Siebert Financial CIO Mark Malek Provides Market Commentary to 8 Million Users
Siebert Financial announced that Chief Investment Officer Mark Malek is now providing daily U.S. market commentary to approximately 8 million Kakao Pay Securities account holders through the platform's "Very Useful Investment News" channel. Since late November, Kakao Pay Securities has been translating and publishing Malek's CIO column four to five times per week, timed to coincide with the Korean trading day. "This initiative marks an important milestone in our strategy to build a seamless global investing experience across regions," said John Gebbia, Chief Executive Officer of Siebert Financial. "Delivering Siebert's CIO perspective directly into Kakao Pay Securities' ecosystem helps equip Korean retail investors with the same insights used by institutional decision-makers."
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U.S. Stock Market Eyes Upcoming Earnings Reports
- Earnings Outlook: Next week, earnings reports from tech giants Alphabet and Amazon are highly anticipated, especially after Microsoft's report led to a 10% stock drop despite beating expectations, indicating a shift in investor scrutiny towards profitability and growth metrics.
- Job Cuts and Efficiency: Amazon announced a restructuring that will eliminate 16,000 jobs, adding to the 14,000 cuts made in October, resulting in a 10% reduction in its corporate and tech workforce, with CEO Andy Jassy emphasizing that AI-driven efficiency gains will significantly impact operational costs moving forward.
- Labor Market Insights: A crucial jobs report is set to be released next Friday, alongside the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), providing investors with insights into the labor market, particularly after the Fed indicated an improving economic outlook, which may alter interest rate expectations.
- Government Shutdown Risks: The market is also wary of a potential partial government shutdown, as a planned Senate vote on funding has stalled, despite a strong January performance; this uncertainty could lead to increased volatility, prompting investors to remain cautious in their strategies.
Social Media Influencers Can Amass Wealth: A Financial Advisor's Guide to Money Management.
Career Transition: Natasha Howe transitioned from a marketing role to wealth management after participating in a cold-calling campaign for Siebert Financial.
Current Role: At 31, she is now a vice president at Siebert, managing her own client portfolio from the Miami headquarters.
Client Base: Approximately 30% of her clients are corporate employees dealing with equity compensation and forgotten 401(k)s, alongside retail investors and social-media influencers.
Growth in Influence: Howe's client base includes a growing segment of social-media influencers, reflecting a shift in how wealth management is approached.
Earnings Season Remains Focused on AI and Big Tech, But This Trend Won't Endure.
Earnings Growth: The largest tech stocks are expected to drive the majority of earnings growth in the upcoming reporting season, as indicated by Bank of America analysts.
Market Contributions: A broader array of companies is anticipated to contribute to market gains in 2026, reflecting a stable economy.
Investor Behavior: Investors are likely to move away from riskier artificial intelligence investments as the market evolves.
Economic Outlook: The overall economic stability is seen as a key factor influencing both earnings and market performance in the near future.
Retail Investors Surge in 2025, Buying Over $3 Billion in Stocks
- Rise of Retail Investors: In 2025, retail investors showcased remarkable market adaptability by net buying over $3 billion in equities during market pullbacks, contributing to a 21% surge in the S&P 500 since April 2, highlighting their growing significance in the market.
- Shift in Investment Strategy: Retail investors shifted their focus from individual stocks to ETFs in 2025, particularly the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), which saw inflows surpassing the total of the last five years, reflecting strong demand for gold and confidence in the market.
- Market Responsiveness: Following Trump's tariff announcement, retail investors quickly capitalized on the downturn by buying in, resulting in their portfolios achieving better profit-to-loss ratios than many institutional investors, demonstrating their keen grasp of market dynamics.
- Improved Investor Sophistication: With more young investors entering the market, retail trading volume surged over 50% in 2025 compared to last year, indicating a significant enhancement in decision-making and market understanding among retail investors, gradually changing Wall Street's perception of them.
Daily Upgrade Report for Validea Motley Fool Strategy - December 12, 2025
Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor Model: The model identifies small-cap growth stocks with strong fundamentals and price performance, highlighting recent upgrades for several companies based on their ratings according to Motley Fool's strategy.
Loews Corporation (L): This large-cap growth stock in the insurance industry saw its rating increase from 65% to 72%, indicating improved fundamentals and valuation, though it remains below the strong interest threshold of 80%.
Mercury General Corporation (MCY): A mid-cap value stock in the insurance sector, MCY's rating also rose from 59% to 72%, reflecting better fundamentals and valuation, yet still short of the 80% interest mark.
