Blog
Financial and economic analysis, national and global impacts on the market, and links to the latest news from McDaniel Wealth Management. Our goal is to keep you informed with weekly updates on changing conditions and our perspective on what’s moving the market.
Summertime Checkup
Summer’s here, and the time is right for vacations, outdoor activities, and fun. It’s also a good time to consider a few financial matters. Here are some questions to ask yourself mid-year.Goals still the same for 2023? Has...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 05, 2023
The Markets As Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” Gomer Pyle USMC was a popular American sitcom in the 1960s. It focused on a naïve, do-gooding auto mechanic from Mayberry RFD who joined...
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It's FAFSA Time
It’s FAFSA time! As your student prepares for college, they can now fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, for the upcoming school year.Even if your student won’t require help from the government,...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 30, 2023
The Markets It’s a three-ring circus! For centuries people have embraced the circus. Enjoying the sticky fluff of cotton candy while elephants, clowns and trapeze artists perform in the spotlights. Merriam...
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Spring 2023 Newsletter
It is our mission at McDaniel Wealth Management to equip you with the knowledge you need to make the best financial decisions for you and your family. Check out this season's newsletter for tax tips, updates from the firm, and a...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 22, 2023
The Markets Investors aren’t happy, but stocks are up. If you ever participated in a fantasy football league, you may have experienced a run on a position during your draft. One person picks a kicker or defense...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 15, 2023
The Markets Brace yourself! The debt ceiling standoff continues. Consumers aren’t optimistic. The Consumer Sentiment Index fell to a six-month low in May, dropping 9.1 percent month-to-month. Participants in the...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 8, 2023
The Markets The labor market just keeps growing…and growing… Last week, the April employment report for the United States arrived. It showed that unemployment dropped to the lowest level in more than 50 years...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 1, 2023
The Markets Get real! Despite more than a year of aggressive Federal Reserve rate increases, the United States economy is still growing, albeit more slowly. U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) – the value of all goods and...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 24, 2023
The Markets Better than expected. It’s earnings season – the time when publicly traded companies report on how profitable they were during the first quarter of 2023. So far, reports suggest that companies listed...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 17, 2023
The Markets Keep your eye on the big picture. Last week, there was nothing too surprising in economic and financial news. Inflation eased, as expected, although it remained above the Federal Reserve (Fed)’s target...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 10, 2023
The Markets Ambiguous images. Some illustrations are optical illusions. When two people view the picture, they may see completely different images. A good example is Rubin’s Vase. One viewer may see a vase, while...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 3, 2023
The Markets Perhaps we should call this a pushmi-pullyu market. The first quarter of 2023 brought Dr. Dolittle’s pushmi-pullyu – the rarest animal of all – to mind. It is the offspring of goat-antelopes and...
Read MoreWorld Backup Day - March 31, 2023
With so much of our lives spent online, it’s sad to think of losing the important stuff. Pictures of your kids and grandkids; Personal items like cherished emails, texts, and voicemails from loved ones; Or the notes for that book...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 27, 2023
The Markets What’s your jam? When you think of fun, are you running an Arctic marathon? Biking to your favorite burger place? Gaming with friends online? Each has inherent risk: Polar bears and hypothermia, traffic and...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 20, 2023
The Markets Unknowns and uncertainty. Financial markets were volatile last week as investors parsed the risks around bank closures, central banks offered additional protections for depositors, and regulators took a...
Read MoreWhat’s Going On With The Banks?
We wanted to share a quick update in light of the recent news about Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and discuss our thoughts on its impact on the markets and future Fed moves. What happened?Regulators seized the assets of SVB on Friday,...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 13, 2023
The Markets Thrown for a loop. Early last week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told Congress the Fed is committed to bringing inflation down to 2 percent. If economic data continues to come in hot, he said, then...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 6, 2023
The Markets Sibling discord. Stocks and bonds are two of the better-known asset classes in the family of potential investments. Last week, they were in opposition. Bond yields have been moving higher in...
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Market Commentary, Week of February 27, 2022
The Markets Is it good news or bad news? The answer depends on your perspective. Last week, we learned that: Consumer sentiment is at its highest level in more than a year. Consumers are feeling better about current...
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April 18 Is Closer Than You Think
The tax deadline is quickly approaching and we are ready to prepare your tax return, but we'll need your 2022 tax information by March 15, 2023, in order to ensure that your 2022 tax return will be successfully filed before the...
