Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

Getting Q2 Started

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When I was a kid, April Fools’ Day was kind of fun, but as an adult, seriously, it’s really annoying to read every given news item and wonder if it’s a joke or not. Given the state of the world today, it’s harder than ever to tell.

Mercifully, April Fools’ Day (which follows the vastly more consequential Transgender Visibility Day, which I trust you all celebrated with verve) is just about over. Let’s look at a few index charts to catch up.

First is the S&P 500, which hasn’t violated its ascending wedge over the past half year, but goodness gracious me, it sure is getting close. One even slightly bad day which crack this sucker.

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Move Over America

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China’s Luxury Goods Market Is Making A Comeback 

While nearly 78 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, an increase of 6 percent between 2022 and 2023 according to a recent survey, Chinese consumers are showing up and dishing out luxury goods and services as the market is set for a strong recovery in the year ahead. 

In the latest China Luxury Report by Bain & Company, analysts predict that China’s luxury goods market experienced a comfortable 12% year-on-year increase in 2023. The rebound has seen China’s domestic luxury goods market recover from previous declines during the pandemic years, however, is still slightly below the record level of 2021. 

The same Bain & Company report estimates that by the end of the decade, Chinese consumers will represent between 35% and 40% of spenders in the luxury goods market. 

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