Stock Markets, Trade Tariffs and Commodities

Posted on September 6, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters and A.I.

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  • Markets: Stocks started off Friday on a high note after a weak jobs report raised hopes that the Fed will cut interest rates this month. But the rally faded as the afternoon wore on, while 10-year bond yields tumbled to their lowest level since April.
  • Trade: President Trump said “fairly substantial” tariffs for semi-conductors are coming “very shortly,” but hinted that companies like Apple will be spared. He also clapped back at EU regulators for fines against Google.
  • Offbeat commodities: Raw sugar prices hit a two-month low as Brazilian producers churn out more of the sweet stuff, cocoa prices are expected to pop after Cargill paused production in Ivory Coast, and corn hit its highest price since July thanks to strong export demand.

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New HHS-CMS Committee Announced

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

U.S. Department for Health & Human Services & Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

By Health Capital Consultants, LLC

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On August 21, 2025, the U.S. Department for Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the formation of a new Healthcare Advisory Committee.

The Committee is expected to be comprised of a group of experts who will make strategic recommendations to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

This Health Capital Topics article discusses this announcement and potential implications on the healthcare industry. (Read more…)

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PSYCHOLOGICAL BIAS: The Ikea Effect in Finance?

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA MEd CMP™

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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IKEA EFFECT BIAS

Ikea Effect Bias describes the tendency of people to place a higher value on products they have partially created or assembled themselves. This phenomenon is named after the Swedish furniture retailer Ikea, known for selling furniture in flat-pack kits that customers must assemble at home.

he IKEA effect was identified and named by Michael Norton of Harvard Business School, Daniel Mochon of Yale University and colleague Dan Ariely PhD of Duke University, who published the results of three studies in 2011. They described the IKEA effect as “labor alone can be sufficient to induce greater liking for the fruits of one’s labor: even constructing a standardized bureau, an arduous, solitary task, can lead people to overvalue their (often poorly constructed) creations.”

Example: A prospect is more likely to pursue his/her own financial plan than that one from an informed financial planner, CPA or professional advisor.

2011 study found that subjects were willing to pay 63% more for furniture they had assembled themselves than for equivalent pre-assembled items.

IN FINANCE AND INVESTING

The IKEA effect can contribute to reducing panic selling. Investors typically reduce their stock market exposure after a financial crash which often results in “buy high, sell low” strategy that is detrimental to long-run wealth accumulation.

Ashtiani et al.’s study proposes a nudge utilizing the IKEA effect to counteract this phenomenon: “actively involving investors in the selection process of the risky investments, while restricting their selections in a way that preserves a large degree of diversification.”

DIVERSIFICATION: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/06/17/correlation-diversification-in-finance-and-investments/

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SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit an RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: Ann Miller RN MHA at MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com -OR- http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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Stocks, Crypto-Currency and Commodities

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

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  • Stocks: Equities climbed slowly but steadily yesterday as investors braced themselves for today’s all-important jobs report.
  • Crypto: Bitcoin fell as a selloff in cryptocurrencies associated with the Trump family pulled the entire crypto market lower.
  • Commodities: Gold remains in the spotlight as traders bulk up on bullion to protect their portfolios in case the FOMC loses its independence. If that does happen, Goldman Sachs analysts think gold could climb to $5,000.

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7 Ways to Fund Your Start-Up Without Venture Capital

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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7 Ways to Fund Your Startup Without Venture Capital

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Stock Market Features – Not Bugs

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

A.I. by Artificial Intelligence

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Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems capable of performing complex tasks that historically only humans could do, such as reasoning, making decisions, or solving problems. Today, the term “AI” describes a wide range of technologies that power many of the services and goods we use every day – from apps that recommend TV shows to chatbots that provide customer support in real time. And yet, there is a hierarchy among related concepts such as machine learning and deep learning.

So, to summarize the hierarchy:

  • AI is the goal: machines that can think and act intelligently.
  • Machine learning is a method within AI that lets machines learn from data.
  • Deep learning is a specialized form of machine learning that uses multi-layered neural networks to analyze data in a way that mimics the human brain.

