Finance, investing, and market commentary by Andrew Lokenauth
Andrew Lokenauth: U.S. dollar lost 97% purchasing power since 1913
Andrew Lokenauth highlights the long-term decline in the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar. According to Lokenauth, $100 in 1913 would have the equivalent purchasing power of just $2.99 by 2026. ...
U.S. 30-year Treasury yield reaches highest level since 2007, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth reports that the 30-year U.S. Treasury yield has surged to 5.18 percent, marking its highest level in 19 years. He notes that the last time yields were at this level was in ...
Andrew Lokenauth: Median new home price below existing home for first time in 50 years
Andrew Lokenauth reports that, for the first time in 50 years of available data, the median price of new homes is lower than that of existing homes. In the first quarter, the median price for a ...
Home prices continue to challenge affordability, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth comments on the ongoing challenge of housing affordability in the U.S. He points out that while many Americans believe home prices are already out of reach, housing costs ...
Andrew Lokenauth: U.S. government adds $35 billion to deficit weekly
Andrew Lokenauth reports that the U.S. government is currently increasing its deficit by about $35 billion every week. At the same time, the government is spending approximately $22 billion each ...
Many firms reducing AI investments as costs outweigh value, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth reports that many companies initially rushed into artificial intelligence but are now scaling back, with nearly half reducing their AI efforts because costs have started to ...
Andrew Lokenauth: Companies spend more on AI than on employees after workforce cuts
Andrew Lokenauth observes that companies have reduced their workforce to allocate funds for AI initiatives. However, he points out that some firms are now spending more on AI technology than they ...
Layoffs by major firms total tens of thousands, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth highlights that leading companies such as UPS, Oracle, Amazon, Dell, Meta, Microsoft, Block, Cisco, Intuit, Nike, and Walmart have collectively announced significant layoffs, with ...
Andrew Lokenauth: Trump-linked stock trades occurred before major S&P 500 rally
Andrew Lokenauth highlights that the day before U.S. President Donald Trump paused tariffs and triggered a 9.5% rally in the S&P 500, his investment accounts purchased 327 stocks worth up to $12.8 ...
Average car payments reach record $772 a month, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth reports that the average new car payment has reached a record high of $772 per month. He highlights that while 4-year car loans were once typical, buyers are now extending ...
Andrew Lokenauth: U.S. stock market futures fall as oil surges amid Iran concerns
Andrew Lokenauth reports that U.S. stock market futures are declining as oil prices rise due to ongoing tensions involving Iran. According to Lokenauth, S&P 500 futures have fallen by 0.4%, while ...
Investing in your 20s and 30s can result in $1.36 million at 50, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth highlights the significant impact of early investing in a Roth IRA. According to his analysis, starting at age 20 and investing $7,500 each year with S&P 500 average returns ...
Andrew Lokenauth: Fed officials shift outlook toward potential rate hikes this year
Andrew Lokenauth reports that the Federal Reserve has shifted its position from anticipating potential rate cuts to considering possible rate hikes. According to Lokenauth, nine Fed officials ...
U.S. home affordability shifts drastically since 1920, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth details the salaries needed to afford the median-priced U.S. home from 1920 to 2026. According to data he shares, the required annual income has increased from $830 in 1920 to ...
Andrew Lokenauth: Paycheck increase below 30 percent equates to a pay cut
Andrew Lokenauth states that if a paycheck did not rise by 30 percent, it effectively means the recipient has experienced a pay cut. This perspective highlights the impact of inflation and ...
Cost of essential expenses has risen, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth analyzes how the purchasing power of a $100k salary has changed since 2006. He explains that, at that time, this amount was enough to buy a home, two cars, and a vacation. ...
Andrew Lokenauth: S&P 500 record high driven by narrow group of stocks
Andrew Lokenauth points out that while the S&P 500 index reached a new all-time high last week, just 20 out of 500 constituent stocks achieved a record alongside it. The last occurrence of such ...
South Korea halts all trading after KOSPI plunges 8 percent, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth reports that panic has spread after South Korea halted its entire stock market due to a sharp crash. The KOSPI index fell 8 percent in about a minute, triggering a circuit breaker ...
Andrew Lokenauth: Investing $145 weekly in S&P 500 can yield $1.4 million at retirement
Andrew Lokenauth outlines the benefits of consistent investing in a Roth IRA. An annual limit of $7,500 is equivalent to weekly contributions of $145. According to Lokenauth, investing $145 a ...
Adjustable rate mortgage led to unexpected payment increase, Andrew Lokenauth notes
Andrew Lokenauth shares an example of a neighbor who purchased a home in 2020 when mortgage rates were at 3 percent. The neighbor chose an adjustable rate mortgage expecting rates to drop below 2 ...
Andrew Lokenauth: NVIDIA aims to dominate laptop market with full-stack strategy
Andrew Lokenauth highlights that NVIDIA is not just entering the laptop market to compete, but to own it. The company previously dominated gaming GPUs and data center AI, and is now deploying the ...
