Signal vs Noise, Powell, and Why Fed Independence Matters (Plus 2026 Market Positioning)

There's a lot of noise right now—and it can hijack investor decision-making. In this episode, Hannah Chapman, CFP® and Brad Haines, CFA, FRM zoom out to separate signal from headlines, discuss early-year market context, and share what they're watching for 2026.

You'll hear why recency bias leads people to panic-sell, why earnings and innovation may matter more than day-to-day politics over a 5-year horizon, and why rebalancing at the start of the year can support both portfolio discipline and tax planning. Then, they break down a major story involving Jerome Powell and discuss why Federal Reserve independence is a cornerstone of long-term economic stability.

What's covered:

• “Noise vs. signal” and how to stay grounded as an investor

• Earnings trends: broadening beyond mega-cap tech

• The AI buildout: data centers, compute capacity, and the next wave of applications

• Why rebalancing early in the year can be strategically helpful

• Emerging markets explained (developed vs emerging vs frontier)

• Why Fed independence matters and what happens when central banks aren't independent

• Inflation, wage catch-up, and why it can feel hard even when data improves
  
  

Reminder: Follow Investment Friday and subscribe on YouTube—this show will live fully in its own feed/channel starting in February.

Connect with Hannah at [e-mail] and online at https://x2wealthplanning.com

Connect with Brad at [e-mail] and online at https://www.juncturewealth.com