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Market Commentary, Week of February 20, 2022
The Markets Brace for a bumpy ride. There were some unwelcome surprises in last week’s economic data that caused markets to reassess expectations for 2023. For example: Inflation didn’t fall as fast as...
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Market Commentary, Week of February 13, 2023
The Markets This time may be different...or it may not be. There has been a lot of speculation about how the Federal Reserve’s policies will affect the United States economy. Economists have differing opinions...
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Market Commentary, Week of February 6, 2023
The Markets What do Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) and the current economic expansion have in common? Author and humorist Twain was prematurely reported to be dead. It first happened in 1897. Twain was on a speaking tour...
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Kentucky Annual Report Reminder
All LLCs doing business in Kentucky must file an Annual Report every year. You need to file an Annual Report in order to keep your LLC in compliance and in good standing with the state. Reports can be filed any time between...
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Identity Theft Awareness Week
January 30 to February 3, 2023, is Identity Theft Awareness Week. Anytime is a good time to tighten up your identity security, but if you haven’t been as careful as you intended, consider this your annual reminder. Here are a few...
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Market Commentary, Week of January 30, 2023
The Markets The vicious cycle of inflation. Last week, we learned that pay increases at central banks in many parts of the world won’t keep pace with inflation. As a result, their employees may not be able to maintain...
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Market Commentary, Week of January 23, 2023
The Markets “It’s hard to be a contrarian for very long these days because the consensus seems to change so quickly,” opined Ed Yardeni via LinkedIn last week. We’ve certainly seen a shift in...
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Market Commentary, Week of January 17, 2023
The Markets Bullish or bearish? After last year’s geopolitical turmoil, economic malaise, and tumultuous stock market decline, many financial professionals – from investors to asset managers – have strong...
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Market Commentary, Week of January 09, 2023
The Markets It’s being called the “Goldilocks” report. Last Friday, we learned that demand for workers in the United States remained strong in 2022. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.5 percent in December....
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Market Commentary, Week of January 03, 2023
The Markets It’s finally over. 2022 was a dismal year for financial markets. Major United States stock indices moved lower, trimming or eliminating the previous year’s gains. The Standard & Poor’s 500...
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Market Commentary, Week of December 27, 2022
The Markets What a year! In some ways, it feels as though we lived through several years in 2022. The onslaught of events included, “The first major European war since the 1990s, unprecedented sanctions,...
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Market Commentary, Week of December 19, 2022
The Markets Bad news is bad news, once again. For months, investors have cheered bad economic news. When the United States economy showed signs of weakness, stock markets often reflected investor enthusiasm. The thinking was...
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Market Commentary, Week of December 12, 2022
The Markets What comes next? The U.S. stock market tends to be a forward-looking vehicle. Investors make decisions today based on what they think may be ahead for the economy, and how economic change may affect the companies...
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Market Commentary, Week of December 5, 2022
The Markets What will it take to slow this economy down? In 2001, railway workers slowed a runaway train in Ohio by latching a second engine to the back of the locomotive and applying the brakes. In all, the train traveled...
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New Services Subject to Sales Tax in Kentucky
Effective for transactions on or after January 1, 2023, Kentucky tax law (HB 8) applies the 6% sales and use tax to charges for the services listed below.Businesses that provide these services must begin charging and collecting tax on...
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Market Commentary, Week of November 28, 2022
The Markets There was a shift in the winds of monetary policy. Last week, it became clear the Federal Reserve (Fed) had softened its hawkish stance. The minutes of the central bank’s November policy meeting indicated...
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Market Commentary, Week of November 21, 2022
The Markets Thanksgiving and football go together like turkey and stuffing. For some families, though, this year may be more like a turducken, stuffed with American football and the sport the rest of the world knows as...
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Catch-Up Contributions
A recent survey found that 28% of workers are very confident about having enough money to live comfortably through their retirement years. At the same time, 27% are not confident.1In 2001 congress passed a law that can help older...
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Market Commentary, Week of November 14, 2022
The Markets Last week was remarkable for many reasons. One reason is that sky watchers around the world had an opportunity to see a total lunar eclipse. The moon, Earth and sun aligned, causing the moon to appear crimson. We...
