Investors' Insights and Market Updates

The Cost of Thanksgiving Comes Down
Each year, the American Farm Bureau releases an estimate of what it costs to feed a family of ten for Thanksgiving, a lighthearted but useful snapshot of price trends for holiday staples. The latest estimate projects an average meal cost of $55.18, which is 5% lower than last year and well below the record high of $64.05 set in 2022. After several years of elevated prices, the continued decline offers consumers much-needed relief during the holiday season. However, the price movement isn’t uniform across the Thanksgiving table. Turkey leads the price drop, falling 16% to an av...

This week on Innovation Mavericks, we sat down with Jack Hernig, a standout leader known for bold innovation and creative strategy in the entrepreneurial world. From launching a business to future-focused planning and sharpening problem-solving skills, Jack reveals what it really takes to compete differently. His maverick mindset offers business owners and leaders a roadmap to break the mold and set themselves apart.

Watch to learn more.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Bi...

Corporate Earnings: A Powerful Undercurrent
Despite recent worries, rising credit card delinquencies, increases in announced layoffs, and other soft spots across the economy, corporate earnings continue to deliver strong support for equity markets. In the third quarter, 82% of S&P 500 companies surpassed earnings expectations, handily beating the four-year average of 76.3%. Year-over-year earnings growth for the index reached 13.1% as of November 7th, on pace to mark the fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit earnings expansion. With analysts expecting record earnings in the coming quarters, valuation questions naturally follow. The S&P 500’s forward price-to-earnings ratio stood at 23.1 in late October, we...

This week on Innovation Mavericks, we sat down with Elliott Davis, Owner and Operator of Automatic Audio Video, to explore what it really takes to build a business at the cutting edge of audio and video technology. From identifying a simple need, “a guy who can make it all work,” to creating a thriving company that simplifies home tech for everyone, Elliott’s story is all about turning innovation into impact.

Watch to learn more.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Fi Plan Par...

Understanding the Shutdown’s Economic Impact
The surprise agreement over the weekend marks significant progress toward ending the shutdown. Lawmakers have reached the 60-vote threshold in the Senate to move forward with a “minibus” spending bill, which funds portions of the government, including the Department of Agriculture and food assistance programs, through September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year. The remaining sections of the budget will be funded through January 30 of next year, meaning another round of negotiations will likely resume in early 2026. This deal came together after eight Democratic senators joined Republicans to push forward the effort...

AI is changing the game, and this week on Innovation Mavericks, Greg Powell sits down with Magna5’s Justin Cameron, Jacob Bever, and Jeff Jablonski to explore how businesses are turning AI into real-world results. From driving team adoption to keeping the conversation moving in a rapidly evolving landscape, their insights are not to be missed.

As a trusted IT partner, Magna5 supports over 700 SMB, mid-market, and enterprise clients with cybersecurity, managed IT, compliance, cloud hosting, AI solutions, consulting, and cutting-edge technology services. Tune in for a conversation that explores the real-world impact of AI and what th...

On this week’s episode of Educational Insights, Trey Booth talks through why innovation can be disruptive, but it’s also a long-term engine for job creation. While new technologies can feel threatening in the moment, history shows they consistently spark new industries, new opportunities, and greater economic growth than they displace. Tune in to learn how creative destruction drives progress and what it means for investors positioning for the future.

Watch to learn more.

Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF®
Chief Investment Officer
Wealth Consultant
Email Trey Booth here

Fi Plan...

Credit Cards Flash a Warning
Recent data highlights potential strain within the consumer sector. Three of the eight leading economic indicators we monitor are signaling concern, and one area drawing particular attention is credit card delinquencies. The percentage of Americans delinquent by 90 days or more has surpassed 12 percent, a level not seen since the Great Financial Crisis in 2009. Consumers have been a major engine for economic growth, supported by job strength and rising incomes. However, the question now is whether that momentum has come at the cost of greater debt stress. Rising delinquencies paired with potential increases in...

In our newest episode of Innovation Mavericks, Greg Powell sits down with Pam Smith, owner of Classic Travel by Pam, recently named Hoover’s Best Travel Agency and Best Travel Agent 2025. Pam shares how she turns travel planning into an art form, taking the stress out of every trip while delivering unforgettable, perfectly tailored experiences for her clients. Tune in to hear her secrets for seamless travel, expert planning, and why innovation matters in this industry.

