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TUNE IN TO FISM.TV on weekdays, 9/8c to watch Financial Issues with our host Shana Burt and catch her live commentary, the latest financial news, market updates, investment tips, and more. | |
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Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. ~ James 1:27
Upon first glance, critics may read this verse in support of works-based righteousness. But James the brother of our Lord is leading us to a deeper truth than mere good works.
This verse can be applied to any act of Christlike kindness we show to those who are in greatest need. Jesus described these types of people as the “least of these.” We do not earn salvation by performing good deeds. Instead, our salvation is proven true by our love for the least of these. If we love those in need, as Christ has first loved us, it is proof that the love of Christ is in us also. Therefore, let us seek to care for those who are most needy, knowing that our own massive spiritual need of salvation has been met by Christ.
If you want to study the scriptures and learn more about the truth of the gospel, join our weekly Bible Study every Friday morning at 6:30 Eastern time, 5:30 Central time. Click here to learn how to join.
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FOR THE WEEK: Fed Chair's Remarks on Rate Policy Send Equities Higher
The DJIA gained 855.35 points, or 2.4%, to close at 36,245.50.
The Nasdaq rose 54.17 points, or 0.4%, ending at 14,305.03.
The S&P added 35.29 points, or 0.8%, closing at 4,594.63.
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 294.61 points, or 0.82%, to close at 36,245.50; the Nasdaq Composite rose 78.81 points, or 0.55%, ending at 14,305.03; the S&P 500 added 26.83 points, or 0.59%, closing at 4,594.63.
U.S. stocks rallied and the S&P registered its highest close of the year on Friday, starting December on an upbeat note as remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell bolstered the view that key policy rates have peaked.
Health care stocks rose Friday afternoon with the NYSE Health Care Index and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) each adding 0.3%.
Tech stocks rose Friday afternoon, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) rising 0.2% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor index advancing 0.4%.
Consumer stocks rose Friday afternoon with the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) increasing 0.2% and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) rising 1%.
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Financial stocks advanced in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index rising 1% and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) adding 0.6%.
Energy stocks were higher Friday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 1.2% and the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) up 0.6%.
The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector index was posting a 1.1% increase, and the Dow Jones US Utilities index was adding 0.8%.
Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude declined to $74.32 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent increased slightly to $79.06 a barrel. Henry Hub natural-gas futures were down at $2.67 per 1 million BTU.
Gold set for a third week of gains on Fed rate cut bets. Gold futures were up Friday afternoon at $2,091.40 per troy ounce, while silver rose 1.2% to $25.87 per ounce. Platinum was up at 940.40 and Palladium were down slightly at 1013.00.
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Signs the U.S. stock market rally is broadening from the so-called Magnificent Seven of mega-cap growth and technology companies is bolstering investor hopes for a rally through year-end.
The U.S. economy grew faster than initially thought in the third quarter as businesses built more warehouses and accumulated machinery equipment, but momentum appears to have since waned as higher borrowing costs curb hiring and spending.
Hopes that an economic soft landing will lead the Federal Reserve to pull back on interest rates have ignited Wall Street's appetite for stocks, despite concerns of slowing growth and the potential of an inflationary rebound in 2024.
U.S. consumer spending rose moderately in October, while the annual increase in inflation was the smallest in more than 2-1/2 years, signs of cooling demand that bolstered expectations the Federal Reserve's interest rate hiking campaign was over.
As holiday shoppers return items purchased during Black Friday and Cyber Monday online shopping sprees, more U.S. retailers could tell them to keep items that cost more to ship back than they are worth.
A big disconnect between financial markets and central banks has just got deeper, with traders ramping up their bets on interest rate cuts in the United States and Europe as evidence grows that inflationary pressures are fast abating.
Bond investors are pricing in imminent Federal Reserve interest rate cuts by the first half of next year, as signs of slowing U.S. economic growth and easing inflation became more evident.
Weekly US applications for unemployment insurance rose, while continued claims surged to the highest level in about two years, government data showed Thursday.
Pending home sales fell in October to the lowest since at least 2001, indicating the month's high mortgage rates and weakened affordability kept potential buyers on the sidelines, according to a report released on Thursday.
The latest report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis reveals that the U.S. economy displayed robust growth in the third quarter of 2023, surpassing initial estimates and posting the strongest expansion since the fourth quarter of 2021.
U.S. manufacturing remained subdued in November, with factory employment declining further as hiring slowed and layoffs increased, more evidence that the economy was losing momentum after robust growth last quarter.
Retailers like Amazon.com and Foot Locker are signaling optimism for holiday season sales after stronger-than-expected figures during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as heavy discounts lured budget-strained customers on the peak U.S. shopping days.
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At Financial Issues we are always urging you to be good stewards of your resources by “Funding the Light.” There is no better way to do this than by giving to India Partners this holiday season.
Each holiday season, our late founder, Dan Celia, would sit down with his grandchildren and have them pick out an item from the India Partners catalog that would bless an individual or family halfway around the world. Would you consider making this a part of your Christmas tradition this year?
This week we would like to highlight the gift of “Safe Water.” Through this initiative, India Partners provides access to safe water to remote villages suffering some of the deepest poverty on the planet. With contaminated drinking water being a leading cause of infant mortality, your gift of safe water will have a life-saving impact. For a one-time gift of $53, you can provide safe water for a decade to one family. In addition, you will be providing the hope of Living Water as India Partners places a church next to each well they install.
Click the banner below and make an eternal impact by giving to India Partners today.
