FRI News and Press, First Trust S&P REIT Index Fund From 02/21/23

Seasonal increases plus higher prices result in festive spending highs and big rise in cardholders missing one payment Clear evidence of the impact of inflation on household spending is revealed in FICO’s latest report of UK card trends, for December 2022. While retail sales volu...

Summary The REIT sector sharply rebounded from a tough 2022 with an +11.77% total return in January 2023. Micro cap REITs (+16.16%) saw disproportionately strong gains in January, followed by double-digit returns for small caps (+11.79%), mid caps (+11.50%) and large caps (+10.07%). ...

Summary U.S. equity markets were mixed on a choppy week as investors readjusted expectations for inflation and interest rates following data indicating an uptick in economic activity and persisting price pressures. Posting its first back-to-back weekly declines of the year, the S&P ...

Summary The M2 measure of money supply is declining, and higher interest rates are increasing the demand for money; this is a one-two punch which is rapidly snuffing out inflation. There is still no sign of the kind of economic or financial market stress that would trigger a recession. ...

Summary From the bright lights of Times Square to the iconic signage on LA's Sunset Strip, advertising billboards have been an inescapable fixture of the typical American commute for decades. Billboard REITs own a commanding share of the nation's 500,000 outdoor advertising displays - a...

Summary Wednesday’s release of homebuilder sentiment from the NAHB showed a significant rebound in sentiment. While sentiment has risen in back-to-back months, the moves from January to February were historic across the report. The only index to not experience a monthly move ...

Summary Sagging public REITs could signal potential softening in private real estate markets over the next year. While much will depend on interest rates, available supply, and the length and depth of any slowdown in GDP, we believe private-market real estate values could have further t...

Summary Certain businesses are better than others at a strategic level. A good underlying strategy is essential to long-term profitability. There is significant variance in the strength of REIT underlying business models. This article will break down our analysis. Much of...

Summary U.S. equity markets declined while benchmark interest rates jumped this week as hawkish commentary from Fed officials, heightened geopolitical tensions, and mixed corporate earnings results weighed on sentiment. Posting just its second weekly decline of the year, the S&P 500...

Summary Fed anticipates job losses and they usually cut as the job market is transitioning from job creation to job loss. Housing is the most interest rate-sensitive part of the economy. If the Fed needs to hike more than what’s being anticipated that higher dividend will hel...