Cetera Investment Management

Cetera Investment Management LLC, owned by @CeteraFinancial, provides market perspectives, portfolio guidance & other investment advice to its affiliated firms.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

In People Behind Portfolios, we shine a light on the people behind Cetera Investment Management, highlighting the personalities, passions and experiences of those who help support financial professionals every day.

Get to know Jacob Merritt, Execution Analyst at Cetera Investment Management. Jacob helps ensure investment insights and communications reach advisors effectively and efficiently. By partnering across teams, leveraging data, and supporting investment research efforts, he plays a key role in helping advisors stay informed and better serve their clients. Jacob enjoys uncovering insights that are not only interesting, but also accurate and actionable, making his work especially rewarding.

Outside of work, he enjoys reading and spending time working on his car, always looking for the next project or good book.

We're proud to recognize the talented people behind Cetera Investment Management.
#peoplebehindportfolios

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Household credit card debt climbed to a record $1.29 trillion.

That sounds alarming, but the 4.2% annual increase was the slowest in 5 years, and credit card debt as a % of disposable income remains below its long-term average and pre-pandemic levels.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

The national avg gas price is below $4/gallon for the first time since July, giving consumers some relief. Prices at the pump are still 40% higher than at the start of the year, but seasonal patterns favor easing prices into year end, barring an oil shock.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

US economic data has been exceeding expectations by the widest margin since August 2023. The flip side is that rising expectations may become harder to beat. That said, momentum has been building in recent months.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Inflation was hotter than expected in October. Headline CPI rose 0.4% M/M vs 0.3% expected, and core CPI increased 0.3% vs 0.2% expected. Core CPI has risen at a 3.75% annualized pace over the past 3 months, making a December rate hike increasingly likely.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Last week's sell-off raised fresh questions about AI, data center investment and what's next for markets. Join CIO @GeneGoldman on this week's episode of #TheWeekAhead as he explains what's driving investor concerns, why we remain constructive on the long-term AI story and what opportunities may emerge from the recent pullback.

Read more: https://t.co/biXDsys27U

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

The S&P 500 has delivered a positive total return in all 19 post-midterm years since 1950, averaging 20.8% with a similar average return under both parties. While historically favorable, there is no guarantee this pattern will continue next year.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

The S&P 500 Technology sector’s forward P/E ratio has fallen to 17.5x, its lowest since April 2020, and 45% below its October 2025 peak of 32.0x. Tech valuations look more attractive, but that depends on earnings expectations being realized.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

It’s normal to feel some panic during stock market corrections. But a couple of deep breaths and some words from Cetera CIO @GeneGoldman, CFA in today’s @nytimes might help: “When you have a correction in a bull market they are typically short lived.”

Gene sees these underpinnings for a market bounce-back:

- Solid earnings growth
- The economy isn’t headed for a recession
- Valuations are attractive now
- There’s $28 trillion in cash poised to pour into the market

Read more here: https://t.co/9uRfack2HV

#stockmarket #economy

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Professional and business services employment rose 70K in October, the biggest gain since July 2022. This sector is a proxy for white-collar office work and shed jobs in each of the past 3 years, with AI cited as a factor, before rebounding this year.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Job growth accelerated to 165K in October, topping expectations of +65K, while the prior 2 months were revised up by a combined 84K. The economy has added 861K jobs year to date vs. just 92K at this point in 2025.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

The Nasdaq-100’s 6.36% drop yesterday was the largest daily decline since March 2020, leaving the index 14.72% below its October high. It’s the 7th drawdown of 10% or more for the tech-heavy index in the past 4 years.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Markets pulled back following the post-election rally as investors weighed AI earnings concerns, slowing growth expectations and broader market risks. In our latest commentary, we examine what's driving the recent sell-off, the rotation underway across asset classes and why diversification remains critical in periods of volatility.

Click the link below to read the full commentary:
https://t.co/LaVu2mzCZK

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Market volatility is an uncomfortable part of investing. Since 1980, the S&P 500 has generated an average calendar-year total return of 13.6% despite an average annual drawdown of 14.2%. The S&P 500 has advanced over time, but not in a straight line.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Announced hiring plans jumped to 445K in October, largely on seasonal demand, up 57% from a year ago and the strongest October since at least 2009. Layoff announcements increased slightly to 44K, but it was the lowest October total in 3 years.

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Election results can have far-reaching implications for markets. In our latest commentary, we explore what a projected divided government could mean for investors and why staying focused on long-term fundamentals matters.

Click the link below to read the full commentary:
https://t.co/f35ZSasrX9

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

CIO @GeneGoldman was featured in @Citywire, sharing perspectives on what the recent election results could mean for investors and markets. While political outcomes may influence short-term market sentiment, Gene emphasizes that long-term investment success remains driven by economic fundamentals, earnings and diversification.

Click the link below to read the full article: https://t.co/LNDZZIFoaM

[Cetera Investment Management @ceteraIM]

Gridlock may sound bad in Washington, but not on Wall Street. Historically, under a Republican President and Democratic Congress, stocks were positive 72.7% of the time, averaging returns of 12.2% in Year 1 and 5.0% in Year 2.