Robertson Stephens Weekly Commentary – November 18, 2024

A dearth of important economic news combined with the growing gravitational pull of Thanksgiving and end-of-year holiday planning — Why isn’t Thanksgiving this week? Is it still 2024?— will continue to drive the economic debate into the fantasy-land speculation about policies not yet even partially formed, let alone detailed. Economic data continues to show signs of resilience, and inflation remains on a moderating path, providing room for further easing over time. U.S. data is holding up, confirming soft landing as inflation, while “sticky” appears to be in the range of the Fed target. European growth remains modest where manufacturing lags, especially in Germany, which is at the risk of a recession. Chinese stimulus is expected to continue to help support growth in the face of increased tariff wars. On the wealth planning front, we discuss the best ways to gift this holiday season.