Watch to learn more.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Tracking Economic Health: The Recession Checklist
With headlines focused on government shutdowns, slowing consumer spending, and questions about the direction of the economy, now is the perfect time to revisit our recession checklist, an essential tool we use weekly to evaluate the economy’s health. This checklist functions like a diagnostic report, monitoring key leading indicators such as GDP growth, employment trends, consumer confidence, and manufacturing activity. Currently, three of the eight indicators we track are signaling caution: housing, consumer expectations, and manufacturing. Housing permits have lost momentum amid elevated rates, though we expect improvement as rates ease. Co...

In this week’s episode of Innovation Mavericks, Greg Powell sits down with John Bentley, founder of Power 2 Transform, to explore how true leadership begins with self-leadership. After 21 years in the Air Force and a powerful personal journey of renewal, John shares how discipline, accountability, and emotional awareness can unlock both personal and organizational success. He also opens up about the foundation he launched in memory of his daughter and his upcoming book, I Lead Me, focused on helping others realize their potential. Don’t miss this moving conversation about resilience, growth, and what it really means to lead your...

Corporate Profit Margins and Market Valuations
In recent months, market valuations have drawn renewed attention as investors question whether current price levels are sustainable. A closer look, however, reveals that strong corporate profitability continues to support elevated valuations, particularly in the S&P 500, where profit margins remain near all-time highs. The technology sector now represents a larger share of the S&P 500 than at any point in history. This shift, combined with robust earnings performance, helps justify today’s higher valuation metrics. Historically, there has been a positive correlation between profit margins and the index’s price-to-earnings (P/E) r...

Understanding Market Valuations
Recent surveys indicate that 91% of fund managers believe U.S. stocks are overvalued, while emerging markets are considered undervalued. Historically, market pullbacks often occur when investors are least expecting them, rather than when caution is high. Significant changes in market composition have contributed to elevated valuation multiples. Technology companies now represent approximately 25% or more of the S&P 500, compared to just 10% in the 1970s. Technology companies typically experience faster growth and trade at higher price-to-earnings multiples, while sectors such as consumer staples, energy, and utilities have declined in index representation. This structural shift helps explain...

Momentum Carries into October
September is typically known as a difficult month for equities, yet this year it defied that reputation. The broader market ended the month up 3.1%, supported by strong earnings momentum, a resilient economy, and renewed optimism around the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting cycle. The ongoing surge in artificial intelligence investments also continues to be a powerful catalyst for growth. Historically, October has marked the beginning of one of the best three-month stretches for equities. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has averaged a 4.2% gain from October through December, with positive returns in 80% of those periods. November through Ja...

Did you know Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) allow contributions to bypass payroll, federal, and state taxes. Watch this week’s Educational Insights episode as Mark Hume outlines how HSAs work, who is eligible, and why they are sometimes referred to as offering a “triple tax advantage.”

Watch to learn more.

Mark Hume, CFP®
Senior Vice President
Wealth Consultant
Email Mark Hume here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and busi...

Housing’s Key Role in the Economy
Housing remains one of the most significant drivers of the U.S. economy, representing roughly 18% of GDP and more than one-third of consumer spending. Because of this outsized impact, it also serves as a critical indicator of economic activity and future trends. Recent Federal Reserve rate cuts have prompted questions about whether housing affordability may improve. Signs of a potential turning point are already emerging: new U.S. home sales have spiked while new home prices have trended lower. Lower prices and lower rates are stimulating activity, a positive development for bo...

We are thrilled to welcome Lexie Watts to the Fi Plan Partners team as our new Marketing Manager. In this episode of Team Strategies, she sits down with our President and CEO, Greg Powell, and our COO, Felicia Ludlum, to discuss her passion for using marketing to elevate the client experience and her vision amplifying the Fi Plan Partners brand. Lexie brings a desire for clear, impactful communication and a people-first approach to strategy, helping elevate the client experience across every platform.

Watch to learn more.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth C...

Navigating Today’s Bull Market
The current bull market, which began on October 12, 2022, has now run for 34 months, well below the historical average of 59 months for bull markets since 1928. Although it may feel extended, the data suggests it is still relatively young compared to past cycles and has not yet delivered the triple-digit returns seen in some previous runs. Bull markets are periods characterized by rising prices and investor optimism, typically marked by gains of 20% or more. Historically, these markets must navigate a tug-of-war between positive developments, such as strong corporate earnings, solid consumer spending, and potential rate cu...

Market ups and downs don’t cancel each other out the way you might think. Watch this week’s Educational Insights episode as Trey Booth explains the “hidden tax” of volatility and why focusing on downside protection can make a major difference in your long-term returns.

Watch to learn more.

Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF®
Chief Investment Officer
Wealth Consultant
Email Trey Booth here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, we...

