the show to share firsthand perspectives from overseas and how geopolitics looks when you’ve seen it up close.

This week, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen unpack where income taxes really hit hardest, why nearly a third of Americans owe nothing in federal income tax, and how mandatory spending has quietly taken over the budget. They also look at the fragile U.S.–Iran ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz, and why geopolitics still has markets, and policymakers, on edge. Plus, investing in the world of AI, and should you ever pause your 401(k) contributions?

This week, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down calls from President Trump to step back from Middle East security, his push to exit the Iran conflict after crippling its nuclear and military capabilities, and Tehran’s demand for guarantees to prevent future aggression. We also look at why today’s oil price shocks matter less than they once did, how the U.S. economy has become far more energy‑efficient since the Gulf War era, and why the Fed is inclined to “wait and see” rather than react to temporary supply shocks. Plus, a timely policy shift from the Labor Department as new rules move 401(k) plans closer to private equity, private credit, crypto, and other alternatives, providing clearer fiduciary cover for plan managers. Also, segments on "Direct Indexing" and who should be listed as the taxpayer in your household?

Four our Week in Review, Dave Spano and Dr. Brian Jacobsen break down a volatile week where energy markets defied logic, with negative prices in parts of the US recalling the shock of April 2020 and highlighting how oil profits can sometimes cushion gas losses. We also unpack fast moving geopolitical developments, including shifts in US Iran relations and Turkey weighing the sale of gold reserves to stabilize its currency. Plus, segments on smart ways to use larger tax refunds, and ways to plan for wedding costs.