The Markets (as of market close October 31, 2022)
October saw stocks close higher for the first monthly gain since July. Investors were uplifted by hopes that the Federal Reserve will pull back from its aggressive interest-rate hike policy. In addition, solid third-quarter earnings could be a sign that the economy can withstand the battle to lower inflation. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted notable gains led by the Dow, which rose nearly 14.0%. The Russell 2000 gained about 11.0%, followed by the Global Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq.
Market Month: October 2022
Nov 1, 2022 10:08:50 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
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posted in Financial Planning, Stock Market, Interest rates, Inflation, 2022
Market Month: August 2022
Sep 1, 2022 2:29:27 PM
written by
The Retirement Group
The Markets (as of market close August 31, 2022)
Through the first half of August, the stock market continued to ride July's rally. Including the first two weeks of August, stocks had posted four consecutive weekly gains — the longest weekly rally of 2022. The latest inflation data showed prices had fallen in July, bolstering investor confidence that the Fed may begin to reel in its aggressive interest-rate hike policy. By mid-August, the S&P 500 had recouped half of its losses from the beginning of the year, and the Nasdaq had risen over 20.0% from its low in June. U.S. corporate profits rose 9.1% to a fresh record high of $2.62 trillion in the second quarter of 2022, following a 4.9% drop in the previous period. It appeared that even if the Fed continued its hawkish push to get inflation down to the 2.0% target, the economy had thus far been resilient, with the labor market continuing to show strength, while industrial production advanced.
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posted in Financial Planning, Stock Market, Interest rates, Inflation
Don't Panic: A Bull Case for Equities
Jun 3, 2022 8:46:00 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
DON’T PANIC
Both stocks and bonds are off to one of their worst starts to the year in history. The S&P 500 Index declined -12.92% through the end of April 2022, and other broad market indices were similarly down double digits.1
What’s worse, investors, like those living in Texas or New York, are losing nearly as much on the fixed income side of their portfolios as they are on the equity side. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index, a broad measure of domestic fixed income, suffered its largest quarterly loss (-5.93%) since 1980 to start the year2 and is down -9.50% through the end of April. The current environment has left investors feeling like there is nowhere to hide, and even prompted some to exit markets or go to cash, which is why we find it important to discuss this with our clients from Fortune 500.
Such a rash response could lead investors to miss out on an eventual rebound since historical equity performance post-corrections, as well as strong underlying economic fundamentals, suggest a bounce back in stocks will occur sooner rather than later. If you are unsure about your specific situation, feel free to speak to one of our retirement-focused advisors today!
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posted in Stock Market, Market Volatility, Inflation, Economy
Eleven Ways to Help Yourself Stay Sane in a Crazy Market
Feb 28, 2020 7:36:06 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
Keeping your cool can be hard to do when the market goes on one of its periodic roller-coaster rides. It's useful to have strategies in place that prepare you both financially and psychologically to handle market volatility. Here are 11 ways to help keep yourself from making hasty decisions that could have a long-term impact on your ability to achieve your financial goals.
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posted in Financial Planning, Lump Sum, Pension, Retirement Planning, Stock Market
6 Steps to Get Out of Debt.
Jan 27, 2019 9:00:52 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
Why not plan to lighten your financial burden?
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posted in Financial Planning, Stock Market
Growth vs. Value: What's the Difference?
Jan 12, 2019 9:10:30 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
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posted in Stock Market
Concentrated Stock Positions: Considerations and Strategies
Jan 11, 2019 12:42:37 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
Whether you inherited a large holding, exercised options to buy your company's stock, sold a private business, hold restricted stock, or have benefitted from repeated stock splits over the years, having a large position in a single stock carries unique challenges. Even if the stock has done well, you may want more diversification, or have new financial goals that require a shift in strategy.
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posted in Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement Planning, Stock Market
Handling Market Volatility
Jan 10, 2019 10:30:31 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
Conventional wisdom says that what goes up must come down. But even if you view market volatility as a normal occurrence, it can be tough to handle when your money is at stake. Though there's no foolproof way to handle the ups and downs of the stock market, the following common-sense tips can help.
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posted in Financial Planning, Lump Sum, Stock Market
Financial PTSD
Dec 26, 2018 1:49:06 AM
written by
The Retirement Group
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posted in Stock Market