What Drives Markets?

Don and Tom open the show with a lighthearted reminder that money doesn’t sleep—so neither do they. They dive into a New York Times article featuring Goldman Sachs researchers who identify five patterns that influence retirement accounts and market behavior. The duo emphasizes that while market predictions are near-impossible, understanding these patterns can inform better investor behavior—particularly the value of diversification. Listener questions cover whether you still need a financial advisor with a $2 million DIY retirement portfolio, the logic behind using a Roth as an emergency fund, tax-efficient asset liquidation, and Washington State’s retirement target-date fund asset mix. A politically charged final call touches on concerns about data integrity at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and its potential market impact.

0:04 Markets don’t rest—so why should financial advice?

1:07 What really drives your retirement account?

2:20 Five market-moving forces from Goldman Sachs/NYT

3:50 Surprise events, political chaos, and market reactions

5:34 Can you predict the market? Probably not.

6:47 Five patterns investors should know

8:12 Diversification actually works—examples and evidence

9:05 Market shock fatigue: building immunity to bad news

10:39 Quit aiming for home runs; try for batting .750

11:45 Why boring investing is the best kind

13:12 Listener Lisa: High-yield savings vs. Vanguard VMFXX

19:46 Lisa’s DIY retirement strategy—does she need an advisor?

22:32 Money market vs. high-yield savings yield comparison

23:06 Listener James: Is a Roth a good place for emergency funds?

25:13 Roth should be your last resort, not first cash stop

26:18 Don’t guess—plan

27:08 Listener Jimmy: Tax lots, cash needs, and overthinking

30:31 Portfolio drawdown strategy: tax hierarchy matters

32:00 Listener John: Washington State deferred comp concerns

34:26 Why build your own allocation in target-date funds

35:16 Private equity and bacon: Not in your 401(k), please

36:00 Listener Jason: Politicizing BLS jobs data—market risks
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