It’s the holiday season again, and that means it’s time for my annual wish list.
Last year, I asked for a few things related to economics. First and foremost, I wished for rates to stop going up. I knew this was a tall order for the earlier parts of the year, but lately this seems more promising. I also wished for the supply chain to loosen up, and for most industries, it did exactly that. Oh, and I got the Jimi Hendrix album I mentioned too!
So I’m pretty happy with my 2023 haul… now let’s get on with 2024.
First up, I want a rate cut. Truthfully, I’d like a few cuts, but I’ll take even one. Inflation seems to be pulling back, so after two long years of rate increases and holds, a reversal is likely for the next year. Hopefully this is good news for companies who want to borrow more and grow but have been ultra-conservative about it due to rates.
Related, I want to see the “soft landing” that was talked about often. I heard this so much that it would have made the cover of the Sears Wish Book (am I dating myself? Probably not – all you Gen X’ers remember.) But yes, inflation getting tamed without a recession would be remarkable and a nice boost for the economy.
Ok, that’s it on the financial front. Let’s talk about a new gadget or similar.
I’d like to see AI get a little more definitive and perhaps even be a catalyst for the “next big thing”. While technology continues to amaze us, I feel we’ve gotten to a point where we’re a little “meh” on newer things. The last true societal game-changer was the smartphone, and we’re more than 15 years into that. So I’d like to see what’s next – maybe a wearable AI assistant or something similar? I could definitely see that happening, and I want one in my stocking!
I was listening to the holiday playlist the other day… Can we get some newer holiday songs please? I know Mariah Carey has done an excellent job here, but aside from her, I find Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, and the rest of the old gang still dominate most playlists. Not that I don’t like those songs but something newer that catches on would be nice too.
In closing, I always enjoy this time of year. Besides all the personal stuff, it’s usually pretty busy around here as companies make year-end purchases. If you’re looking for such and need equipment financing, you know where to go. You’ll get exactly what you need for the holidays, and no coal in your stocking either!