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Weekly Market Insights: Debt Talks Optimism Keeps Eyes on D.C.
Markets moved in sync last week with perceived movement in debt ceiling talks, weakening early in the week and then surging on news of progress. A solid quarterly report and guidance from a mega-cap technology company helped with...
Read MoreIf all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail
What is an annuity anyway?
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Despite Stall, Debt Deal Optimism Cheers Markets
Stocks rallied last week, propelled by growing optimism over reaching a deal on raising the debt ceiling and avoiding a technical debt default by the U.S.The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.38% higher, while the Standard &...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Attention Turns to the Debt Ceiling
Stocks were mixed last week as good inflation news was offset by mounting debt ceiling concerns and rekindled regional banking fears.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.11%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.29%. The...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Friday Rally Trims Losses; CPI Report Next Week
A Friday rebound, triggered by a big tech company’s earnings beat and a strong jobs report, shaved much of the week’s accumulated losses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.24%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...
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Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Rally As Attention Shifts to Fed's May Meeting
Strong earnings from several mega-cap technology companies offset renewed regional banking jitters and weak economic data, leaving stocks higher for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.86%, while the Standard &...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks show small losses after mixed week
Stocks remained resilient last week amid mixed earnings reports, hawkish Fed-speak, and lingering recession fears, closing out the five trading days with small losses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.23%, while the Standard &...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Lower inflation lifts spirits in uneven week.
The combination of an improving inflation outlook resulted in a week of uneven, albeit positive, performance, in which cyclical and financial stocks rallied while technology, real estate, and utilities lagged. The Dow Jones...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Hiring Cools; Recession Fears Rise.
Stocks ended a shortened week of trading mixed amid revived recession fears on Wall Street triggered by weak economic data.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.63%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.10%. The Nasdaq...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Banking Crisis Fears Dim; Markets Rally
Stocks rallied last week on receding fears of a widening banking crisis, led by resurging investor interest in technology and communication services names.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 3.22%, while the Standard & Poor’s...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Mixed Message Provokes Volatility
Modest gains in major market indices masked sharp volatility amid the uncertainty arising from mixed messages emanating from public officials and revived banking fears. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.18%, while the Standard...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Markets Cautious After Banking Woes; Awaiting Fed Reaction
Amid the reverberations of two U.S. banks being taken over by regulators and the spread of uncertainty to European banks, stocks trended higher last week on the strength of the technology sector.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Bad News Gives Markets a One-Two Punch
Stocks tumbled last week as investors reconsidered their interest rate expectations after Fed Chair Powell’s Congressional testimony that rates may need to go higher. Stocks also were rattled when a west coast bank was placed...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Fed’s Reassurance Boosts Stocks.
A late-week surge, triggered by reassuring Fed-speak, propelled stocks higher last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.75%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.90%. The Nasdaq Composite index picked up 2.58% for...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Mixed Results As Interest Rate Concerns Grow
Growing concerns about further interest rate hikes, prompted by fresh economic data, reversed early-week gains and left stocks mixed for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.13%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Mixed Feelings and Mixed Earnings
Stocks drifted lower as a week of mixed earnings reports and resurgent worries over Fed monetary policy dragged on investor sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.17%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Powell: Inflation Heading in the Right Direction
Stocks were mixed last week following better-than-expected corporate reports and increasing optimism over a slowdown in interest rates.The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower, slipping -0.15%. The Standard & Poor’s 500 rose...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Earnings and Data Tell Two Different Stories on Near Future.
Stocks added to their early 2023 gains amid a busy stream of mixed corporate earnings results and conflicting economic data.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.81%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 2.47%. The Nasdaq...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Mixed Results Following Weak Economic Data
Stocks showed mixed results last week as recession fears resurfaced in response to weak economic data and a tepid start to a new corporate earnings season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 2.70%, while the Standard &...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Inflation Cools, Stocks Warm Up
Stocks rallied last week thanks to fresh confirmation of inflation’s cooling trend and growing optimism that an inflation slowdown may provide the Fed with space to ease up on future rate hikes.The Dow Jones Industrial Average...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: New Year's Rally in Reply to Positive Economic News
A strong Friday rally triggered by fresh signs of moderating inflation pushed stocks into positive territory to begin the new year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.46%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.45%....