It’s a feature, not a bug

And, there’s no shortage of companies leveraging AI today to remain profitable, to the delight of Salesforce investors: among others:

  • Wells Fargo’s CEO has touted trimming its workforce for 20 straight quarters. Its stock is up 228% over the past five years.
  • Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan wasn’t hiding it during a recent earnings call when he said the company has let go of 88,000 employees over the past 15 years. BofA stock is up 95% since 2020.
  • Amazon, with its share value up 28% over the past year, recently told staff that AI implementation would lead to layoffs.
  • Microsoft has cut 15,000 jobs in the past two months as the company pivots to AI—and its stock is also up since the beginning of July.

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Stocks, Bonds and Commodities

Posted on September 4, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

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  • Stocks: Markets slowed along yesterday with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ buoyed after a pivotal antitrust ruling for Alphabet pushed big tech stocks higher across the board.
  • Bonds: The 30-year Treasury pushed 5% yesterday as traders fret about the Fed’s independence and the odds of interest rate cuts.
  • Commodities: Oil sank on reports that OPEC+ is contemplating increasing its crude output next month, while gold reached yet another new record high as uncertainty swirling around the future of tariffs continued to rise. JPMorgan analysts now think the precious metal could climb as high as $4,250 by the end of next year.

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MEDICAL LOSS RATIO: Defined

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

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Medical Loss Ratio (MLR)

A basic financial measurement used in the Affordable Care Act to encourage health plans to provide value to enrollees.

MLR: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/07/30/health-insurance-medical-loss-ratios/

If an insurer uses 80 cents out of every premium dollar to pay its customers’ medical claims and activities that improve the quality of care, the company has a medical loss ratio of 80%. A medical loss ratio of 80% indicates that the insurer is using the remaining 20 cents of each premium dollar to pay overhead expenses, such as marketing, profits, salaries, administrative costs, and agent commissions.

The Affordable Care Act sets minimum medical loss ratios for different markets, as do some state laws.

MLR: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2013/08/17/commercial-health-plans-medical-loss-ratio-2nd-quarter-2013/

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CMS: Releases 2026 IPPS Final Rule

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System

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By Health Capital Consultants, LLC

On July 31, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its finalized payment and policy updates for the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2026.

The final rule authorized Medicare inpatient reimbursement increases for 2026 and moved forward with improvements to quality measurement, and provided more information on a new value-based payment model.

This Health Capital Topics article will discuss the IPPS final rule and stakeholder reactions. (Read more…) 

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Stocks, Bonds and Commodities

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

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Bonds: Treasury yields rose yesterday as investors dug into a Federal appeals court ruling last Friday stating that most of President Trump’s tariffs are illegal. The 30-year yield closed in on the key 5% level.
Stocks: Equities tumbled across the board as technology stocks sold off and pulled the rest of the market down with them.
Commodities: Gold hit a new record high as traders hedged against tariff uncertainty and braced themselves for an extremely important US jobs report on Friday that could make or break the case for the Fed to start cutting rates.

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PHYSICIANS: Alimony V. Palimony

Posted on September 2, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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What is Alimony

According to Hello Divorce, alimony, often referred to as spousal support, is a court-ordered payment from one spouse to the other following a divorce or legal separation. Its existence is tied to the legal status of marriage. The underlying principle is that both spouses contributed to the marital standard of living, and the dissolution of the marriage should not cause an inequitable economic outcome for the lower-earning spouse. This support is not intended as a punishment but as a means of mitigating the financial impact of divorce.

The purpose of alimony can vary. In some cases, it is rehabilitative, providing temporary support while one spouse obtains education or job training to become self-sufficient. For longer marriages, it might serve to help maintain the standard of living established during the partnership. Alimony is a legal tool derived from family law statutes to address the financial interdependence created by marriage.

