The New Fed Chair and a Smarter Way to Give

This week was a reminder that markets can experience meaningful movement even when the underlying fundamentals haven't changed. We saw volatility driven by rotation, rebalancing, and shifting investor expectations — not panic, and not systemic risk. In this episode of Investment Friday, Hannah Chapman, CFP®, is joined by Brad Haines, CFA®, FRM®, CIO of Juncture Wealth Strategies, to break down what's actually happening beneath the headlines. Together, they explore why markets are becoming more selective, how to interpret recent layoff announcements, what a new Fed chair nomination could mean for monetary policy, and why understanding tax-efficient strategies like Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) matters more than ever. Learn more about: What's driving market volatility right now — and what isn't Sector rotation, profit-taking, and why differentiation matters AI, tech, and how markets are starting to separate winners from the theme Layoff headlines vs. labor market reality The Fed chair nomination and why Federal Reserve independence matters Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): how to give more and pay less in taxes Using required minimum distributions strategically Why context matters more than headlines for long-term investors Reminder: Follow Investment Friday and subscribe on YouTube. The show now lives fully in its own podcast feed and YouTube channel. Connect with Hannah at [email protected] and online at https://x2wealthplanning.com Connect with Brad at [email protected].