Markets slid after top economic advisor to the Trump Administration, Gary Cohn, resigned. This added to the concerns Wall Street already had on rising rates and the President's steel and aluminum tariffs. Lamar Villere, Portfolio Manager of the Villere Balanced Fund, was with us to discuss the state of the markets. Trade war not good for business, but it's really bad for multi-national corporations. Villere added that small caps will be more shielded from a trade war because they are less exposed to international macroeconomic variables. The portfolio manager said rising interest rates are a bigger risk for markets than the steel and aluminum tariffs. The reason is because it is too hard to predict how other countries will respond, Villere adds. Villere is on ETF bubble watch, which he says is a crowded space. He warns that "you don't want to be in a crowded trade." He adds that these ETFs are not as diverse as people think.

Share:
More In Business
Watchdog Slams IRS Identity Theft Case Delays as “Unconscionable”
An independent watchdog within the IRS reports that while taxpayer services have vastly improved, the agency is still too slow to resolve identity theft cases. And National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins says those delays are “unconscionable.” Erin M. Collins said in the report released Wednesday that overall the 2024 filing season went smoothly, though IRS delays in resolving identity theft victim assistance cases are worsening. It took nearly 19 months to resolve self-reported identity theft cases as of January, and Wednesday's report states that now it takes 22 months to resolve these cases.
A.I. Investments Carry Amazon Over $2 Trillion Valuation Threshold
Amazon.com Inc. surpassed $2 trillion in market value for the first time in afternoon trading on Wednesday. The push higher for Amazon’s stock market valuation comes a little more than a week after Nvidia hit $3 trillion and briefly became the most valuable company on Wall Street. Nvidia’s chips are used to power many AI application and its valuation has soared as a result. Amazon has also been making big investments in AI as global interest has grown in the technology. Most of the company’s focus has been on business-focused products.
Load More