.jpg)
Markets with Megan: A Quick Financial Markets Update
Empower yourself with knowledge, one fact at a time. Markets with Megan is a bite-sized financial markets podcast hosted by Megan Horneman, the CIO of Verdence Capital Advisors. Megan provides experienced analysis and in-depth insights that go beyond the daily headlines to unravel the economy's intricacies and indicators.
Episodes
334 episodes
5 Questions Driving Markets This Summer | S3 E152 | 06-22-26
With markets hitting record highs and a tentative U.S.-Iran ceasefire in place, investors are sitting with a lot of open questions heading into the second half of 2026. In this episode, Megan Horneman works through the five questions she's hear...
The Kevin Warsh Era Has Begun | S3 E151 | 06-17-26
The Fed didn’t raise rates, but the meeting still packed a punch and markets felt it immediately. We break down the first decision under new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh and why a “no change” outcome can still read as hawkish when the infl...
5.1% Producer Inflation: Should You Be Worried? | S3 E150 | 06-11-26
The producer price index for May came in at a monthly gain of 0.8% when stripping out food, energy, and trade, the fastest pace at that level since 2022. On a year-over-year basis, producer prices are up 5.1%. Megan Horneman breaks down what th...
Rising Prices, Falling Paychecks | S3 E149 | 06-10-26
Inflation moved higher again in May, and the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report shows prices are drifting further away from the Federal Reserve's 2% target.In this episode of Markets with Megan, CIO Megan Horneman discusses the la...
Running on Empty: Inflation & Consumers | S3 E148 | 05-28-26
Inflation pressures are continuing to build, consumers are feeling squeezed, and the Federal Reserve may be forced to stay higher for longer.In today’s episode of Markets with Megan, Megan lays out a massive day of economic data coverin...
Fed Minutes: Rate Hike Is Back on the Table | S3 E147 | 05-20-26
The Federal Reserve's April meeting minutes, released today, show a committee growing more uncomfortable with inflation. The language shifted from "somewhat elevated" to simply "elevated," and three members pushed to signal that the next rate m...
Is Retail Data Misleading Investors? | S3 E146 | 05-14-26
April's retail sales report came in roughly as expected, but the headline number doesn't tell the whole story. Megan Horneman breaks down what the data actually shows, why the core control group figure matters more than the top line, and why so...
The Numbers Look Fine Until You Read Them | S2 E345 | 05-12-26
That CPI headline might look “close enough,” but when we slow down and read the report like investors do, it’s hard to call April a win. We walk through why a 0.6% monthly jump in headline inflation and a 0.4% rise in core inflation point to re...
Hiring Gains, Confidence Pains | S3 E144 | 05-08-26
The U.S. job market is showing renewed momentum, with the economy adding 115,000 jobs and posting the strongest two-month stretch of job gains since 2024. But beneath the surface, there are still signs to watch — including weaker labor force pa...
Fed Day Fallout | S3 E 143 | 04-29-26
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, but the tone of today’s meeting was more hawkish than markets expected.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan breaks down the latest Fed decision, the notable dissent within the comm...
Is Market Mood Just Middle East Relief? | S3 E 142 | 04-28-26
The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for April came in better than expected, and it tells a notably different story from last week's near-record-low University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment reading. Megan breaks down what the numbe...
Downgrade Parade: Conflict Is Hitting the Forecasts | S3 E141 | 04-27-26
The global economic outlook is starting to shift as the ongoing Middle East conflict and continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz raise concerns about slower growth and higher inflation.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan H...
U.S. Shoppers Ignore the Noise | S3 E140 | 04-22-26
The U.S. consumer continues to show surprising strength. In today’s Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down the March retail sales report and explains why consumer spending came in much stronger than expected. Headline retai...
Supply Chain Shock In Manufacturing | S2 E139 | 04-16-2026
A geopolitical shock doesn’t stay on the map, it shows up in the data. Today we walk through fresh manufacturing and business activity numbers that hint the war with Iran is starting to ripple into the US economy, especially through supply chai...
Housing Feels the Middle East Fallout | S3 E 138 | 04-15-26
The housing market is starting to show signs of stress again.In today’s Markets with Megan, Verdenec CIO Megan Horneman dissects the latest housing data and explains how rising mortgage rates, higher material costs, and Middle East conf...
Pre-War Inflation Was Heating Up | S3 E137 | 04-09-26
Was inflation already becoming a bigger problem before the war with Iran? In today’s Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down the latest personal income, spending, and core PCE inflation data to show what the economy looked like before th...
Ceasefire Rally - Reality Check? | S3 E136 | 04-08-26
Markets surged on April 8 as investors reacted to news of a temporary two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. Oil prices plunged, yields moved lower, and inflation expectations eased — fueling a powerful relief rally in equities.I...
Strait Of Hormuz Shockwaves | S3 E135 | 04-06-26
We’re starting to see economic data reflect the impact of the war with Iran.In today’s Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman gives insight into how March data is beginning to show signs of supply chain stress, rising inflation pressure, an...
A Brutal Whipsaw Start to 2026 | S3 E134 | 04-01-26
The first quarter of 2026 was a difficult one for investors.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman recaps a volatile start to the year as markets reacted to war in the Middle East, surging energy prices, private credit fe...
Retail and Manufacturing Rebound? | S3 E133 | 04-01-26
The latest economic data showed two relative bright spots in the economy: consumer spending and manufacturing.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Megan Horneman breaks down stronger-than-expected February retail sales, improving Marc...
Hot to Not: Did the Job Market Shift? | S3 E132 | 03-31-26
Markets are reacting to another shift in labor market data, as signs of weakening demand for workers begin to emerge.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Verdence CIO Megan Horneman breaks down the latest JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor...
Nasdaq Enters Correction? What’s Next? | S3 E131 | 03-27-26
Markets closed out the week under pressure as weakening consumer sentiment added another layer of concern to an already volatile environment.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Verdence CIO Megan Horneman breaks down the latest...
1.3% Inflation Jump, Markets Don’t Care? | S3 E130 | 03-25-26
Inflation may not be making headlines today, but new data suggests underlying price pressures are quietly building.In today’s episode of Markets with Megan, hear the latest import and export price data and why this often-overlooked infl...
From Cuts to Hikes? Markets Reprice Fast | S3 E129 | 03-19-26
Markets are facing renewed pressure as rising energy prices collide with a more hawkish tone from central banks around the world.In this episode of Markets with Megan, Verdence CIO Megan Horneman explains how persistent oil prices near ...
.jpg)
2.5% Core Inflation: Victory or False Alarm? | S3 E128 | 03-11-26
The latest inflation report came in right on expectations, but the underlying data tells a more complicated story.In today’s episode of Markets with Megan, Megan disects the February Consumer Price Index (CPI) report and what it means f...
