Markets with Megan: A Quick Financial Markets Update

Megan Horneman
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Empower yourself with knowledge, one fact at a time. Markets with Megan is a bite-sized financial markets podcast hosted by Megan Horneman, the CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors. Megan provides experienced analysis and in-depth insights that go beyond the daily headlines to unravel the economy's intricacies and indicators.

  1. 23h ago

    162,000 Jobs Added: What It Means for the Fed | S3 E165 | 09-04-26

    The August jobs report landed well above expectations, and it's the last one the Fed will see before its September meeting. The U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs last month against a forecast of just 55,000, with construction, AI-related hiring, and government payrolls all contributing. Megan Horneman breaks down what a beat this size means for interest rate policy. Wages grew three-tenths of a percent for the month, unemployment held at 4.1%, and the labor force added more than half a million workers. Markets are already reacting: equities slipped as traders priced in a 62% chance the Fed raises rates in September. In this episode, Megan covers: - Why 162,000 new jobs was nearly triple what economists expected - Where the job growth came from: construction, AI-related hiring, and government - What rising wages and a steady 4.1% unemployment rate signal - Why markets are now pricing in a 62% chance of a September rate hike - How short- and long-term Treasury yields are reacting differently to the report Subscribe for a new episode every week. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes: https://marketswithmegan.FM #JobsReport #FederalReserve #InterestRates #FedRateHike #Economy #StockMarket #Investing #WageGrowth #Unemployment #MarketsWithMegan https://youtu.be/v-Am2JambtE Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    162,000 Jobs Added: What It Means for the Fed | S3 E165 | 09-04-26

  2. 1d ago

    Service Sector Warning: Prices Are Back | S3 E164 | 09-03-26

    The ISM Services Index ticked up in August, and the report's prices paid component jumped to its highest level since August 2022, back when the economy was still digging out of the post-pandemic inflation spike. Megan breaks down what's behind the rise in service sector activity and why the pricing data is worth watching heading into the Fed's next move. In this episode, Megan covers: 🔹 Why the ISM Services Index rose in August and what's driving the strength 🔹 The prices paid component's jump to its highest level since August 2022 🔹 Business activity and new orders climbing to their highest levels in over a year 🔹 How Fed speech on holding rates steady moved the equity markets today 🔹 Why tomorrow's jobs report is the last piece of data before the Fed's rate decision If you're trying to make sense of what these numbers mean for your own portfolio and retirement planning, take five minutes to listen in.  For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.FM #ISMServices #ServiceSectorInflation #FederalReserve #JobsReport #InterestRates #Inflation #MarketsWithMegan #Economy #FedDecision #StockMarket https://youtu.be/Sk63JVHeZ0g Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    Service Sector Warning: Prices Are Back | S3 E164 | 09-03-26

  3. Aug 28

    The Fed's New Focus: Prices Over Jobs | S3 E163 | 08-28-26

    Federal Reserve Chairman Warsh delivered a notably hawkish speech at this year's Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, and it has real implications for where interest rates go next. Hear what he said about inflation, the labor market, and why the Fed isn't backing off even after a few better-than-expected readings this summer. Inflation has stayed above the Fed's 2% target for more than five years, and Warsh made clear that "better than expected" doesn't mean "good enough." With more than half of the PCE basket still growing above 3%, and financial conditions loose rather than restrictive, the case for a rate hike is back on the table. Here's what it means for markets heading into a historically volatile September. In this episode, Megan covers: - Why Chairman Warsh's Jackson Hole speech came across as more hawkish than expected - The Fed's shift in focus from labor market stability to persistent price pressures - Why more than half the PCE inflation basket is still running above 3% - What "price stability is not self-executing" means for future Fed action - How markets reacted across the yield curve and in equities - Why September could bring more volatility as the market digests this speech If you're trying to make sense of what a hawkish Fed means for your money heading into the fall, this one's for you. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.fm #MarketsWithMegan #FederalReserve #JacksonHole #Inflation #InterestRates #FedPolicy #Investing #Economy #RateHike #MarketNews https://youtu.be/ZxeO4jCOiEE Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    The Fed's New Focus: Prices Over Jobs | S3 E163 | 08-28-26

