This 1st Week of March 2023 Thoughts

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The 10-year bond is back up to 4%, the highest level since last November. I've had a hold on new bond buys as I knew yields would move back over 4%. Look for me to reach out to you about what I have in mind for your portfolio. The fund that will capitalize on the entire industry of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is Blue Horizon: check it out!

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Plans are for a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers along our highways and in communities and for EVs to make up 50% of new car sales by 2030. Along the way will be good-paying manufacturing and installation jobs.

The White House announced that Tesla is set to start opening up part of its charging network: 7,500 “superchargers” will be available to non-Tesla EVs by 2024.That’s a big deal as it gives the government a better chance of achieving its goal of 500,000 accessible chargers across the country by 2030.

Why does it matter to you? I don’t think any of us can really wrap our arms around this, any more than those who lived in the early days of the Ford - Horse & Buggy transition. Tesla isn’t the only company plugging in to help: Hertz, BP, GM, and EVgo are among the 16 companies that will provide another 100,000 chargers to the US network, accelerating the switch to EVs and renewable energy. Check out the graphic below…to see who will benefit from this shift! You can safely assume our portfolios will be there every step of the way: we'll own infrastructure; renewable energy; clean water and the raw materials needed. Click on the left sidebar to see the latest update on our Blue Horizon ETF. Check out what is in Blue Horizon.

Why Home Depot Is Investing $1 Billion in Workers Investing in Workers

Home Depot announced Tuesday it will direct $1 billion to its hourly employees and lift wages for workers across supply chain, customer care, merchandising, and other front-line roles to at least $15 an hour. The move is the latest in a string of investments being made by companies across the retail, restaurant, and hospitality sectors – including Walmart, Delta, and Chipotle – in better training, higher pay, and new jobs for hourly employees. This stands in stark contrast to the mass layoffs happening across tech and banking as not all companies over-hired during the Pandemic. Home Depot CEO Ted Decker emailed employees and shared this with CNBC, making the business case for the investment: "It will help us attract and retain the best talent into our pipeline and “improve the customer experience.” For an idea of the impact, Home Depot’s 475,000 workers across 2,300 stores (most of whom are hourly) make it one of the country’s largest employers in North America.

Why does it matter to you? I’ve written about excessive CEO pay many times…and this is exactly what we need to see! The more compensation flows to all employees, the more our entire economy will benefit.

Required Disclosures: Always read the fine print! This content reflects the opinions of Julie Skye and is subject to change without notice. This content is for informational and entertainment purposes, and it is not a recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of any security. There is no guarantee that any statements, opinions, or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Securities investing involves risk, including the potential for loss of principal. There is no assurance any investment plan or strategy will be successful.

Julie is an Investment Advisor Representative of Sustainable Advisors Alliance, LLC SAA, LLC): Advisory services are provided by SAA, LLC.

Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training.