Well, good news everyone — the economy is doing great.
At least that’s what we’re being told.
Jobs are “strong,” inflation is “cooling,” and everything is apparently humming along just fine… as long as you don’t read revisions, buy groceries, pay utilities, or look too closely at who’s actually hiring.
This week’s data is another masterclass in headline optimism versus under-the-hood reality. So let’s do what we always do: ignore the spin, read the fine print, and figure out how not to lose money while the narrative keeps changing.
Economic News
1️⃣ The “Greatest” Jobs Report Ever (Apparently)
The Labor Department dropped the December jobs report today, and if you only read the headline, you’d think we just cured unemployment forever.
According to the report:
- 50,000 jobs were added in December
(nearly 30% below expectations, but who’s counting?) - The unemployment rate dropped from 4.6% to 4.4%
Cue the victory lap.
But… let’s scroll down. Way down. To the part nobody tweets.
Revisions (aka where the truth lives):
- November was revised down from 64,000 to 56,000 jobs (–12.5%)
- October was revised from 105,000 job losses to 173,000 job losses
That’s 40% worse than previously reported. Yikes.
When you zoom out:
- Average monthly job growth in 2025: ~49,000
- Average monthly job growth in 2024: ~168,000
That’s not “cooling.” That’s a freezer.
Historically:
- Worst year for job growth since COVID
- 6th worst year since 2000
- 12th worst year since 1950
And unlike COVID, the Great Recession, or the dot-com crash…
2025 had no external shock. This one was self-inflicted.
We were promised:
- American jobs
- Manufacturing returning home
- Industrial growth
What we got:
- No manufacturing rebound
- No reshoring data
- No industrial hiring surge
Until the data actually shows otherwise, we should probably stop pretending this is a success story.
Just saying.
2️⃣ DOJ vs. The Fed (Yes, This Is Real Life)
This week, the regime sent the DOJ after the head of the Federal Reserve.
Reason given?
“Discrepancies” related to renovation costs discussed during congressional testimony.
Sure. That’s definitely the real reason.
Anyone with a functioning brain can see this for what it is:
a pressure move because the Fed isn’t cutting rates fast enough.
One of the foundational reasons markets function is the illusion (and partial reality) of Fed independence.
This move shattered that illusion.
If this investigation turns into prosecution, the long-term ramifications for market confidence are not small. At all.
This one stays on the radar.
3️⃣ Inflation Is “Cooling” (If You Don’t Eat, Drive, or Live Indoors)
A few days after the Fed drama, the December inflation report magically dropped — and surprise! — the numbers looked “pretty good.”
Headline numbers:
- +0.3% month-over-month
- 2.7% year-over-year
Cue market celebration.
But again… let’s dig.
Prices that went up:
- Shelter: +0.4% MoM
- Food: +0.7% MoM
- Energy: +0.3% MoM
Prices that went down:
- New & used vehicles: –1%
So… everything people need costs more, and things people aren’t buying got cheaper.
Cool math. Totally checks out.
Year-over-year:
- Food: +3.1% (33% above target)
- Fuel oil: +7.4% (270% above target)
- Electricity: +6.7% (235% above target)
- Utility gas: +10.8% (440% above target)
- Shelter: +3.2%
- Medical services: +3.5%
If you’re making under $200,000, this hurts. Period.
The average family of four earns about $120,000, and at current prices there’s roughly a 40% gap between income growth and cost growth.
Markets are cheering because rate cuts might happen.
Regular people are wondering why groceries feel like a luxury item.
I don’t see a reason to celebrate here.
But that’s just me.
Top 10 IINvestments Going Ex-Dividend Next Week
I won’t sugarcoat it — this week is ho-hum.
We’ve got 8 closed-end funds on the list, and while it’s not exciting, it is diversified.
From this list:
- We currently hold BME and LTC
- We’ve held BSTZ, PFE, and USOI in the recent past
This week’s lineup includes:
- Healthcare REIT (LTC)
- Pharma (PFE)
- Science & tech fund (BSTZ)
- Health sciences fund (BME)
- Tech & private equity fund (BTX)
- Preferred income fund (FFC)
- Oil ETN (USOI)
- Inflation protection fund (WIW)
- Energy infrastructure fund (TYG)
- Credit loan fund (CCIF)
Is it exciting? Not really.
Is it diversified? Surprisingly, yes.
If nothing jumps out at you, hold cash.
There is absolutely no prize for forcing a trade.
Portfolio Updates
1️⃣ Retirement Portfolio
In our conservative Retirement Portfolio, we added:
- 5 shares of LTC using this week’s cash.
2️⃣ Vanning Portfolio Moves
We put a big chunk of our remaining condo proceeds (all but $20k) to work, but very intentionally.
Cash Parking (Dry Powder):
- SBAR: 1,135 shares
- THTA: 655 shares
We don’t know when we’ll have great buying opportunities, so this is where we can safely earn income while we sit patiently and wait.
Preferred Stock:
- AFGE: Added 145 shares
(Doubling down — still love it.)
3️⃣ New Weekly Income Additions
I found these and couldn’t suppress the desire to find out if they perform as well as they look on paper.
GIAX
- Holds top Vanguard ETFs and quality stocks (think VOO, PLTR, META, TSM)
- Writes options to generate weekly income
- 52-week total return: ~25%
- Average weekly dividend: $0.12
- Solid structure, worth a slice of the portfolio
NUGY
- Gold miners exposure with income
- Since inception (11/17/25): ~7% total return
- Underperformed its index (NUGT +46%), but…
- Average weekly dividend: $0.46
- This is about income + optional upside, not chasing pure performance
This is one of those weeks where:
- The data looks better than reality
- The headlines don’t match the revisions
- And patience is probably your best trade
Cash is a position.
Waiting is a strategy.
And forcing trades usually ends badly.
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