As the 2026 trading year kicks into high gear, Wall Street is closely watching the latest reshuffling of Piper Sandler’s influential 'Macro Select' model. After a stellar 2025 that saw the model outpace the broader market by a significant margin, Chief Investment Strategist Michael Kantrowitz has signaled a definitive
The global maintenance products market received a jolt this morning as the WD-40 Company (NASDAQ: WDFC), the San Diego-based titan of lubricants and household chemicals, reported a surprising earnings miss. While the company is widely regarded as a "boring" but reliable compounder, its fiscal 2026 first-quarter results have sparked significant debate on Wall Street. Today [...]
As of January 7, 2026, the US retail and consumer discretionary sectors are navigating a complex landscape defined by "K-shaped" sentiment and a transition toward more moderate growth. While the broader markets have remained resilient, recent data releases in the first week of the year suggest a consumer base that
As the calendar turns to January 2, 2026, the global financial markets are grappling with a reality few predicted during the "soft landing" optimism of years past: the "inflation trade" is not only alive but has become the structural backbone of the current investment regime. Despite the Federal Reserve’s
WASHINGTON D.C. — As the calendar flips to 2026, the American economic engine is showing signs of a significant and unexpected sputter. While top-line growth figures initially suggested a resilient recovery following the federal government shutdown of late 2025, a deeper dive into recent Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data
As of December 23, 2025, the U.S. home improvement sector remains a critical barometer for the health of the American consumer and the broader housing market. Standing at the center of this landscape is Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW), a retail powerhouse that has undergone a fundamental identity shift over the last seven years. Once [...]
As we close out 2025, The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: HD) remains the undisputed titan of the home improvement industry, yet it finds itself at a critical strategic crossroads. For decades, the Atlanta-based giant thrived on the "do-it-yourself" (DIY) spirit of the American homeowner. However, the economic landscape of 12/23/2025—marked by persistent mortgage rates near [...]
As the final trading bell of 2025 rings, the Consumer Discretionary sector stands as a testament to the power of "cautious resilience." In a year defined by early-year tariff anxieties and a late-year Federal Reserve pivot, the retail landscape underwent a fundamental transformation. While the broader Consumer Discretionary Select Sector
As the closing bell rings on 2025, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) finishes the year with a respectable 14% gain, yet the headline figure masks a deep divide within the blue-chip index. While the broader market rode the coattails of an artificial intelligence resurgence and stabilizing inflation, a handful
Stability is great, but low-volatility stocks may struggle to deliver market-beating returns over time as they sometimes underperform during bull markets.
As the 2025 holiday season draws to a close, the American consumer appears to be ending the year in a state of "selective resilience." While nominal holiday spending officially crossed the historic $1 trillion milestone for the first time this December, a deeper dive into the data reveals an economy
As the final weeks of 2025 unfold, the U.S. industrial sector presents a paradox of resilience and volatility. While broader manufacturing indices have flirted with contraction for much of the year, individual powerhouses are carving out a different narrative. Hillman Solutions (NASDAQ: HLMN), a cornerstone of the American hardware
