Apps and Life Hacks
While tax season has nearly come and gone, it’s always nice to have a few ideas to help you close out the current tax season and plan for next year. We’ve curated a few of our favorite apps and life hacks that can help you get and stay organized. And, if you enjoy this piece (or if you’re not a technology buff), we hope you’ll share it with someone who is. http://bit.ly/appsandhacks
The Weekly Update
Week of March 25, 2019
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
Friday, the yield of the 3-month Treasury bill exceeded the yield of the 10-year Treasury note for the first time in 12 years. For some analysts, this “inverted yield curve” may imply a short-term lessening of confidence. (Treasury yields move inversely to Treasury prices.)
As a result, the S&P 500 ended the week 0.94% lower. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.80%, and the Dow Industrials lost 1.19%.
In contrast, the MSCI EAFE index following international stocks rose, gaining 0.52% for the week.
Fed Sees No Hikes in 2019
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, but lowered its estimate of 2019 economic growth to 2.1%.
Last December, the central bank forecast two rate hikes in 2019. It now expects to leave rates unchanged this year, with one quarter-point hike projected for 2020.
This pivot may acknowledge a slight …
Women & Investing
Women investors face special challenges that make financial literacy and advanced planning especially important. For example, women are more likely to outlive their husbands or have divorce disproportionately affect them, making long-term financial strategies especially critical. Grab a copy of our new resource for women who are seeking perspectives on how to take control of their financial lives. We hope you’ll share it with the women in your life http://bit.ly/womenandinvesting
The Weekly Update
Week of March 18, 2019
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
The big story last week was the sudden grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 passenger jets in dozens of countries. The financial effects of this ban could potentially impact the airline industry and segments of the economy for months.
While the news created a headwind for the Dow Industrials, stocks managed to post solid gains for the week. The Nasdaq Composite rose 3.12%; the S&P 500, 2.46%; the Dow, 2.25%.
Bullish sentiment was also evident overseas. Looking at the MSCI EAFE index, international stocks advanced 1.93%.
Trade Meeting Delayed
Wall Street expected President Trump and Chinese President Xi to discuss trade issues this month. Thursday, Bloomberg reported that their talk had been postponed, with no firm date ahead.
Muted Inflation
The latest Consumer Price Index showed just a 1.5% rise in overall consumer costs in the …
The Weekly Update
Week of March 11, 2019
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
As in February, investors spent most of the first full trading week of March hoping for new details in U.S.-China trade negotiations. While they waited, stock benchmarks drifted downward. From Monday’s open to Friday’s close, the S&P 500 lost 2.55%, while the Dow Industrials took a 2.66% fall, and the Nasdaq Composite weakened 3.12%. The MSCI EAFE index tracking developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada fell 1.09%.
Why did stocks lose momentum? In a hint that global economic growth might be slowing, the European Central Bank abruptly reduced its 2019 Gross Domestic Product forecast for the eurozone from 1.7% to 1.1%. A disappointing reading on U.S. hiring also raised questions.
Perplexing Jobs Data
According to the Department of Labor, the economy generated only 20,000 net new jobs in February. This was the smallest monthly gain …
6 Steps for Early Retirement
We’ve gotten a lot of questions recently on what it takes to retire early. While leaving the workforce may sound appealing, the people we work with want to make sure they have enough money saved and their portfolio is positioned for the road ahead. Here are the 6 steps every investor should take before considering early retirement https://bit.ly/2SIqwgT.
The Weekly Update
Week of March 4, 2019
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
Stocks lost a little ground as February gave way to March. While domestic and overseas political developments made headlines, the market stayed relatively calm: from Monday’s open through Friday’s close, the S&P 500 ceded just 0.17%, finishing the week at 2,803.69.
The Dow declined 0.65% in five trading sessions to 26,026.32, while the Nasdaq finished the week 0.06% higher at 7,595.35. The MSCI EAFE index of international stocks rose 0.24% for the week.
Volatility has dropped in the past few weeks. Wall Street has grown less anxious about the possibility of new tariffs and higher interest rates this year.
Powell Shares His Outlook
Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told the Senate that Fed officials would take a “patient approach” with regard to future interest rate moves. Powell called the economy “healthy,” but noted that “conflicting …
