U.S. equity markets climbed to fresh record highs in the Christmas-shortened trading week, buoyed by surprisingly solid GDP data, positive holiday spending trends, and a pullback in global interest rates. The delayed GDP report released this week showed a modest reacceleration in U.S. economic growth in the third-quarter to the strongest pace in two years alongside a cooler-than-expected inflation reading. Precious metals stole the show. Gold, silver, and platinum extended a historic rally fueled by a combination of easing rates, central-bank buying, end-market demand, and investor appetite for hard assets.

American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH - Get Free Report) and Armada Hoffler Properties (NYSE: AHH - Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability, risk, institutional ownership and valuation. Analyst Recommendations This is a

U.S. equity markets posted mixed performance as surprisingly cool inflation data and soft employment data were tempered by a hawkish pushback from Fed officials and skeptics clinging to inflation fears. The critical CPI report showed inflation easing to four-year lows, a heavily criticized report that may, ironically, be the most accurate inflation reading in several years due to collection limitations. The report "zeroed out" shelter inflation due to incomplete collection, combined with an antiquated and lagged sampling methodology, effectively "correcting" its data by removing the most persistent source of distortion.

REITs endured a brutal three-plus-year stretch since March 2022, underperforming the S&P 500 by an unprecedented 70 percentage points, far worse than the Global Financial Crisis. Extreme underperformance has left REITs historically cheap despite solid property-level fundamentals, but this valuation discount carries a cost: elevated capital costs, suppressed transaction activity, and limited external growth opportunities. Depressed public-market valuations have triggered a pronounced “REIT exodus,” with 40 REITs acquired, liquidated, or seeking sales since 2022, while new REIT formation has collapsed to a fraction of norms.

U.S. equity markets posted mixed performance after an unusually divided Federal Reserve delivered a third-straight rate cut, but signaled a likely "pause" in the easing cycle. Perhaps the last rate cut under the "Powell Fed," the FOMC voted 9-3 to lower the federal funds rate to 3.75%, with two votes to keep rates unchanged. Markets saw hawkish undertones in the updated Economic Projections and commentary from Chair Powell, which emphasized lingering uncertainty around the inflation outlook and lack of conviction in softening labor markets.

I plan to diversify my REIT-heavy portfolio by systematically allocating to four dividend-focused ETFs in 2026. US economic growth remains steady but subdued, while equity valuations are elevated, suggesting muted long-term returns. REITs appear attractively valued with fading headwinds, offering plausible outperformance as fundamentals improve and rate cuts loom.

Axa S.A. lifted its holdings in American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) by 13.6% in the undefined quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 600,387 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock after acquiring an additional 72,040 shares during the

First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) by 2,035.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,129,609 shares of the real estate investment trust's stock after buying an additional 1,076,722 shares during the quarter. First Trust Advisors

U.S. equity markets climbed to the cusp of fresh record-highs as another soft slate of employment data and modest PCE inflation data helped solidify the case for another rate cut. ADP provided the most evident signs of cooling labor markets, posting job losses in three of the past six months and a cooldown in wage growth to four-year lows. The PCE report showed corresponding disinflation in discretionary services categories, offsetting modest upward pressures on goods prices, resulting in the first monthly deceleration in core inflation since April.

The Dividend Growth Trifecta—quality, yield, and growth—remains my core focus for portfolio construction in an expensive market. Industry leaders like Ares Management Corporation and Blackstone Inc. offer superior risk-adjusted returns; I prefer buying dips in top names over chasing value in lower-quality peers. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF™ is off my buy list due to sector reconstitution and dimmed double-digit dividend growth prospects, despite holding a large position.