Charts & Chat - August 23, 2026

This week, CEO Eric Boyce, CFA discusses:

1. economic growth estimates dipped in the last week based on incoming data. Industrial production remains strong, and Philly Fed data showed continued expansion. Watching retail sales in light of recent Wal Mart same store sales data

2. Inflation expectations remained anchored at a higher level.

3. not change in the difficult residential real estate market

4. small business hiring and profit expectations improving 

5. earnings growth for S&P 500 continues, pulling multiples down. There is increased dispersion within the index, however, as individual stock volatility is much higher than the overall index

6. corporate margins expanding despite higher healthcare and other costs, and US margins expanding faster than global firms

7. fund manager cash allocations remain low and equity allocations increasing 

8. interest rates increasing due to fears over treasury issuance to meet higher fiscal deficits, policy uncertainty, and persistent inflation. some skepticism over ability for Treasury department to bring long term rates down through open market operations