Consumer Confidence & Market Myths

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, and retirement plan services to anything we found interesting.  Enjoy this week’s curated list for your weekend reading!

ECONOMY NEWS

The Confidence Paradox

• Larry Swedroe: While the economy continues to grow at a healthy pace, consumer confidence remains stubbornly low. Economic growth masks these eleven risks.

About Those Trump Tariffs

• Daniel Drezner: Why have Trump’s tariffs not been as damaging as expected?

The Industrial Renaissance Is Here

• Torsten Slok: Durable goods data shows that there is a capex boom underway in the US economy, and the One Big Beautiful Bill is going to boost business fixed investment further over the coming quarters.

Related:

• • • What’s On Tap for 2026?
    • 4th Quarter 2025 Update
    • Holiday Weekend Reading
    • Newsweek Names Stokes Family Office One of America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms 2026

MARKETS NEWS

Is Small-Cap Leadership Back?

• Alfonso De Pablos: The little guys are back—and they’re leading the market higher. The Russell 2000 $IWM just closed the week at its highest level in history. After nearly four years of going nowhere, it’s finally breaking out of a massive base.

Shifting Tides in Global Markets: The Reemergence of International Investing

• Rohit Goel and Apoorv Bhargava: After more than a decade of US market dominance, 2025 may have marked a turning point for global investors. International equities have surged ahead of their US counterparts, evidenced by strong earnings growth and supported by policy reform momentum and a reassessment of “American exceptionalism.”

Stocks, Bubbles & Market Myths

• Barry Ritholtz: The combination of broad sector gains, stable valuations, manageable debt growth, and solid earnings suggests the market is not in classic “bubble” territory — but investors need to filter out noise and base decisions on quality, data-driven analysis rather than headlines.

Related:

• • Market Timing & The Fed’s AI Challenge
  • Stokes Family Office Ranked Top RIA Firm by Financial Advisor Magazine For 3rd Consecutive Year
  • Stokes Family Office Welcomes Daniel Becker as Managing Director

CHART OF THE WEEK

Via Mike Zaccardi, US Truflation sinks to another multi-month low, now well under 2%.

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.