401(k) Archives - CTS Financial Group

Goldilocks Returns; Market Ends Week “Just Right.”

jmuch2025-01-21T10:48:52-06:00January 21, 2025|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: 401(k), AI, alternative energy, alternative investments, artificial intelligence, chicago, college education, CPI, debt, Fed, financial planning, financial strategy, income tax brackets, income taxes, Interest Rates, investing, investment, market volatility, markets, retirement, retirement planning, risk, risk management, social security, sustainability, taxes, wealth management, wealth transfer, women|

The Weekly Update

Week of January 20th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks roared back last week, fueled by upbeat Q4 corporate reports and economic news that stalled inflationary fears.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 2.91 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 2.45 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led, picking up 3.69 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 2.00 percent.

Goldilocks is Back
The “Goldilocks” narrative—an economy that’s neither too hot nor too cold—made a comeback last week.

Tuesday’s Producer Price Index report showed that wholesale prices rose less than expected in December—one piece of evidence suggesting a cooling economy.

Stocks jumped out of the gate Wednesday after the December Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed core inflation (minus volatile energy and food prices) rose less than expected. Investors also cheered Q4 reports from a handful of money center banks and positive news out …

Investors Read Inflation Risk in Job Numbers

jmuch2025-01-13T08:32:22-06:00January 13, 2025|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: 401(k), aging parents, artificial intelligence, chicago, CPI, estate planning, Fed, financial planning, financial strategy, Inflation, insurance, Interest Rates, investing, market volatility, markets, retirement, risk management, social security, wealth management, wealth transfer, women|

The Weekly Update

Week of January 13th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks fell for the second consecutive week as a round of fresh economic data stoked inflationary fears among investors.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 1.94 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 2.34 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.86 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slipped 0.49 percent.

Inflation Stymies Markets
Stocks rallied broadly to start the week, but two economic reports on Tuesday—job openings and the prices-paid index among service companies—raised fresh inflation concerns. Higher Treasury yields also put pressure on stocks.

Stocks flattened out on Wednesday. Investors reacted to news that most Federal Open Market Committee members agreed inflation risks had increased, per minutes from the Fed’s December meeting.

U.S. stock markets were closed Thursday in observance of President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.

On Friday, a warmer-than-expected December jobs report caused investors to …

Stocks Decline Slightly as New Year Dawns

jmuch2025-01-06T09:48:26-06:00January 6, 2025|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: 401(k), alternative investments, artificial intelligence, chicago, CPI, debt, estate planning, Fed, financial planning, financial strategy, Inflation, insurance, Interest Rates, investing, market volatility, markets, retirement, risk management, taxes, wealth management, wealth transfer, women|

The Weekly Update

Week of January 6th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks edged lower last week despite a powerful end-of-week rally.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 0.48 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index slid 0.51 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.60 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped 0.90 percent.

Selling Then Buying
Stocks were under pressure right out of the gate on Monday for no apparent reason other than worries over the loss of year-end momentum. By the end of trading on Monday, markets recovered some losses, but the selling picked up again on Tuesday.

After being closed for the New Year’s holiday, stocks opened higher for the first trading day of 2025. But sellers gained the upper hand by the end of trading. On Friday, Investors perked up with tech stocks leading a recovery rally that erased most of the week’s …

Holiday Spending Up

jmuch2024-12-30T10:10:07-06:00December 30, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: 401(k), artificial intelligence, chicago, CPI, debt, estate planning, Fed, financial planning, financial strategy, income tax brackets, insurance, Interest Rates, investing, market volatility, markets, retirement, social security, wealth management, wealth transfer, women|

The Weekly Update

Week of December 30th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks notched a slight gain over the holiday week. A tech-driven rally in the first half of the week was clawed back in the second half as investors took profits following the market holiday.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 0.67 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.76 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.35 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 1.54 percent.

Ho-Ho, Then No-Go
Stocks rallied during the first half of a shortened holiday trading week. Holiday cheer won out despite news of declining consumer confidence in December, a drop in durable goods, and new home sales reporting below expectations.

The “Santa rally” lost its ho-ho-go after the midweek holiday. Megacap technology stocks led markets down on Friday, giving back most of the gains from the first half of the …

Powell Signal Leaves Investors Cold

jmuch2024-12-23T10:04:49-06:00December 23, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: 401(k), AI, artificial intelligence, chicago, CPI, debt, estate planning, Fed, financial planning, Inflation, insurance, Interest Rates, investing, investment, market volatility, markets, retirement, risk management, social security, taxes, wealth management|

The Weekly Update

Week of December 23rd, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks were under pressure last week as the Fed Chair’s hawkish comments unsettled investors ahead of the holiday season.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average received the hardest hit, falling 2.25 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 1.98 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 1.78 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, retreated an eye-catching 3.38 percent.

No Santa Yet
Divergence marked the start of the week as megacap tech stocks rallied while the Dow Industrials fell for the eighth-straight session—its longest losing streak since 2018.

Following its scheduled December meeting, the Fed announced it was cutting short-term rates by a quarter point, as widely expected. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell also signaled fewer rate reductions next year. “From here, it’s a new phase and we’re going to be cautious about further cuts,” he said …

Mixed Data, Mixed Results

jmuch2024-12-16T08:42:48-06:00December 16, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: 401(k), alternative investments, artificial intelligence, chicago, estate planning, Fed, financial planning, financial strategy, Inflation, Interest Rates, investing, market volatility, markets, retirement, retirement planning, risk management, taxes, wealth management, wealth transfer, women|

The Weekly Update

Week of December 16th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks finished the week mixed, bookending losses around midweek gains as investors digested fresh inflation data.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slipped 0.64 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index ticked up 0.34 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.82 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 1.48 percent.

Up and Down Week
Stocks fell broadly over the first part of the week. Leading chipmakers who produce semiconductors for artificial intelligence applications were under pressure after Chinese regulators announced an antimonopoly investigation.

Investors breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday morning following news that consumer inflation in November was in line with expectations. Mega-cap tech stocks led the rally, with the Nasdaq closing above 20,000 for the first time. Meanwhile, the Dow fell as healthcare stocks came under pressure.

Stocks remained in the trading range for the …

Abandoned 401(k)s

jmuch2023-04-06T18:36:03-05:00April 6, 2023|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: 401(k), investing, retirement|