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Insurance at Every Stage: Raising a Family
Insurance at Every Stage: Raising a Family
A growing family, by definition, means an ever-increasing financial obligation – both now and in the future. Amid the increasing expenses and life demands that come with parenthood, thinking about your insurance needs can be tough. But now’s the time to consider what is at stake and make sure you’re protecting your family from whatever life may throw your way. Grab a copy of our new article that examines the different types of insurance to consider when you’re a parent. https://bit.ly/37BEn3q.
No Stimulus, Stocks Lower
The Weekly Update
Week of October 26th, 2020
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
The failure to reach an agreement on a new fiscal stimulus bill soured investor sentiment and sent stocks modestly lower for the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.95%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.53%. The Nasdaq Composite index slipped 1.06% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, declined 0.44%.
Markets Disappointed with Stimulus Impasse
Stock prices ebbed and flowed all week, pulled by the gravity of fiscal stimulus talks in Washington, D.C. As investors saw improving prospects for a new fiscal stimulus bill, stocks rose. As prospects dimmed, stocks turned lower.
Hopes for striking a deal were raised late in the week as comments from a key negotiator suggested that a deal might be getting closer to fruition. The week ended, however, without an agreement, cementing a …
A Difficult Week for Stocks
The Weekly Update
Week of October 19th, 2020
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
Stocks treaded water last week amid fading prospects for a stimulus bill, fears of a second wave of COVID-19 cases and increasing political and regulatory pressures on Big Tech companies.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added just 0.07% while the Standard & Poor’s 500 eked out a gain of 0.19%. The Nasdaq Composite index picked up 0.79% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 2.08%.
Rocky Week
The stock market began the week by posting strong gains on hopes of a fiscal stimulus bill. Also, investors were optimistic that earnings season would reflect an improving picture of corporate performance.
But stocks stumbled midweek on a mixed bag of early earnings results, and an increase in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and Europe. Disappointing news on some key COVID-19 treatment trials …
Stocks Rise, Stimulus Uncertain
The Weekly Update
Week of October 12th, 2020
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
Stocks staged a powerful rally last week, riding a wave of optimism over the prospect of the passage of a new fiscal stimulus bill.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.27%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 increased 3.84%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 4.56% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 2.23%.
Stimulus Stalemate?
The anticipation of lawmakers passing a new round of economic stimulus was a decisive driver of market action all week.
A mid-week tweet by President Trump announcing that he was ending stimulus negotiations sent stocks lower. Losses were exacerbated by sharp declines in some mega-cap technology companies as details emerged from a House Judiciary subcommittee report on its investigation into their competitive practices.
Stocks quickly reversed direction, climbing after the President tweeted that he would sign …
What’s Your Number?
What’s Your Number?
Most people will spend 30, 40, or even 50 years working toward retirement, putting a little away each month so that they can enjoy their golden years. But when it comes to retirement savings, how much is enough? There are a few key steps to the process, and we shared our thinking in a recent resource. https://bit.ly/3lhpSW4
Special Update: Quarterly Report
The Weekly Update
Week of October 5th, 2020
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The Week on Wall Street
Stocks advanced last week, propelled by hopes that legislators may reach an agreement for a new fiscal stimulus package and optimism generated by a few corporate deal announcements and initial public offerings.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.87%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 increased 1.52%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 1.48% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 1.56%.
The Quarter in Brief
The summer brought an economic rebound and a continuation of the stock market rally that began in spring. In late September, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s GDPNow tracker estimated real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 32.0% for the third quarter. All three of the major Wall Street benchmarks advanced in Q3; the S&P 500 added nearly 8%, ending the quarter up about …
