Matt Hardy – Page 2 – Equity Markets

Stock market candlestick chart on a dark screen illustrating economic indicators

Leading, Lagging and Coincident Indicators: How to Tell Where the Economy Is Headed

Economic indicators do not all move on the same clock. Learn how leading, coincident and lagging data differ, and how to combine them into a clearer read.

Matt Hardy October 19, 2026

Executive presenting finance results to colleagues in a boardroom

Stock Buybacks

Gross vs. Net Buybacks: Why Share Count Is the Real Test of Capital Return

Buyback headlines show gross repurchases, but share count tells the real story. Learn why stock compensation and dilution can erase the benefit of buybacks.

Matt Hardy October 17, 2026

Calculator on a desk with financial charts behind it

Weekly Market

Market Breadth Checklist: Five Questions to Ask Before Trusting a Rally

A rising index does not always mean a healthy market. Use this five-question breadth checklist to judge whether a rally has broad participation behind it.

Matt Hardy October 17, 2026

Graphs of performance analytics on a laptop screen

Economic Data

Data Revisions Explained: How to Read Economic Reports Without Overreacting

Economic releases are estimates that get revised. Learn why revisions happen, which reports change most, and how to read data without overreacting to one print.

Matt Hardy October 17, 2026

Hand reaching toward floating percentage symbols representing interest rates

Inflation & Interest

Real Interest Rates Explained: Why the Gap Between Yields and Inflation Matters

Nominal yields tell only half the story. Here is how real interest rates work, why they drive valuations and borrowing costs, and how investors can use them.

Matt Hardy October 17, 2026

Inflation & Interest

September CPI Jumps to 3.7% as Gasoline Surges 9.1%, Fed Hike Odds Rise

September CPI rose 3.7% year over year as gasoline jumped 9.1% in a month. Here is what drove the hotter report, what core inflation shows, and how it shapes the Fed's October 27-28 meeting.

Matt Hardy October 17, 2026

Colorful laboratory glassware with liquid solutions, representing Nvidia's expanding research and development investment

Stock Buybacks

Nvidia Just Shattered the Stock Buyback Record — Again

Nvidia just authorized a record $150 billion buyback increase, bringing total authorization to $235 billion through 2028 and surpassing Apple's prior record. Here's what this unprecedented capital return commitment signals about Nvidia's own confidence in sustained AI-driven cash flow.

Matt Hardy October 16, 2026

Monochrome Wall Street street sign in lower Manhattan, representing big bank earnings season

Weekly Market

Big Bank Earnings Kick Off Q3 Season: What to Watch at JPMorgan, Citi, Wells Fargo and Goldman

JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Wells Fargo report third-quarter results today, with Bank of America and Morgan Stanley following Wednesday. Here is what the numbers need to show with yields high and the Fed meeting October 27-28.

Matt Hardy October 16, 2026

A bustling shipping port with stacked cargo containers and cranes, representing durable goods trade and manufacturing activity

Economic Data

This Week’s Key Data: Durable Goods Orders as a Window Into Business Investment

This week's calendar brings Durable Goods Orders, Housing Starts, and Jobless Claims — with durable goods offering a genuine forward-looking read on business investment that lagging indicators can't provide. Here's what to watch and why core versus headline matters.

Matt Hardy October 15, 2026

A stock trader celebrating while monitoring multiple screens with financial charts, representing the Magnificent Seven ETF's winning streak

Weekly Market

The Magnificent Seven ETF Is Masking a Weaker Broader Market

The Magnificent Seven ETF is on pace for its 4th straight winning week even as the broader S&P 500 heads toward its second consecutive weekly decline. Here's what this divergence actually reveals about market breadth and concentration risk.

Matt Hardy October 15, 2026