Traditionally, our office is swamped after Halloween with all the candy that our associates didn’t give away. Despite all appearances to the contrary, I don’t eat a lot of the stuff throughout the remainder of the…
Thought Leadership
We believe communication is the key to successful client relationships. While sharing useful information is beneficial, regardless of source, Oakworth believes in the value proposition of developing and having its own experienced financial professionals and ideas. By generating our own market commentaries, economic newsletters, topical subject analysis and serials, and even conversational podcasts and videos, our clients know we are using our knowledge, creativity and experience to help them succeed.
Listen to the full episode, here. Key Points There was a massive, consistent decline in U.S. manufacturing jobs as a percentage of the total workforce over the past 50 years, falling from 22% in 1975 to…
Talking money can feel tacky, but there is a time and a place for it – especially with your professional wealth advisors and your family when the moment is right. Without open communication, years of planning…
This past Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) at the Federal Reserve cut the target overnight lending rate 25 basis points (0.25%). This was as everyone expected. However, Chairman Jay Powell gave investors a jolt…
Listen to the full episode, here. Key Points The S&P 500 exhibited an extreme level of concentration, with technology and related sectors making up nearly half of the index’s weight. [01:09] A small handful of companies (approximately…
On Friday, despite the continued Federal government shutdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September 2025. Although the report was over a week past due, it was “better late…
As featured in the Charlotte Business Journal. Whenever I make public speeches, I like to start things off with an old, tired joke. I tell the audience that the conference organizers asked me “to say a…
This past Thursday night, I watched the Steelers vs. Bengals game on television. It was an exciting game — and surprising one, at least for me — that the Bengals won. After all, according to ESPN.com,…
In a lot of ways, the 3rd quarter of 2025 was one of the more boring of my career. With everything happening in the world right now, that might seem like a crazy statement. However, when…
In a gold rush, the miners rarely strike it rich – it’s the companies selling the picks and shovels that do. This is termed “the picks and shovels play” and has been an interesting strategy employed…