  4. Aug 26

    This Inflation Report Puts Pressure on the Fed | S3 E162 | 08-26-26

    The July PCE inflation report came in hotter than expected, with the Fed's preferred inflation gauge rising 0.2% month over month against a forecast of just 0.1%. Core PCE now sits at 3.3% year over year, unchanged from the prior month but still well above the Fed's 2% target. Megan breaks down what the data actually shows beneath the headlines. This matters because the Fed chairman speaks at Jackson Hole this week, and markets are watching closely for any hint of tone on where rates go next. With services inflation still running hot and consumers leaning harder on savings and credit cards, Megan explains why she does not think the Fed has room to sound dovish right now. In this episode, Megan covers: - Why July's PCE inflation report ran hotter than economists expected - Core PCE holding at 3.3% year over year, still far from the Fed's target - "Super core" services inflation stuck near 3.9% and what that signals for the Fed - The personal savings rate rising to 3%, still well below the pre-COVID average of 7 to 8% - Why consumers are digging into savings and using credit cards as prices stay elevated - What to watch as the Fed chairman speaks at Jackson Hole this week If you're trying to make sense of what this inflation data means for your money and for the Fed's next move, this one is worth five minutes of your time. Subscribe now. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.FM #PCEInflation #FederalReserve #JacksonHole #CorePCE #InflationData #SavingsRate #FedRateDecision #EconomicData #MarketsWithMegan #Inflation2026 https://youtu.be/d_e28gvEQlo Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    This Inflation Report Puts Pressure on the Fed | S3 E162 | 08-26-26

  5. Aug 19

    Why Are We Watching the Fed | S3 E161 | 08-19-26

    The Federal Reserve released the minutes from its July meeting, and Megan breaks down what they actually reveal about the committee's thinking heading into September. The minutes show risks to employment and growth skewed to the downside, while inflation risk is still seen as tilted to the upside, even with a general upbeat tone on the economy overall. A few committee members already favored raising rates rather than waiting, a reminder of what happened in 2022 when the Fed had to move aggressively to catch up on inflation. Megan also covers why markets are rallying today, and it has less to do with the Fed and more to do with a Treasury announcement on long-term bond buybacks. In this episode, Megan covers: - What the Fed's July meeting minutes reveal about inflation and growth risk - Why underlying inflation is still elevated even after stripping out tariff and energy effects - The case for the Fed trimming its meeting schedule from eight to six per year - Why some committee members wanted to raise rates sooner rather than later - What's actually driving today's rally in stocks and bonds - Why September remains a possible date for the Fed's next move If you're trying to make sense of what the Fed is really signaling before their next meeting, this one's for you. Give it a watch and subscribe so you don't miss next week's breakdown. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.fm #FederalReserve #FedMinutes #Inflation #InterestRates #FOMC #StockMarket #BondMarket #EconomicData #MarketsWithMegan #FedSeptember https://youtu.be/tDBek0aW3zo Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    Why Are We Watching the Fed | S3 E161 | 08-19-26

  6. Aug 14

    Retail Sales Miss, Confidence Drops Too | S3 E160 | 08-14-26

    Today's data on the consumer wasn't good. July retail sales fell 0.3%, missing expectations for a 0.2% gain, following a decline the month before. Megan Horneman breaks down what's behind the pullback and why the control group number, which feeds directly into GDP, matters even more than the headline. In this episode: - Why July retail sales fell 0.3% instead of rising as expected - What the control group reading tells us about GDP - Why restaurant spending rose 0.5% even as other categories pulled back - Consumer confidence's first drop in three months - Why one-year inflation expectations rising to 4.3% matters to the Fed - What upcoming labor market and PCE data could mean for a September rate decision Give it a watch, and subscribe for the weekly breakdown. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.fm #RetailSales #ConsumerConfidence #Inflation #FederalReserve #InterestRates #MarketsWithMegan #EconomicData #Fed2026 #ConsumerSpending #RateDecision https://youtu.be/P3zMj-JpZ8s Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    Retail Sales Miss, Confidence Drops Too | S3 E160 | 08-14-26