The Federal Reserve’s Decision and Market Impact
The Federal Reserve is scheduled to meet on September 16–17, with markets largely expecting a 25-basis-point rate cut. While the size of the cut may already be priced in, the real question is how markets will respond afterward.
Two areas are especially important:

Falling Rates and Market Implications
Recent jobs data came in weaker than expected, which pushed long-term interest rates lower. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped from around 4.3% to below 4.1%, a significant move that reflects market forces rather than direct Federal Reserve action. This decline is important because most businesses and households rely on long-term borrowing. When long-term rates fall, mortgages and housing markets can benefit, creating positive momentum for the broader economy. In contrast, last year when the Fed cut rates, long-term yields rose, limiting the intended economic boost. Markets are now pricing in two to three potential rate...

Fed Hints at Rate Cuts
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell made statements last Friday that strongly hinted at a potential interest rate cut in September. This would mark the first rate cut since December 18, 2024, when the Fed reduced rates by 25 basis points. If implemented, the September cut would come after a nine-month gap, the longest pause between cuts in recent history. Historically, extended gaps between rate cuts have often signaled positive long-term outcomes for markets. However, short-term volatility remains a key concern. September and October have traditionally been challenging months for stocks, and given signs of economic slowing...

Labor Market Resilience
Recent updates on inflation highlight important trends for consumers. While headline inflation remained relatively tame in July, the Producer Price Index (PPI) told a different story. The PPI for final demand, which measures average price changes received by domestic producers, showed that companies are increasingly passing cost increases along to consumers. Despite these pressures, retail sales data indicates that consumers remain willing to spend. This resilience is largely supported by the labor market, which continues to show strength. Although hiring has slowed, layoffs remain minimal. Importantly, CEO hiring forecasts have improved since April, when tariff...

Blended families can present unique estate planning challenges, especially when it comes to housing. Watch this week’s Educational Insights episode as Mark Hume explains how a life estate strategy, triggered by a will, could help ensure a surviving spouse has housing security while preserving the inheritance for biological children.

Watch to learn more.

Mark Hume, CFP®
Senior Vice President
Wealth Consultant
Email Mark Hume here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the natio...

Outperforming Expectations in a Volatile Market
Market volatility remained a dominant theme last week as investors continued to process the ongoing news around tariffs. Despite these headwinds, one critical driver of equity markets, corporate earnings, has delivered far stronger results than anticipated. As the second-quarter reporting season nears its close, with roughly 70% of S&P 500 companies having reported, earnings continue to exceed expectations. Sales growth has reached 5.6%, while blended earnings growth stands at 11.2%, well above the July 1 estimate of 5.8%. If these numbers hold, it will mark the third consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Strong results from the technology...

Insights on Tariffs and Market Movement
Last week was a heavy one for markets. As we noted earlier, there was significant potential for volatility driven by macroeconomic data, and that’s exactly what unfolded. Between a lower-than-expected GDP print, a soft jobs report, and heightened geopolitical tension around trade, the result was increased market uncertainty. The most notable downside risk stemmed from the Federal Reserve and the reluctance to commit to a September rate cut, despite mounting evidence of economic slowing and added pressure to the markets. The justification? Powell pointed to tariffs as inflationary, hence resisting a do...

A provision in current tax law allows individuals to make qualified charitable distributions directly from their IRAs before reaching their required minimum distribution age. Watch this week’s Educational Insights episode as Mark Hume breaks down how this strategy remained unchanged through recent legislation and how it may offer tax advantages.

Watch to learn more.

Mark Hume, CFP®
Senior Vice President
Wealth Consultant
Email Mark Hume here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the n...

Consumer Confidence and Household Resilience
This week brings several important economic indicators, and consumer confidence is the top among them. Despite headlines about tariffs and slowing savings yields, the consumer remains surprisingly strong. We hear from clients that bank savings account yields are declining, and that’s supported by the data: peak yields from money market funds have dropped since August of last year. However, these yields are still elevated by historical standards, dating back to 1990. Even as passive income from savings weakens, consumers are well-positioned. High credit card debt often dominates headlines, but household balance sheets remain he...

As generational wealth shifts hands, new priorities and perspectives are rising to the forefront. Watch this week’s educational episode where Ashley Page breaks down how this transformation is influencing everything from charitable giving to long-term planning.

Watch to learn more.

Ashley Page, JD, MBA
Senior Vice President
Wealth Consultant
Email Ashley Page here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi P...