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Erratic Holiday Trading Leaves Stocks in Doldrums
In a holiday-shortened week, erratic trading left stocks marginally down for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.17%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.14%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.30%. The MSCI...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Fed Talks Turkey on Lower Rates, Boosting Markets
Growing optimism that the Fed may be ready to ease future interest rate hikes sent stocks higher in a quiet trading week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.78%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 1.53%. The Nasdaq...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Have Warmer Week as Inflation Cools
An improving inflation outlook buoyed investors’ spirits last week, helping lift stocks to solid gains.The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2.92%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 3.26%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Mixed Week For Markets; Jobs On The Rise
Stocks turned in a mixed performance last week as investors struggled with headlines suggesting that the Fed was unlikely to soon ease up on its current monetary tightening policy.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.13%, while...
Read MoreHappy Halloween!
That spooky-yet-sweet time of year is coming – Halloween! Whether the costumes you or your kids wear are homemade or store-bought, whether the pumpkins by your home are hard-carved or plastic, whether you trick-or-treat in the...
Read MoreWill Fed Chair Powell Get a Second Term?
Financial markets tend to function best when they have clear, strong leadership. When there’s concern about who’s the boss, markets can struggle.Jerome Powell’s first term as Fed Chair ends in February 2022. Until...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Debt Ceiling Raised
The overhang of bumping against the federal debt ceiling was lifted last week with an agreement to extend the debt ceiling through early December, helping propel stocks to a weekly gain.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 1...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stalemate in the Capitol
Higher bond yields and a legislative stalemate in Washington, D.C., added up to losses for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.36%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 2.21%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell...
Read MoreFallout from the Chinese Property Market
There’s a famous saying about a hurricane starting from a butterfly flapping its wings on the other side of the world. That “butterfly effect” is certainly happening in terms of the Chinese property market’s...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Wild Week of Contagion Concerns
Stocks prices were whipsawed last week, dragged initially lower by financial contagion worries and later lifted by a supportive Fed policy statement.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.62%, while the Standard & Poor’s...
Read MoreCelebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s time to honor the culture and contributions of the Hispanic and Latin Americans that make up our great nation.National Hispanic Heritage Month started...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Lackluster Despite Positive Outlook
Stocks weakened ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting and amid persistent concerns about the Delta variant’s impact on the economy.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat (-0.07%), while the Standard &...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Passage of Infrastructure Boosts Stocks
Looking past inflation figures and Delta variant trends, stocks last week found a way to climb higher and set fresh record highs in the process.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.87%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Market Shows Small Loss
The stock market posted small losses last week despite a very strong showing by corporate America.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.36%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.37%. The Nasdaq Composite index dropped...
Read MoreEconomic Lessons from Used-Car Inflation
Inflation is defined as the general upward price movement of goods and services in an economy. The key word is “general.” Inflation tends to be uneven and affects the price of some items more than others.If you’ve...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Strong Employment Reports
Strong employment reports and rising consumer confidence sent the stock market broadly higher last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.02%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 picked up 1.67%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Reach All-Time Highs
Stocks reached new all-time highs last week as markets staged a strong rebound from the previous week’s declines.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.44%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 picked up 2.74%. The Nasdaq...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Fed Signals Interest Rate Hikes
New messaging from the Federal Reserve on interest rates and inflation last week led to a broad retreat in stock prices.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 3.45% while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.91%. The Nasdaq...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Stay Cool, Inflation Heats Up
Stocks ended the week mixed as investors appeared to shrug off a hotter-than-expected inflation report.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.80%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 0.41%. The Nasdaq Composite...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Labor Numbers Positive
A strong, but not too strong, employment report sparked a rally on the final day of trading, propelling stocks to a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed by 0.66%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreInflation Outlook for 2021
As our nation continues to recover from the effects of COVID-19, one economic trend has been capturing news attention as of late. Consumer prices are rising amidst economic recovery. In fact, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.8%...
Read MoreA Seven-Year High for Gas Prices
Over Memorial Day weekend, gasoline prices hit the highest for this holiday weekend since 2014.1With the Colonial Pipeline outage in the rear-view mirror and an ever-increasing number of adults vaccinated, formerly cooped-up motorists...
Read MoreVolatility Tests Your Mettle
Most people understand that stock prices don't go straight up. But when market volatility increases, the price action can test the mettle of even the most seasoned investor.In recent weeks, stock prices have trended lower with a few...
Read MoreThe Whims of Wall Street
It can be exhausting trying to keep up with the whims of Wall Street.Lately, the financial markets have been fixated on federal taxes and what may be proposed on Capitol Hill in the weeks and months ahead.Wall Street’s focus on...
Read MoreBuffett and Powell Talk Inflation
What does it mean when two of the most powerful voices in American financial life seem to be saying two different things?In one corner, we have the “Oracle of Omaha,” investor Warren Buffett. As one of the nation’s...