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Market Commentary, Week of November 7, 2022
The Markets It’s the lag time. To no one’s surprise, the Federal Reserve continued to battle inflation last week, raising the federal funds rate for the fourth time this year, reported Claire Ballentine of...
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Fall 2022 Newsletter
As fall ushers in the start of the holiday season, we're embracing the cooler temperatures, drier weather, and preparing for the coziest season of all! It’s a time to enjoy friends, family, great food, and a whole lot of football.
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Market Commentary, Week of October 31, 2022
The Markets Some companies are doing better than others – a lot better. It’s earnings season; the time when companies share how well they performed during the previous quarter. Earnings reports are important...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 24, 2022
The Markets Markets turned – again. Markets continue to be volatile. Last week, stocks headed north. Nicholas Jasinski of Barron’s reported the change of direction reflected investors’ desire for the market...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 17, 2022
The Markets We’re not there yet. Investors are understandably eager for the stock market to hit bottom. Some hoped it happened last week, but it did not. Despite the Fed’s rate hikes, last week the...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 10, 2022
The Markets Bah humbug! Last week, OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allied oil producers like Russia, chose to cut production by two million barrels a day. The stated goal is to...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 3, 2022
The Markets The third quarter marked a change in attitude. So far, 2022 has been a tough year for investing. We’ve experienced an unusual phenomenon – the simultaneous decline of stock and bond markets. Throughout...
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Market Commentary, Week of September 26, 2022
The Markets Central bank tightening sparked recession fears. Last week, the Federal Reserve (Fed) raised the federal funds rate for the fifth time this year. During 2022, the Fed has lifted its benchmark rate from near zero...
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Market Commentary, Week of September 19, 2022
The Markets It’s open to interpretation. Jackson Pollock was an action painter. He poured, dropped, and dripped paint onto horizontal canvases. Some people look at his work and wonder why it’s highly valued....
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Market Commentary, Week of September 12, 2022
The Markets Central banks are hawkish. Stocks popped higher, anyway. Last week, despite signs that inflation is slowing, U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) officials emphasized their commitment to tightening monetary policy to lower...
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Market Commentary, Week of September 6, 2022
The Markets You may have heard this one: Don’t fight the Fed. The Fed is the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States. Among other things, the Fed influences monetary conditions in pursuit of price stability and full...
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Important Details on Student Loan Relief
Schools across the nation are getting back to business. For students, it’s a return to education after vacations, summer jobs, and other activities.For parents, grandparents, and guardians, “back to school” often...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 29, 2022
The Markets Markets were tuned to the signals coming from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. During World War II, United States armed forces often relied on high-powered radio sets to communicate. When determining whether transmissions...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 22, 2022
The Markets Is this a bear market rally or a new bull market? Investment professionals are in the middle of a heated debate. Since mid-June, United States stock markets have moved higher, regaining about $7 trillion as many...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 15, 2022
The Markets Rally caps were waving. In recent weeks, investors have embraced the idea that economic data will persuade the Federal Reserve to slow the pace of rate hikes. Last week’s inflation data fanned their...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 8, 2022
The Markets The strength of the United States economy continues to surprise. If you have ever been camping, you may have banked your campfire by covering the hot coals with ash. It’s a process that keeps the coals...
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Where There's A Will
"Where there's a will, there's a way." Sage advice that applies not only to our lives but to your estate strategy.When was the last time you reviewed your will or estate strategy? August is National "Make a Will" Month, an excellent...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 1, 2022
The Markets Investors thought they heard a dovish note from the Federal Reserve and markets rallied. Last week, we learned from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that economic growth in the United States slowed for the...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 25, 2022
The Markets A lot of people are worried that a recession may be in our future. Some think it may already be here. Unemployment is low (3.6 percent), and inflation is high (9.1 percent). Both tend to occur when an economy is...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 18, 2022
The Markets Nobody is happy, but Americans are feeling more optimistic. Last week, headlines blasted the new inflation numbers. Prices were up more than 9% year-over-year in June, according to the Bureau of Labor...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 11, 2022
The Markets Rising inflation is a bit like a child throwing a temper tantrum in the grocery store. The red-faced parent, in this case the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), tries to calm the child. Sometimes, it works and the child...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 4, 2022
The Markets The first six months of 2022 have earned a place in history books. 2022 is likely to become part of the lore passed from generation to generation. Stories will be told about this bear market, as well as the...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 27, 2022
The Markets Last week, bad news was good news. Consumers were feeling blue in June, according to the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey. The survey scored sentiment at 50, which was the lowest level on record....