The Small Business Boost
Recent legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, has introduced significant tax incentives for small and medium-sized businesses, and these changes are already generating widespread interest. This is no surprise, as businesses with fewer than 500 employees make up more than 80% of total employment in the U.S. Specifically, companies with 1–49 employees represent 44% of total employment, while those with 50–499 employees account for another 38%. The bill includes several impactful provisions. Chief among them is the permanent 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction for pass-through entities, such as sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and S Corporations. Previously set to expi...

Retirement plans aren’t one-size-fits-all and choosing the right one can make a big difference for your future. Watch this week’s educational episode where Ty Miller breaks down the key options, including some that many investors overlook.

Watch to learn more.

Ty Miller
Associate Vice President
Wealth Consultant
Email Ty Miller here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan P...

Corporate Earnings: What to Watch and Why It Matters
Earnings are always a major driver of the stock market, but this season carries even greater weight than usual. As economist Larry Kudlow famously said, “Earnings are the mother’s milk of stock market growth.” This earnings season is particularly important because of how much has changed since the last earning seasons. Rarely does a corporate tax code change so drastically from one quarter to another, but that’s what’s happened. It’s rare to see such a dramatic shift in tax policy from one quarter to the next. The mo...

Watch this week’s educational episode where Trey Booth unpacks a surprising perspective on America’s $50 trillion debt. You might be shocked at how small that number looks when you see what it’s up against.

Watch to learn more.

Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF®
Chief Investment Officer
Wealth Consultant
Email Trey Booth here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment firm in Birmingham, AL, with a team of professionals serving clients across the nation through financial planning, wealth management and business consulting. The team at Fi Plan Partners creates s...

This week on Investors’ Insights, we break down the newly passed legislation that’s making headlines, and the under-the-radar debt ceiling implications that could shake up liquidity and the markets. From hidden risks to potential market winners, now’s the time to understand what’s inside this thousand-page bill and what it could mean moving forward.

Watch the full episode to learn more.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®
Managing Director
Wealth Consultant
Email Bobby Norman...

From the Senate’s sweeping new tax bill to July’s historical market strength, this week’s vlog breaks down the key headlines worth watching. With rate cuts, housing shifts, and technical trends in play, now’s the time to stay informed.

Watch the full episode to see what it all could mean for markets and the economy moving forward.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®
Managing Director
Wealth Consultant
Email Bobby Norman here

Trey Bo...

In this episode of Investors’ Insights, we break down the key forces shaping the markets: tax reform, oil prices, and technical signals.

With the Senate’s new tax bill diverging sharply from the House version, we explore its potential impact on both markets and personal finances. We also examine how rising oil prices may benefit producers and why technical indicators continue to signal market strength despite global tensions.

Watch now for timely insights on how these developments could impact the markets and the economy.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
...

In this episode, Adam Vansant and Sonja McGittigan break down smart, proactive strategies to get ahead of key year-end planning items like RMDs, IRA contributions, and more. They also highlight the importance of keeping your beneficiaries and accounts up to date. Learn how taking small steps now can simplify things later and discover the tools we offer to make updates seamless and stress-free.

Adam Vansant, AIF®, BFA™
Senior Vice President of Operations & Advisory Services
Wealth Consultant
Email Adam Vansant here

Sonja McGittigan
Operations Specialist
Email Sonja McGittigan here

This week on Investors’ Insights, we cut through the noise with facts, not emotions, on market reactions to geopolitical tensions, historical data, and the Fed’s latest moves.

Tune in for timely insights on how these developments could shape markets and the economy in the second half of 2025.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®
Managing Director
Wealth Consultant
Email Bobby Norman here

Trey Booth, CFA®, AIF®
Chief Investment Officer
Wealth Consultant<...

In this episode, the Portfolio Team pulls back the curtain on market momentum, revealing why the data paints a more optimistic picture than the headlines suggest. Greg Powell and Bobby Norman break down key profit trends, surprising economic signals, and what they could mean for the months ahead.

Watch now to learn more about today’s market.

Greg Powell, CIMA®
President and CEO
Wealth Consultant
Email Greg Powell here

Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®
Managing Director
Wealth Consultant
Email Bobby Norman here

Trey Booth...

In this episode of Educational Insights, Bobby Norman, CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®, and Robert Moody, CFP®, CEPA®, explore external exit strategies for business owners, including private equity, strategic buyers, open market sales, and more. Learn how to navigate these complex options to maximize your business’s value when selling outside the family or team.

Bobby Norman CFP®, AIF®, CEPA®
Managing Director
Wealth Consultant
Email Bobby Norman here

Robert Moody, CFP®, CEPA®
Senior Vice President
Wealth Consultant
Email Robert Moody here

Fi Plan Partners is an independent investment fi...