At Marketing Wiz, our team actively monitors global financial markets to contextualize relevant stories for our clients and their stakeholders. This November, here are three themes that can serve as the foundation for a custom long-form article on behalf of your firm:
Sharp Cuts: Layoffs Climb in Murky Labor Market
- In recent weeks, corporate America has seen a string of unexpected layoff announcements. Companies like Amazon, Target, and UPS have all cut staff, an unusual move ahead of the holiday retail surge.
- These layoffs paint a complicated picture of an increasingly murky labor market. Amid an extended government shutdown, the release of official macroeconomic data has ground to a halt.
- As the Federal Reserve navigates rate cuts, Jerome Powell likened the situation to “driving through the fog.” Nonetheless, an enduring equity rally indicates that investors are remaining optimistic, despite the complex labor market.
‘Buy America’ Wins as Investor Pessimism Fades
- After Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, analysts across Wall Street voiced a similar refrain – sell America. Between a rising federal deficit, the risks of a tariff-induced recession, and fears about a government debt default, US markets looked increasingly fragile.
- As the end of the year approaches, it’s clear that this trade hasn’t worked out like many analysts thought. Contrary to expectations, the S&P 500 continues to rally, and the Treasury market is on track for its best year since 2020.
- US markets could be set to benefit from additional tailwinds through the rest of the year as the Federal Reserve considers further rate cuts. While an evolving labor market does pose economic challenges, it’s increasingly clear that the most pessimistic predictions for 2025 have not come to pass.
All That Glitters: Gold Surges on Central Bank Buying
- While not typically a major component in investor portfolios, one asset has had an unusually strong 2025: gold. Despite a recent pullback, the metal remains up about 40% this year.
- In any other environment, that might be considered a significant warning sign. As a safe-haven asset, gold tends to rise during periods of investor fear and uncertainty. However, there are reasons to think that gold’s recent surge has been driven by other factors.
- As global central banks diversify away from major reserve currencies like the dollar, they’ve been stocking up on record amounts of gold. Whatever the reason behind gold’s climb, the asset’s outperformance highlights the benefits of portfolio diversification.
Interested in building out long-form collateral relating to any of these themes? We invite you to reach out to our team today for a discussion of our custom content capabilities.
Craig Hall is founder and president of Marketing Wiz, a financial marketing firm specializing in the independent wealth management space.
