CNBC has exclusive data from the National Federation for Credit Counseling and the Harris poll showing how Americans are struggling with debt and how it all how it cuts across all income levels. Sharon Eper joins us now to break down this data. It sounds a little a little concerning. It is concerning, Leslie.Data shows that many Americans are missing the mark on executing financial basics like budgeting, building emergency savings, paying bills on time, even though they give themselves top grades on their k ...

Market Overview & Economic Cycle - The market briefly hit a new high for NASDAQ, but lacked strong conviction near the close [1] - The market is considered to be in the middle of a market cycle, not a late-cycle bull market, as credit spreads are not blowing out and bankers are not tightening lending standards [2][4] - The economy is slowing down, which typically leads to policy easing [2] - A slowdown environment favors higher quality mega-cap stocks, which make up a large portion of the broad index [3] Catalysts & Policy - Policy easing and a reacceleration of leading indicators, along with improved sentiment, are needed for market broadening [4] - The current policy mix, including trade and Federal Reserve policies, is contributing to a below-trend environment [5] - The Federal Reserve's policy should be more accommodative given the slowing economy, with the Fed funds rate potentially needing to be 50 to 75 basis points lower [9] Corporate Performance & Reliance on Rate Cuts - Second quarter earnings growth showed 12% year-over-year earnings growth and 6% revenue growth, indicating a strong market [7] - The market is not overly reliant on rate cuts, as much of the capex is coming from free cash flow [12][13] - Smaller capitalization companies are more sensitive to rate cuts [8][13]