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Meta Platforms (META)
Formerly known as Facebook, Meta has been one of the pioneers of the social media age since its beginning in 2004. The stock has enjoyed a lucrative lifetime performance with the 21st-century tech industry boom. So even though, for many, it would be considered a blue-chip stock, it is not a part of the Financial Issues broad or buy list. Why? Meta is not biblically responsible.
Meta woefully fails to screen clean due to numerous infractions, including sexual exploitation. Drug cartels and human traffickers notoriously use the company’s social media platforms to foster their trade with little to no repercussions from the company. Additionally, a recent survey revealed that 33% of childhood exposure to pornography came through Meta-owned Instagram. Furthermore, Meta promotes the abortion industry by offering reimbursement for its employee’s abortion-related travel expenses, and it is also a prime donor to multiple LGBTQ activist organizations.
Meta is not the only company that is using investor dollars to fund things that go directly against a biblical worldview. This is why we urge you to become a partner and defund the darkness by ensuring that your money does not go toward these unholy agendas. FISM partners have a curated list of stock options of companies that are staying out of the culture wars and also have a positive fiscal outlook. Make sure your faith and finances align by becoming an FISM partner today.
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Send in your family Christmas pictures!
FISM partners are more than just investors, you are all part of the FISM family. As part of a tradition that Dan started years ago, we would love to include a picture of you and/or your family on the FISM Christmas tree. As we reflect on the most important gift this season, we also give thanks for the blessing of all of you.
Please send your individual/family picture to Trinity Cardinal at [email protected] by Tuesday, December 5th alongside a note of how many years you have been a partner. Then, be on the lookout throughout December for your picture on our tree during the live broadcast.
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JUST THE NEWS, GROUNDED IN TRUTH. | |
FISM NEWS is a conservative news source that approaches each story from a biblical worldview. Watch FISM News weekdays at 5pm ET 4pm CT on fism.tv/watch. | | |
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DeSantis-Newsom Debate Contentious from Start
As debates with low stakes go, the Thursday-night showdown between California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was quite the spectacle.
The event, which was broadcast on Fox News personality Sean Hannity’s program, made up for what it lacked in immediate importance with novelty and volume.
To be certain, the debate will have had little effect on the 2024 presidential race – if anything, it might have been a preview of 2028 – and no new ground was trodden in terms of left- or right-leaning policy.
Read More
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Harrowing Stories of Captivity Follow Latest Release of Hamas Hostages
Hamas has released 81 hostages to date and, as more people are liberated, a trail of shocking stories from captives has made the headlines. But perhaps the most troubling testimonies have come recently from some of the children Hamas captured on Oct. 7.
One distressed father, Thomas Hand, told CNN that his 9-year-old daughter, Emily Hand, could only speak in whispers upon her release.
“The most shocking and disturbing part of meeting her was that she was just whispering,” said Hand. He explained to the news outlet that he had to get inches from his daughter to hear her faint words.
Read More
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Christian Foster Parents Discriminated Against by New Biden Administration Proposal: State AGs
Nineteen Republican attorneys general, led by Steve Marshall of Alabama, joined forces this week to oppose a new foster care rule proposed by the Biden administration that will effectively bar Christians from becoming foster parents and shutter faith-based placement agencies.
Under the new guidance, prospective foster parents will be required to undergo training “to provide for the needs of the child related to the child’s self-identified sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”
Read More
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Hardline Republicans Ease on Spending Cuts
Looks like the House Freedom Caucus is softening its demands for spending cuts.
Caucus Chair Scott Perry (R-Pa.) says he’s willing to cap spending levels at the $1.59 trillion agreed to by President Joe Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) earlier this year.
Freedom Caucus members previously wanted to cap spending at $1.47 trillion. Perry says members now realize that’s not going to happen. But Texas Congressman Chip Roy says they aren’t going to budge on the new higher number.
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LISTEN TO THE OLD FINANCIAL ISSUES programs hosted by our beloved founder, Dan Celia, as he passionately told it like it was, from a biblical perspective. His wisdom and insight are still applicable today. | |
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BIBLICALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING
FOR OVER 25 YEARS
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THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, Timothy Plan is a family of mutual funds that utilize Biblically Responsible Investing filters to ensure that no money is invested in companies that are supportive of ideals that are contrary to our Biblical moral imperative. Pro-family, Pro-life,
Pro-Community: Timothy Plan aligns your financial stewardship with the Godly principles you strive to exhibit every day.
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The FISM (Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries) is the home of the program Financial Issues which focuses on financial headlines, investing, politics and encourages people to be thoughtful stewards of the money God has entrusted to them. Financial Issues is a live call-in radio and TV program heard and watched internationally. | |
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Confidentiality:This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is confidential in nature. Any distribution, copying or disclosure of this material by any individual or entity other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries immediately and delete this message.
Disclaimer: The information and data provided in this communication is meant for informational purposes only. It is the option of an individual and should not be regarded as an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation of any security, or as an offer to provide financial planning or investment advice. You should consult with your Financial Planner, Adviser and your Tax Account to make sure of the suitability for you of any investment you make. Understand that ALL investments contain risk of loss of principal and that should always be considered before investing. The user bears the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information obtained from Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries, Daniel J. Celia, or Shana Burt of Exodus Financial Services and GA Repple. Although the information provided is obtained or compiled from sources believed to be reliable, Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries, Daniel J. Celia and Shana Burt of Exodus Financial Services and GA Repple do not guarantee the reliability, accuracy, timeliness or completeness of any information or data made available to the recipient of this message for any particular purpose.
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