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Market Commentary, Week of June 20, 2022
The Markets The fight against inflation intensified. Last week, the Federal Reserve (Fed) delivered a message that it is serious about fighting inflation. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lifted the federal funds...
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Summertime Checkup
Summer’s here, and the time is right for vacations, outdoor activities, and fun. It’s also a good time to consider a few financial matters. Here are some questions to ask yourself mid-year.Goals still the same for...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 13, 2022
The Markets Inflation is proving to be far more tenacious than markets had hoped. The idea that inflation peaked in March was put to rest last week when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed that inflation accelerated...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 6, 2022
The Markets How strong is the United States economy? That’s the question investors were mulling after last week’s jobs report. More jobs were created in May than economists expected, and the labor force...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 31, 2022
The Markets Investors reassessed and markets bounced. Last week, major U.S. stock indices moved higher for the first time in weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 6.2 percent, the Standard &...
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Knowledge You Need Newsletter, Fall 2021
It is our mission at McDaniel Wealth Management to equip you with the knowledge you need to make the best financial decisions for you and your family. Check out this season's newsletter for tax tips, updates from the firm, and a...
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Market Commentary, Week of November 8, 2021
The Markets Feeling bullish… Investor bullishness ticked higher last week on all four investor sentiment gauges tracked by Barron’s. Investor optimism may have been fanned by positive financial and economic news. For...
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Market Commentary, Week of November 1, 2021
The Markets The road to recovery is slow and bumpy. Last week, we learned that economic growth slowed in the third quarter as a new wave of COVID-19 surged across the United States, reported The Bureau of Economic Analysis. Gross...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 25, 2021
The Markets It’s MESSI! No, this commentary is not about Lionel Messi, the Argentine soccer phenom who is widely regarded one of the greatest footballers of all time. However, it is about something that economists say may be as...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 18, 2021
The Markets Don’t get spooked! Barron’s Big Money Poll is an exclusive survey of market sentiment among professional investors. Last week, Nicholas Jasinski reported on 2021’s findings: “America’s money...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 11, 2021
The Markets The word “jouncy” may have started life as a combination of bouncy and jolting – and it’s a pretty good way to describe what happened to stock markets last week. The week started with the Standard &...
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Market Commentary, Week of October 4, 2021
The Markets September strikes again… If you look back over the last 20 years, September has been the worst performing month for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, according to Nasdaq. This year, the S&P 500 dropped 4.8...
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Market Commentary, Week of September 27, 2021
The Markets Central banks have a lot of influence on investors, markets and economies. For the last year or so, the Federal Reserve has been purchasing $120 billion of bonds every month to ensure United States markets remained liquid...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 20, 2021
The Markets In recent weeks, bullish sentiment has drifted lower like sediment settling after a storm. Every month, Bank of America (BofA) surveys global asset managers. The most recent survey, which was conducted in early September,...
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Market Commentary, Week of September 13, 2021
The Markets The Delta variant could take a toll on economic growth. There was some good news last week. The 7-day moving average of COVID-19 cases in the United States declined. The bad news was that the rate of infection remained...
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Market Commentary, Week of September 7, 2021
The Markets Stagflation isn’t trending, but it was mentioned in quite a few headlines last week. Stagflation is a portmanteau of ‘stagnation’ and ‘inflation.’ It occurs when a country experiences slow...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 30, 2021
The Markets “Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder,” advised the Persian poet Rumi. Last week, Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell’s words helped grow the week’s...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 23, 2021
The Markets Markets were shaken last week by a potent cocktail of central bank tapering and economic growth concerns mixed with coronavirus and a splash of the new Chinese privacy law. On Wednesday, the minutes of the United States...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 16, 2021
The Markets What is the most important driver of economic growth in the United States? The most common way to measure economic output is Gross Domestic Product or GDP. It’s the value of all goods and services produced in our...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 9, 2021
Are we there yet? For months, investors have wondered when the Federal Reserve (Fed) might begin to “normalize” its policies, a process that will eventually lead to higher inteårest rates. Last week, a...
