2024 Reviews & 2025 Forecasts

It’s that time of year where we look back and look at what may come. We’ve got a big list of what you should read this weekend!

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

• Rate Cut Focus Is Proving Overrated: In Charts
  • Fisher Investments: Rate cuts haven’t interrupted this year’s stock market trends.

• Investors Shouldn’t Count on Much Help From the Fed Next Year
  • WSJ: Markets still expect two or three rate cuts in 2025. That could be too optimistic.

• The Case for Accelerating Inflation is Weak
  • Citing claims that inflation, especially core inflation, is picking up again, the Bonddad Blog says “it certainly could happen, but in my opinion the evidence for such a claim at present is pretty weak.”

MARKETS NEWS

• Now the Bears Are Apologizing?
  • Ryan Detrick looks at a shift in financial market sentiment, particularly among pessimistic investors who underestimated the market’s resilience.

• 7 Lessons From 2024
  • From returns to diversification, Charlie Bilello looks back on what he learned over the past year.

• Ben Carlson’s Year-End Stock Market Forecast
  • Carlson examines historical stock market trends and critiques the overemphasis on price targets.
  • Instead, he advocates for using historical data as a baseline, pointing out that the market often has double-digit gains or losses. He says “while forecasts are inherently uncertain, understanding past performance can help set realistic expectations.”

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.