The scene at Wrigley Field earlier this late afternoon. If you squint, you'll see a young boy grabbing a (Brewers) autograph in the front row. "You can't beat fun at the old ball park," my Dad used to love to say. So true.
Markets just opened minutes ago in Asia. Very dull start to the week. So far, stocks, bonds and crypto are mostly unchanged across the board.
My main takeaway from last week is the good part may be beckoning. Rates aren't going higher. The Fed told us that last week. It's unclear when they'll start to go back down. But the fact that central bankers are convinced they've won the war on inflation and they can be patient for the data to cooperate is a very positive signal for risk assets. Which - in case you've missed it - haven't been doing too badly of late. Now, if we can only find a way to get housing to bounce back everywhere and maybe even some refinances at some point down the road; that's the ticket.
One of my favorite games to play when I'm at a Cubs game is "Who will I run into?" It seems no matter what time of the season I go to the Friendly Confines, I bump into someone: a Friar, IU pal, former trader buddy, a Hamlin neighbor. I can't go into that place without seeing somebody. And this always brings me enormous happiness and that treasured hint of unexpected joy. Today's winner? A guy I've known for decades through my Benet Academy connections. I could hit a sand wedge from my house to his. "Joey Sis" we call him. The endlessly positive Joe Siciliano. Doing great real estate things at Compass with Svitlana Creadon. Joey with his son; me with mine. Win or lose, a day at 1060 West Addison never, ever disappoints. Regardless of outcome. Although today's final score kept the Northsiders particularly happy. "Hey, Chicago, what do you say?!?!"
