Thoughts and insight on the latest retirement topics.
Weekly Update: October 12th, 2026 | Wall Street Finishes Strong in Complicated Week
Stocks ended last week higher after an up-and-down week where a kitchen sink of economic, geopolitical, and AI-related events competed for investors’ attention. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.15 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.64 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.93 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed…
Weekly Update: October 5th, 2026 | Nasdaq Record, Jobs Report Face Off in Mixed Week
Stocks ended last week mixed as a tug-of-war between strong economic data, cooler job growth, and decades-high Treasury yields played out. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index edged down 0.27 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.45 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.26 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas…
Weekly Update: September 28th, 2026 | Stocks Advance; Investors’ Attention on What’s Next.
Stocks advanced last week as the broad market looked past inflationary pressures and focused on falling oil prices, declining bond yields, and ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.22 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 2.06 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.28 percent. The…
Weekly Update: September 21st, 2026 | Fed Ups Rates; Investors Ponder AI, Oil
Stocks ended last week mixed as investors navigated the Fed’s rate decision, Treasury yields, oil prices, and the volatile AI trade. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.09 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.72 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.70 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock…
Weekly Update: September 14th, 2026 | CPI Holds Steady; Investors Await Fed Action
Stocks fell over a shortened trading week as higher oil prices rattled investors. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.80 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index edged down 0.66 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.57 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, skidded 1.39 percent.1,2 Sluggish Start Stocks…
Weekly Update: September 7th, 2026 | Mixed Week for Markets, Mixed Signals from Fed
Stocks were mixed last week as markets continued to navigate geopolitical concerns and new signals about short-term interest rates. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index edged up 0.09 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.40 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.27 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets,…
Weekly Update: August 31, 2026 | Stocks Upbeat on AI; Warsh: “Less is More.”
Stocks rebounded last week as falling bond yields and upbeat AI-related corporate reports rekindled positive market sentiment despite the Fed Chair’s slightly hawkish speech. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 0.49 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.85 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.53 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks…
Weekly Update: August 24, 2026 | Stocks Slip; Attention Shifts to Bonds
Stocks declined last week as global investors fretted about oil-supply-induced inflation. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 1.43 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index slid 2.05 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.85 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 0.40 percent.1,2 Bond Yields Up, Stocks Under Pressure…
Weekly Update: August 17, 2026 | Inflation Cools Again; S&P Up Third Week
Stocks were mixed over a sleepy summer week, as cooling inflation lifted markets while sluggish retail sales nipped at investor sentiment. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.36 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 0.14 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.56 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas…
Weekly Update: August 10, 2026 | Stocks Have Best Week in Four Months
Stocks bolted ahead last week as investors cheered the last big week of Q2 corporate reports and a Friday jobs update that put the spotlight on the Fed’s next move with short-term rates. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 3.57 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 5.19 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average…
Weekly Update: August 4, 2026 | Stocks Rally After Fed Hold
Stocks pushed through another volatile summer week as diverging Q2 corporate reports and the Fed’s rate decision whipsawed prices. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.05 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.59 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.04 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased…
Weekly Update: July 27, 2026 | Earnings Season Arrives; Investors Take a Breath
Stocks ended last week down as Q2 corporate results, Middle East developments, and the chips trade took investors for a choppy ride. The Nasdaq Composite Index was under the most pressure, falling 2.13 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 0.61 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.38 percent. The MSCI EAFE…