The W.I.P‪.‬ Walter

Mining giant BHP is looking to buy rival Anglo American. Why is this deal important? LifeNation, the owner of Ticketmaster, is being sued by the US Department of Justice. Will ticket prices go down? Preferred stock has characteristics of both a bond and a stock. How does this investment work?

April’s CPI was lower than expected, bucking the recent trend. Where is inflation headed? Visa is making major changes to debit and credit cards. How will you be impacted? Our question of the month is about Gen Z. Why does this generation have a lot to be happy about?

Almost 3% of mortgages nationwide are considered “seriously underwater”. What does that mean and where are borrowers hurting the most? Unemployment benefits ticked up from the previous week. Why is this worth paying attention to? “Sell in May and go away” is an old market adage. Is there any truth to the saying and how should you react?

Sticky inflation has the market in fear of future rate hikes. What did Jerome Powell say about the Fed’s likely next move? Hedge Funds repositioned their investments last month. How did their strategy change? FinTech giant SoFi announced earnings giving insight into the company and its mostly millennial and Gen. Z clientele. How are they faring in this economy?

Our conversation is with farmland investment expert Jacob Taylor. Jacob is the 6th generation of row crop farmer. In addition to running the family farm, Jacob works for a super regional ag lender helping farmers from across Illinois get access financing. Jacob is also partnered in a private equity firm specializing in providing agricultural investment in projects across the United States.

Geopolitical tensions mean oil prices are going up. How do higher prices at the pump impact the Fed? Higher interest rates can be good for bond investors. What do elevated rates mean for stocks? Tesla is having a bumpy start to 2024. Why is the EV giant having troubles?