On this episode of the Cocktail Investing Podcast, we are just back from InsideETFs 2019, the trade show for exchange traded funds and we share some observations and thoughts on what we saw. Some interesting things coming at investors in the coming months, including fixed income ETFs and Tematica’s Chief Investment Officer offers his take on what investors should consider when looking at so-called thematic ETFs. Also, on the podcast, with Apple and Disney both showcasing their streaming subscription services in the coming weeks, we walk through not only what’s expected but the implications as well. If you’re Netflix, you’re going to want to hear this, especially our blockbuster bundling advice for Apple.

We round out the episode talking about the disappointing December Retail Sales report that revealed a month over month decline almost across the board.  As we dig into it, we also touch on a recent Thematic Signal that examines the sharp jump in delinquent auto loan payments. What was expected to be a barn burner holiday shopping season to close out 2018, looking far more like a Middle-class Squeeze one. With consumer credit card debit now over $1 trillion, it looks like the consumer engine is poised to drop into neutral gear at least in the near-term.

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Resources for this podcast:

• Chris Versace –@_ChrisVersace
• Lenore Hawkins –@EllesEconomy
• Tematica Research – https://www.tematicaresearch.com
• Themes Report: https://www.tematicaresearch.com/whatisthematicinvesting
• Thematic Signals: https://www.tematicaresearch.com/thematic-signals/