Red Violet Inc (RDVT): This small-cap growth stock in the software industry improved its rating from 63% to 76%, showing strong fundamentals and valuation, but it has not yet reached the 80% threshold for significant interest.
Stocks Decline Even with Robust Holiday Shopping Activity
- Investor Sentiment: Despite the holiday season, investors showed a lack of enthusiasm in the market on Monday.
- Market Trends: The overall mood among investors was not optimistic, indicating potential concerns about economic conditions.
U.S. Stock Market Eyes Upcoming Earnings Reports
- Earnings Outlook: Next week, earnings reports from tech giants Alphabet and Amazon are highly anticipated, especially after Microsoft's report led to a 10% stock drop despite beating expectations, indicating a shift in investor scrutiny towards profitability and growth metrics.
- Job Cuts and Efficiency: Amazon announced a restructuring that will eliminate 16,000 jobs, adding to the 14,000 cuts made in October, resulting in a 10% reduction in its corporate and tech workforce, with CEO Andy Jassy emphasizing that AI-driven efficiency gains will significantly impact operational costs moving forward.
- Labor Market Insights: A crucial jobs report is set to be released next Friday, alongside the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), providing investors with insights into the labor market, particularly after the Fed indicated an improving economic outlook, which may alter interest rate expectations.
- Government Shutdown Risks: The market is also wary of a potential partial government shutdown, as a planned Senate vote on funding has stalled, despite a strong January performance; this uncertainty could lead to increased volatility, prompting investors to remain cautious in their strategies.
Social Media Influencers Can Amass Wealth: A Financial Advisor's Guide to Money Management.
Career Transition: Natasha Howe transitioned from a marketing role to wealth management after participating in a cold-calling campaign for Siebert Financial.
Current Role: At 31, she is now a vice president at Siebert, managing her own client portfolio from the Miami headquarters.
Client Base: Approximately 30% of her clients are corporate employees dealing with equity compensation and forgotten 401(k)s, alongside retail investors and social-media influencers.
Growth in Influence: Howe's client base includes a growing segment of social-media influencers, reflecting a shift in how wealth management is approached.
Earnings Season Remains Focused on AI and Big Tech, But This Trend Won't Endure.
Earnings Growth: The largest tech stocks are expected to drive the majority of earnings growth in the upcoming reporting season, as indicated by Bank of America analysts.
Market Contributions: A broader array of companies is anticipated to contribute to market gains in 2026, reflecting a stable economy.
Investor Behavior: Investors are likely to move away from riskier artificial intelligence investments as the market evolves.
Economic Outlook: The overall economic stability is seen as a key factor influencing both earnings and market performance in the near future.
Retail Investors Surge in 2025, Buying Over $3 Billion in Stocks
- Rise of Retail Investors: In 2025, retail investors showcased remarkable market adaptability by net buying over $3 billion in equities during market pullbacks, contributing to a 21% surge in the S&P 500 since April 2, highlighting their growing significance in the market.
- Shift in Investment Strategy: Retail investors shifted their focus from individual stocks to ETFs in 2025, particularly the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), which saw inflows surpassing the total of the last five years, reflecting strong demand for gold and confidence in the market.
- Market Responsiveness: Following Trump's tariff announcement, retail investors quickly capitalized on the downturn by buying in, resulting in their portfolios achieving better profit-to-loss ratios than many institutional investors, demonstrating their keen grasp of market dynamics.
- Improved Investor Sophistication: With more young investors entering the market, retail trading volume surged over 50% in 2025 compared to last year, indicating a significant enhancement in decision-making and market understanding among retail investors, gradually changing Wall Street's perception of them.
Daily Upgrade Report for Validea Motley Fool Strategy - December 12, 2025
Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor Model: The model identifies small-cap growth stocks with strong fundamentals and price performance, highlighting recent upgrades for several companies based on their ratings according to Motley Fool's strategy.
Loews Corporation (L): This large-cap growth stock in the insurance industry saw its rating increase from 65% to 72%, indicating improved fundamentals and valuation, though it remains below the strong interest threshold of 80%.
Mercury General Corporation (MCY): A mid-cap value stock in the insurance sector, MCY's rating also rose from 59% to 72%, reflecting better fundamentals and valuation, yet still short of the 80% interest mark.
Red Violet Inc (RDVT): This small-cap growth stock in the software industry improved its rating from 63% to 76%, showing strong fundamentals and valuation, but it has not yet reached the 80% threshold for significant interest.
Stocks Decline Even with Robust Holiday Shopping Activity
- Investor Sentiment: Despite the holiday season, investors showed a lack of enthusiasm in the market on Monday.
- Market Trends: The overall mood among investors was not optimistic, indicating potential concerns about economic conditions.