DIVORCE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/08/14/physician-divorce-within-the-medical-profession/

Note: The federal tax treatment for alimony changed with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. For any divorce or separation agreement executed after December 31st, 2018, alimony payments are no longer tax-deductible for the person paying them. The recipient of the support does not report the payments as taxable income. This change is permanent and does not expire with other provisions of the act.

What is Palimony

According to Wikipedia, Palimony refers to financial support that may be awarded after an unmarried couple separates. Unlike alimony, palimony is not rooted in family law but is a concept derived from contract law. An award depends on the existence of an agreement between the partners. This agreement can be a formal written contract or an oral or implied agreement for support in exchange for services, such as managing the household.

The legal basis for palimony was established by the 1976 California Supreme Court case, Marvin v. Marvin. In that case, the court ruled that unmarried cohabitants could make enforceable contracts for support, as long as the agreement was not based on sexual services. Because it is a contract claim, a palimony case is pursued in civil court, not family court. Palimony is not available in all states and is only recognized in a minority of jurisdictions.

MEDIATION: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2023/08/12/a-step-wise-approach-to-the-divorce-mediation-process-for-doctors/

Note: The tax implications of palimony are less defined than alimony because the IRS does not have a specific rule for it. How palimony is treated depends on the nature of the underlying claim. If the payments are a settlement for services rendered, they may be considered taxable income to the recipient. If the payments are characterized as a gift, they are not considered taxable income for the recipient.

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BEWARE: Stocks and the U.S. Stock Markets?

Posted on September 2, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

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  • Markets: After a day off for Labor Day, Wall Street is entering September with little confidence as stocks shrugle with tariffs and AI-slowdown jitters to rise for four straight months. September has historically been the weakest month for US stocks, plus a hugely consequential Federal Reserve meeting looms on September17th.
  • Stock spotlight: An already booming Celsius hit a 52-week high last week after Pepsi said it would up its stake in the energy drink maker.

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SEPTEMBER: Blood Cancer Awareness Month

Posted on September 2, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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This September, along with survivors, caregivers, advocates, and healthcare professionals, HealthTree is commemorating Blood Cancer Awareness Month!

In this article, you’ll learn why this month receives special attention in the HealthTree community and what they will feature throughout September so you don’t miss a thing.  

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HAPPY: Labor Day 2025

Posted on September 1, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Dear Medical Executive-Post Readers and Subscribers

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HISTORY OF LABOR DAY

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Sept. 5th, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. President Grover Cleveland signed a law on June 28th, 1894, that made the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday, according to the Department of Labor.

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MY SEPTEMBER HEALTH RE-SET

To give my health a boost after Labor Day, I’m taking a complete break from alcohol, sugar, cookies, ice cream, coffee and tea for the entire month of September. Besides that, I’ll also prioritize sleep and increase my exercise from 7 to at least 10 times [hours] a week. This will allow me to focus on my diet and mental well-being. It’s essentially a month of health and wellness rejuvenation.

I’ve chosen to focus on alcohol and sugar because I want to challenge the idea that moderate drinking is part of a healthy lifestyle. In reality, only those who maintain a healthy lifestyle can afford to enjoy alcohol in moderation. But, sugar is everywhere and must be minimized for Type II diabetes and weight control.

Moreover, the long-term and excessive intake of sugary beverages and refined sugars can negatively impact your overall caloric intake and create a domino effect on your health. For example, excess sugar in the body can turn into fat deposits and lead to fatty liver disease.

A low sugar diet can help you lose weight and also help you manage and/or prevent diabetes, heart disease and stroke, reduce inflammation, and even improve your mood and the health of your skin. That’s why the low sugar approach is a key tenet of other well-known healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet.

QUESTION: And so, do you also commit to such “factory resets” now and then? Please comments.

Do, enjoy the Labor Day Weekend, Bar-B-Ques with friends, family and colleagues. And, I hope you continue to find the Medical Executive-Post useful!

Many thanks for your likes and referrals.
Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP
[Editor and Chief]

EDUCATION: Books

SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit an RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: Ann Miller RN MHA at MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com -OR- http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

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