  7. Aug 12

    Markets Rally on CPI, Megan Isn't Sold | S3 E159 | 08-12-26

    July's Consumer Price Index is in, and markets are cheering. Headline CPI rose 0.1% for the month and 3.5% year-over-year, while core CPI came in at 0.2% monthly and 2.5% annually. Both numbers landed right where economists expected, and both ticked slightly lower than June. But as Megan explains, "as expected" isn't the same as "good news." In this episode, Megan covers: - Why July's in-line CPI report still isn't something to fully celebrate - How service sector inflation reversed course and ticked back up to 0.2% - Which categories, like airline fares and apparel, are still pushing prices higher - Why core CPI has now stayed above the Fed's target for 63 straight months - What sticky inflation could mean for the Fed's September and December decisions - Why tomorrow's PPI report and the upcoming PCE reading matter for the bigger picture If you're trying to make sense of what today's inflation numbers really mean for your money, this one's worth five minutes. Subscribe so you don't miss next week's breakdown. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.FM #CPI #Inflation #FederalReserve #InterestRates #ConsumerPriceIndex #MarketsWithMegan #Economy #FedRateDecision #InflationData #StockMarket https://youtu.be/7U4fEg5Jx7s Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    Markets Rally on CPI, Megan Isn't Sold | S3 E159 | 08-12-26

  8. Aug 11

    Does Small Business Data Hint at a Fed Shift? | S3 E158 | 08-11-26

    The July NFIB Small Business Optimism Index just came in better than expected and it's now at its highest level since August 2025. Understand why this report matters, especially since small businesses make up nearly half of the private sector labor force. Underneath the headline number, the details tell an interesting story. Job openings, hiring plans, and capital expenditure intentions all jumped, painting a different picture than what showed up in last week's jobs report. With the CPI report landing tomorrow, this data could shape how markets read the Fed's next move. In this episode: - Why the NFIB Index just hit its highest reading since August 2025 - What rising job openings and hiring plans could signal for the labor market - How capital expenditure plans, partly tied to AI spending, jumped to a multi-year high - Why small business hiring sentiment looks so different from last week's jobs report - What tomorrow's CPI report could mean for the Fed's next decision If you're trying to make sense of where the labor market and the Fed go from here, this one's worth five minutes of your time. Subscribe so you don't miss next week's breakdown. For a history of all Markets with Megan episodes, visit: https://marketswithmegan.FM #NFIB #SmallBusinessOptimism #CPIReport #FederalReserve #EconomicData #JobsReport #Inflation #StockMarket #Investing #MarketsWithMegan https://youtu.be/dkU3yp7zLog Disclaimer:  material was prepared by Verdence Capital Advisors, LLC (“VCA”). VCA believes the information and data in this document were obtained from sources considered reliable and correct and cannot guarantee either their accuracy or completeness. VCA has not independently verified third-party sourced information and data. Any projections, outlooks  or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. These projections, market outlooks or estimates are subject to change without notice. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance  that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product or anynon-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in these materials will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume that any  discussion or information contained in this report serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from VCA. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the c...

    Does Small Business Data Hint at a Fed Shift? | S3 E158 | 08-11-26
See All (347)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Empower yourself with knowledge, one fact at a time. Markets with Megan is a bite-sized financial markets podcast hosted by Megan Horneman, the CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors. Megan provides experienced analysis and in-depth insights that go beyond the daily headlines to unravel the economy's intricacies and indicators.

Information

You Might Also Like