FRI News and Press, First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund From 12/20/22

Summary Total housing starts fell to a 1.427 million annual rate in November from a 1.434 million pace in October, a 0.5% drop. Total permits are down 22.4% from the November 2021 level. Input costs are still a concern for builders though lumber prices have declined sharply from rec...

Average spend drops by £70 in space of two months as consumers tighten their belts; missed payments higher than same time last year FICO’s latest report of UK card trends — for October 2022 — illustrates the push and pull of personal finances as consumers att...

Summary In spite of mortgage rates sitting 0.8 percentage points below their early November peak, homebuilder sentiment has continued to fall. Future sales saw a large increase rising from 31 to 35. The relative strength line for homebuilders has continued to move higher. ...

Summary The lone property sector in positive-territory this year, Casino REITs have benefited from their attractive “inflation-hedging” lease structure, the rebound in Las Vegas travel demand, and broader institutional investor acceptance. Casino REITs remain a favorite fo...

Summary As uncertainty clouds the coming year, there are a handful of themes we believe real estate investors should bear in mind. In a world of macro cross-currents, we think there are several key themes public real estate investors should focus on in 2023. As we enter a year fille...

Summary Avoiding envy, and its associated pitfalls, is one of the simple secrets to a successful investment portfolio. Value once again outperformed Growth in the last week. After closing below the 200-day moving average for two weeks running, the US Dollar seems firmly entrenched i...

Summary Demand destruction is weighing on prices globally as financial conditions tighten. The good news is that headline CPI is set to follow crude lower in 2023. This Wednesday, any dovish nods out of the FOMC could spark a year-end relief rally in risk markets. Demand d...

Summary Overall, I think the markets had gotten to peak hawkishness and people were under-positioned because they were expecting a more and more hawkish Fed. This may be the tightest labor market, quite frankly, we’ve seen in five decades. This is the first proper recessionar...

Summary U.S. equity markets retreated this week as investors positioned for the upcoming FOMC meeting while a chorus of analysts and executives expressed doubt on the likelihood of a "soft landing." Posting its worst week since mid-September, the S&P 500 slid 3.3% on the week - slum...

Summary Amid the crosscurrents, two themes have prevailed during the post-pandemic years, which lend some perspective to the macroeconomic roadmap ahead: namely, the bipolar swings in macro policy and the forces of economic normalization. After one of the worst years for fixed income as...