Markets with Megan: A Two-Minute Financial Markets Update

🚨 The Contraction Is Upon Us 🚨

In this episode of Markets with Megan, Chief Investment Officer Megan Horneman breaks down the Q1 GDP report and what it signals for the economy and markets moving forward. With growth slowing more than expected, what should investors watch for next?

Megan offers her insights on:

- The GDP slowdown and where it came from
- Implications for interest rates and Fed policy
- Market reaction and potential investment opportunities
- Whether this signals the start of an economic contraction

👉 Don’t miss Megan’s tak...

📉 CPI Keeps Getting Worse: Consumer Confidence Crashes Again

Just when we thought it couldn’t get worse—it did. In this episode of Markets with Megan, we break down the latest April economic data, and it’s not pretty. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index has just hit its lowest level since May 2020, and inflation continues to batter the American consumer.

🔍 In This Episode:
🚨 Why April’s CPI and sentiment data are spooking markets
💥 Consumer confidence tanks again—what’s behind the collapse?
📊 How inflation expectations are fueling a vicious economic cycle
📉 What this means f...

In this special Impact Report episode of Markets with Megan, we look at the headline-grabbing question: Can a U.S. president fire the Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell? 

With President Trump once again vocal about interest rates and the economy, this topic has resurfaced as markets show signs of stress. Megan Horneman explains the legal, political, and economic implications of this scenario, the Supreme Court case that’s brought it back into the spotlight, and what it could mean for investors.

We’ll also explore:
➡️ The independence of the Federal Reserve
➡️ Why Jerome Powell’s role...

The latest economic data shows the Leading Indicator Index for March slides 0.7% lower, exceeding the expected 0.5% decline and marking its 35th negative reading in 37 months. This persistent downward trend carries significant historical weight—never before has such a pattern failed to precede a recession.

Monday's Markets with Megan breaks down this critical economic barometer, examining what's driving the decline and what it means for investors. Consumer expectations have plummeted, stock prices have pulled back significantly, and manufacturing new orders continue to contract. Credit indicators and interest rate spreads are also contributing negatively, though to a lesser extent. 

Consumers Are Spending — But Why Now?

💳 Just when we thought consumer strength might be fading, March retail sales come in hot. On today’s Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down what’s really behind the surge — and what it says about inflation, tariffs, and the economy heading into Q2.

Retail sales jumped 1.4% in March, the biggest gain since early 2023. But dig deeper and there’s a story behind the numbers: 🚗 Auto purchases, 🏠 building materials, and 🍽️ restaurant spending all saw big increases. Are consumers front-running May’s tariffs? And what does that mean for future growth?

🔥 What yo...

Markets Surge Over 2,000 Points — Is This the Turning Point? | Markets with Megan

📈 After weeks of turbulence, the markets are finally bouncing back — big time. In this special Impact Report, Megan Horneman breaks down the massive 2,000+ point rally in the Dow and what’s fueling this sudden optimism.

President Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries — a move aimed at allowing time for trade negotiations. While China remains combative, over 75 countries are reportedly working with the administration to strike new deals. Could this be the spark that turns the tide?

✅ What the 90-day ta...

📉 Small Business Confidence SOURS: Is a Recession Coming?

It’s not just tariffs shaking the economy — small businesses are flashing warning signs 🚨. In this episode Megan reviews the NFIB Small Business Optimism Survey, which just dropped to its lowest level since October and saw the biggest monthly decline since June 2022. 😬

👉 What does this mean for the economy?
👉 Are we inching closer to a recession?
👉 And how are small business owners really feeling about inflation, labor, and earnings?

With every key index component below its six-month average (except inflation expectations), this report is a must-watch for an...

📉 Jobs Report Beats Expectations—But Markets Don’t Care?!

The U.S. added 228,000 jobs in March—far exceeding expectations! But with China retaliating on tariffs and market uncertainty looming, Wall Street barely blinked. 📊

🔎 Key Takeaways:
✅ Job Gains: Stronger than expected, but downward revisions for past months.
✅ Unemployment Rate: Ticked up to 4.2%, but labor force participation is rising.
✅ Wage Growth: Slowing to 3.8% YoY, the lowest since July 2024—will the Fed take notice?
✅ Markets Tanking: Not because of jobs, but due to China’s response to tariffs.

With CPI, PPI, and Fed minutes coming next wee...

🚨 The Service Sector Just Took a Hit – What It Means for You! 🚨

The latest ISM Services report is in, and it's showing signs of major weakness. With the index dropping to 50.8, we’re dangerously close to contraction territory. 📉 What does this mean for inflation? Jobs? The broader economy?

🔍 Key Takeaways:
✅ Prices Paid finally dipped—good news for inflation!
✅ Employment in services is slipping, signaling cracks in the labor market.
✅ New orders & backlog of orders are down, pointing to a slowdown ahead.

While markets are laser-focused on tariffs, this data suggests we might be seeing relie...

🚨 The White House unveiled significant new tariffs, shaking investor confidence and triggering market volatility. What's the real impact, and where are (or ARE there) the opportunities?

Liberation Day is being categorized at "The Reordering of Global Trade" and is poised to shake global markets for the short term and change the dynamic of the global economy long term. 

Verdence Capital Advisors CIO Megan Horneman provides analysis on the latest US tariff measures (including the 10% across-the-board import tariff) in this episode of Markets with Megan. Understand the shift from using tariffs as punishment to a tool for...