This week on Money Wise, the conversation opens with a strong recap of Wall Street’s numbers: the Dow rose 771 points (1.7%), the S&P 500 gained 0.9%, and the NASDAQ added 0.8%. Year-to-date, all three indexes continue to show solid progress, led by the NASDAQ at 12%. The first half of the show drills into economic data, particularly the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI), and how the headlines don’t always tell the full story. While media outlets linked tariffs to inflation, a deeper look revealed that service costs, not goods, were the main driver.
The second half shifts to estate planning, stressing the importance of properly setting up beneficiaries and keeping account details up to date. The Money Wise guys underscore that life can change unexpectedly, and neglecting these “housekeeping” steps can create unnecessary difficulties for loved ones later. With decades of client experience, the message was clear: proactive planning today can help prevent avoidable challenges tomorrow.
The True Driver of Inflation
While headlines often point to energy or food prices, the real engine behind today’s inflation sits in the services sector. From healthcare and housing to travel and dining, service costs continue climbing, even as goods prices cool off. This stickiness makes it harder for the Federal Reserve to tame inflation, since services are driven more by wages and consumer demand than by supply chains or commodity swings. That’s why markets are watching these numbers so closely: they reveal the deeper pressures keeping inflation alive beneath the surface.
In the second hour, the Money Wise guys give listenters a peek into what Wall Street Won’t Tell You. You don’t want to miss the details! Tune in for the full discussion on your favorite podcast provider or at davidsoncap.com, where you can also learn more about the Money Wise guys or take advantage of a portfolio review and analysis with Davidson Capital Management.
