Trade Deals, Tariffs, & Housing

Each week, the Stokes Family Office staff puts together a list of our favorite news and updates on all things wealth management. From financial planning, portfolio construction, tax and estate planning, retirement plan services to anything we found interesting.  Enjoy this week’s curated list for your weekend reading!

ECONOMY NEWS

Repeat Home Sales and Leading Apartment Rent Indexes Both Point to Lower Shelter Inflation Ahead

• Bonddad Blog: This morning’s repeat home sales reports from the FHFA and S&P Case Shiller were not good news for sellers – but very good news for future consumer inflation readings.

The EU-USA Trade Deal

• Tyler Cowen: the agreement is a symbolic and material victory for the U.S. saying the deal represents more than a trade spat—it’s a signal about evolving priorities in fiscal and trade policy, signaling a shift from free‑trade ideals toward revenue-driven economic nationalism.

Trump’s Tariffs Are Being Picked Up by Corporate America

• Neither consumers nor foreign countries are assuming much of the tariff burden. At least not yet.

Related:

• • Housing, AI Capex, & US Exceptionalism
  • Bonds, Tariffs, & Jobless Claims
  • SFO Quarterly Review: Q2 2025

MARKETS NEWS

Going to Extremes

• Adam M. Grossman: Emotional reactions and behavioral biases drive market overreactions more often than fundamentals. For most investors, the optimal path is a well-diversified, passive strategy—like index funds—that avoids emotional decision-making and withstands steep volatility over time.

Busting Three Myths

• Ryan Detrick digs into market breadth, margin debt, and foreigners selling our debt.

No Asset Is Safe—But Some Lose Less

• Pim van Vliet: Even the safest investment will lose value at some point. No portfolio is immune to real losses. But some portfolios lose less, and losing less gives investors the time and confidence to stay invested.

Related:

• Inflation Surprises and Calls For Rate Cuts
• Energy, Housing, & Expected Returns

CHART OF THE WEEK

“Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster; they tell you nothing about the future.” ― Warren Buffett

Stokes Family Office is 100% Family Owned, and has been continually operating in the New Orleans Area for over 35 years.  As a family office, we are focused on family wealth, financial planning, and tax planning. We are your local experts for Gulf South wealth management. Want to hear more from our team? Check out the Lagniappe Podcast.