Major stock market indices made significant gains in the first half of the year due to improving inflation, slowing Fed rate hikes, the absence of a recession, a more stable banking sector, and a strong rally in tech stocks. The S&P 500 has climbed 16.9% with reinvested dividends this year, while the Nasdaq and Dow […]
The past few years are proof that market sentiment can turn on a dime. This year’s strong market rally, with the S&P 500 rising 13% and the Nasdaq gaining 29%, has been driven by technology stocks, improving inflation, and the absence of a recession. While it may be too early to tell, some investors believe we are […]
At its June meeting, the Fed decided to hit pause on rate hikes after more than a year of rapid monetary policy tightening. Since last March, the Fed has raised rates 10 times from zero to 5%, making this the second-fastest rate hike cycle in history. However, some consider the Fed’s latest decision to be a “hawkish […]
The world has been abuzz over artificial intelligence and the possible benefits and threats. These range from the practical such as better tools for knowledge workers and ways for students to avoid writing papers, to the philosophical including what it means to be sentient and the impact on human civilization. In between, there are more mundane questions around the […]
Investors have grappled with market and economic challenges this year ranging from Fed uncertainty, stubbornly high inflation, the possibility of a recession, a banking crisis, the debt ceiling, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and more. And yet, the stock market has made significant year-to-date gains with the S&P 500 returning 12.4% with dividends and the Nasdaq 27%. This is further […]
As the debt ceiling drama in Washington unfolds, uncertainty around the Fed grows, and inflation remains stubbornly high, the price of gold has experienced a surge over the past six months. Gold prices climbed above $2,000 per ounce in early May, reaching just around its peak levels during the pandemic in 2020 and prior to the Fed raising rates in […]
Planning for retirement has never been more important and yet so challenging. Given the difficult inflationary conditions of the past two years, the risk that worries most retirees continues to be outliving their savings. This is because, when it comes to markets and the economy, we can’t control the timing of events – including day-to-day market swings and whether […]
The repercussions of inflation, Fed rate hikes, the ongoing banking crisis, and the approaching debt ceiling deadline are being felt throughout the financial system. One area directly impacted by these shocks is real estate, across both the residential and commercial sectors. Commercial real estate (CRE), in particular, is highly dependent on regional and smaller banks, including […]
The federal debt limit is once again in the news as the country rapidly approaches a critical deadline on June 1. Investors are understandably nervous about Washington failing to reach an agreement, a possibility that both sides agree would be a self-inflicted catastrophe. While it’s unclear how this will play out in the coming weeks, the fortunate news […]
On the morning of May 1, it was announced that First Republic Bank had been taken over by the FDIC and sold to JPMorgan Chase. Eleven major banks had previously infused First Republic with $30 billion in deposits to stabilize the bank after the failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Credit Suisse. This process […]