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Rate Cut Momentum; D.C. Averts Shutdown

2024-10-01T10:18:53-05:00October 1, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

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

Stocks moved higher last week, continuing to build on the momentum generated after the Federal Reserve decided to cut short-term rates by 0.50 percent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 0.59 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.95 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.62 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, gained an eye-catching 3.53 percent.

Congress Passes Spending Bill
Stocks started the week tepidly but in the green, as investors mostly shrugged off Tuesday’s weak consumer confidence report. Then, at midweek, markets put on the brakes as investors appeared to take profits after a four-day winning streak.

On Thursday, markets rallied on the news that the final Q2 gross domestic product estimate showed the economy increased at an annual rate of 3.0 percent. Then Friday, the PCE, or Personal Consumption and Expenditures Index, …

Fed Cuts Interest Rate By Half-Point

2024-09-23T10:31:26-05:00September 23, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

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

Stocks moved higher last week after the Federal Reserve’s half-point rate cut, bolstered by multiple data points supporting a cooling but still strong economy and decelerating inflation.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 1.36 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.49 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average moved ahead by 1.62 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, inched up 0.42 percent.

Fed Cuts Rate 0.5 Percent
Stocks traded in a narrow range for the first half of the week as anxious investors awaited the outcome of the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) September meeting.

Shortly after 2 pm ET Wednesday, the Fed announced it was cutting rates by a half percentage point—a more significant cut than some investors anticipated. Stocks initially rose in response and then fell. Some market watchers attributed the decline to concern …

Stocks Rally Ahead of Fed Meeting

2024-09-16T09:22:07-05:00September 16, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

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

Stocks rallied last week as investors received better-than-expected consumer and producer inflation data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.60 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 4.02 percent. The Nasdaq Composite led, picking up 5.95 percent as tech stocks rebounded. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 1.01 percent.

A Wednesday to Remember
Stocks bounced out of the gate at the start of the week as “risk on” investors made moves before the pending release of the twin inflation reports–the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI). The three major averages added slightly more than 1 percent in Monday trading.

On Wednesday, stocks initially dipped following the release of the CPI as traders appeared disappointed by the report. By midday, sentiment changed. The S&P 500, down as much as 1.6 percent in …

Markets Rise Thanks to Upbeat Indicators

2024-08-19T09:12:53-05:00August 19, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of August 19th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks posted solid gains last week, buoyed by robust economic data and constructive comments from Fed officials.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 3.93 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 5.29 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged a bit, picking up 2.94 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, powered ahead by 4.31 percent.

Upbeat Economic News
Three critical economic data points gave investors what they were looking for: wholesale inflation, consumer prices, and retail sales.

Both the Producer Price Index and the Consumer Price Index rose less than expected in July, reinforcing a picture of cooling inflation. The July retail sales report on Thursday was stronger than expected, which added more fuel to the week-long rally.

Market action slowed down on the week’s final trading day, with positive consumer sentiment gains countered only by a …

Stocks Stage Comeback After Heavy Monday

2024-08-12T10:23:05-05:00August 12, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of August 12th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks ended last week with modest losses, masking a volatile five-day trading period that saw investors embrace recession concerns and then dismiss the slow-down talk as speculation as the week progressed.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.60 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index ended flat (-0.04 percent). The Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.18 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 1.21 percent.

Stocks Stage Comeback
Monday was the worst day for the S&P 500 and the Dow in nearly two years. As recession talk grew louder, investors took a “risk off” position.

On Monday, the Japanese market had its worst drop since 1987 as market participants unwound positions from a popular trading strategy called a “carry trade” amid a global sell-off in stock prices.

But on Thursday, initial jobless claims fell less than expected—a positive …

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Tax Planning: Year End Preparations

2019-10-25T10:13:51-05:00October 25, 2019|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: , |

Tax Planning: Year End Preparations

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 continues to provide Americans with opportunities and challenges as they prepare to file their taxes. As we prepare to head into tax season once again, we feel that a review of deductions, tax brackets and exemptions may be in order. Grab a copy of our updated 2020 Tax Planning piece here. http://bit.ly/2p025CF

FSA vs. HSA

2019-02-14T09:55:14-06:00February 14, 2019|Categories: Resource Center|Tags: , |

Health Savings Account vs. Flexible Spending Account

A Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Which one should you choose? With several key differences between them, it literally pays to get this decision right. Grab a copy of our new guide to learn more about the important nuances between these two accounts. http://bit.ly/HSAorFSA

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