Read MoreCyberattack, CPI Hit In the Wallet
A cyberattack shut down a major gas and energy pipeline supplying the East Coast of the United States for several days. The actual pipelines themselves are still functional and have since started running again, but it’s led to...
Read MoreHas 2020 Volatility Thrown Your Allocation Out of Whack?
The financial markets have been on a wild ride in 2020. The year began with a continuation of the bull market that started in 2009. The longest bull market in history, however, came to an abrupt end with the arrival of the COVID-19...
Read MoreFourth Quarter Preview: What to Expect for the End of 2020
It took just under five months for it to happen. On August 17th, the S&P 500 closed at 3389.78—an all-time record. That record is also significant because it means the index officially recouped all losses from the downturn that...
Read MoreCOVID Economic Update: Is a Second Stimulus on the Horizon?
As the COVID-19 pandemic stretches into its seventh month, leaders in Washington are debating a second stimulus bill. On August 8, President Trump signed executive orders that extended the federal unemployment benefit, but reduced the...
Read MoreIs a resurgence threatening our recovery?
The United States set a somber record on Thursday, July 16, 2020, with more than 75,000 new COVID-19 cases. In fact, the U.S. set new single-day COVID-19 records 11 times between June 17 and July 16. Dr. Anthony Fauci predicts the...
Read MoreCan You Count on Social Security to Fund Your Retirement?
Social Security is a critical piece of the income puzzle for most retirees. In fact, half of married retirees and nearly 70% of unmarried retirees rely on Social Security for more than 50% of their retirement income.1 Your Social...
Read More5 Ways to Reduce Your Taxes in Retirement
What are the biggest expenses you’ll face in retirement? Healthcare? Housing? Travel? All of those costs could be significant, but one of the biggest could be taxes. That’s right. Just because you’re done working,...
Read MoreFinancial Moves to Consider in a "Down" Year
It’s hard to find good news in today’s economic environment. COVID-19 single-handedly brought an end to the longest bull market in history and ushered in record-setting unemployment. If you’re like millions of others...
Read MoreIs It time for an economic recovery?
The first half of 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride. The COVID-19 pandemic completely altered our way of life and threw the economy into a tailspin. Most states have started the reopening process, but there is still significant...
Read MoreTake a look at the asset winners and losers in 2020
We’re halfway through 2020, and the year has already been a rollercoaster. We’ve seen a global pandemic, record unemployment and racial protests across the country. And let’s not forget, there’s a presidential...
Read MoreAre "Penalty-Free" 401k Withdrawals Free?
On March 27, the government passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, otherwise known as the CARES Act. The Act had a wide range of provisions to provide Americans and small businesses with economic support during...
Read MoreInvesting After Retirement: Tips to Protect Your Nest Egg
Saving for retirement can often feel like climbing a mountain. It takes immense planning and discipline to reach the summit - the moment when you can finally retire and leave the working world behind. Much like climbing a mountain,...
Read MoreWhat's Next for a COVID-19 Economy?
The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues, even as states start to reopen restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses. The crisis brought an end to the bull market that started in 2009 and threatens to usher in...
Read More3 Ways the SECURE Act Benefits Women
It seems like the entire world has revolved around the coronavirus for the past two months. It has changed our way of life, the way we work, and even the way we interact with friends and family. Believe it or not, there have been other...
Read MoreWhat to do after you max out your 401(k)?
Are you one of the more than 58 million Americans who use a 401(k) plan to save for retirement? As of the end of 2019, 401(k) plans held more than $6.2 trillion, which accounts for nearly 20% of all retirement assets in the United...
Read MorePotential Investment Opportunities During a Difficult Time
The stock market crash of 1987. The tech bubble in the early-2000s. The financial crisis of 2008. And now, the coronavirus pandemic. What do all of these things have in common? They all involve sharp market downturns that end a bull...
Read MoreWhat Do Zero-Percent Interest Rates Mean for You?
The coronavirus pandemic has launched the country, and the world, into uncharted territory. In much of the world, society is essentially shut down. Schools and large events are closed. People are staying in their homes. Businesses have...
Read MoreWhat Steps Should You Take in a Coronavirus Economy?
The coronavirus has taken the world, and the U.S. economy, by storm. After the longest bull market in history, the stock market is now deep in bear market territory.1 Businesses, sports, leagues, and schools have shut down. This is an...
Read MoreThe CARES Act: What Does it Mean for Your Retirement?
On March 27, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which provides economic support to Americans who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. You’re probably familiar with the...
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