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Market Commentary, Week of August 2, 2021
The Chinese dragon cast a shadow over free trade and foreign investment last week. For decades, investors have recognized the investment potential of China. Since the country opened to foreign trade and investment in 1979, its economy...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 26, 2021
Shortest ever. Last week, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) finally announced the official dates for the recession that occurred in 2020. Economic activity peaked in February 2020 and bottomed in April 2020. That makes...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 19, 2021
The term “peak growth” has become almost as popular as the comedy show Ted Lasso. Peak growth is a catchphrase with the potential to mislead. When the term is applied to the U.S. economy, it does not mean the United States...
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Market Commentary, Week of July 12, 2021
There was a gapers’ block in financial markets last week as equity investors slowed to see what the United States Treasury bond market was up to. U.S. Treasury bonds rallied last week. Yields on 10-year Treasuries dropped from 1...
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Market Commentary, July 6, 2021
The world is about halfway back to normal. The Economist developed the Global Normalcy Index (GNI) to measure the post-pandemic return to normal. In March 2020, the GNI was 35 overall, with 100 being the normal pre-pandemic level. At...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 28, 2021
What begins with the letter “I”? Infrastructure is essential and sometimes taken for granted. Pipes carry drinking water to our homes, offices, and healthcare facilities, and carry away sewage and wastewater. Highways,...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 21, 2021
Is that a hawk? The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) met last week. They get together eight times a year to review current economic and financial conditions, assess risks to price stability and economic growth, and adjust...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of June 14, 2021
It’s transitory. It’s not transitory. It’s transitory. It’s not transitory. Media analysts were plucking the inflation daisy petals last week. On Thursday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Consumer...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 7, 2021
Pulling the economy out of the shed. If you’ve ever stored tools or machinery in a shed or garage for an extended period of time, you know they often need some care and repair to function properly. The same appears to be true of...
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Market Commentary, Week of June 1, 2021
Are we at a tipping point? One side effect of the pandemic was a collapse in demand for oil, which led to “the largest revision to the value of the oil industry’s assets in at least a decade,” reported Collin Eaton...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 24, 2021
The Markets What do markets hate? They hate uncertainty, and recently there has been plenty of it. Some of the questions plaguing economists and pundits include: Why aren’t people returning to work? Americans, like people in...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 17, 2021
Uncle Inflation is here. Will he overstay his welcome? Ever since the financial crisis, central banks have pursued expansionary monetary policies to encourage reflation and avoid deflation. Well, it’s taken some time, but...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 10, 2021
Like a gender reveal gone wrong, last week’s employment report delivered an unexpected surprise. Economists estimated 975,000 new jobs would be created in April. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported there...
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Market Commentary, Week of May 3, 2021
It’s Spring and economic recovery is in the air. Last week, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported the U.S. economy grew at a 6.4 percent annualized rate for the first three months of 2021. While that’s good news for...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 26, 2021
It wasn’t just the price of pork chops. Last week, as investors weighed the news, strong corporate earnings were offset by higher grocery prices and rising numbers of global coronavirus cases. Solid corporate earnings weighed...
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May 17 is Closer Than You Think
As you are aware, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced that the federal income tax filing due date was extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. That deadline is quickly approaching! We are ready to...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 19, 2021
Where are Treasury bonds going? The direction of bond yields is influenced by investors’ expectations for economic growth, among other factors. When economic growth is expected to weaken, bond yields tend to move lower. When...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 12, 2021
Investors didn’t stumble over inflation last week. Why not? Inflation – rising prices of goods and services – can be measured in a variety of ways. For example, the Consumer Price Index considers changes in the amount...
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Market Commentary, Week of April 5, 2021
Zoom, zoom, zoom.Big economies tend to recover from recessions about as quickly as semi-trucks accelerate from stop lights. In other words, recovery tends to be slow. That may not be the case this time.“Everything in this economic...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 29, 2021
Last week, unemployment claims were looking good and consumers were feeling good. The number of Americans applying for first-time unemployment benefits declined. Just 684,000 people filed claims during the week of March 20, down 97,000...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 22, 2021
What are professional asset managers thinking? Bank of America recently published the results of its March global asset managers’ survey, which polls 220 professional investors responsible for about $630 billion in assets,...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 15, 2021
Investors had a lot to be enthusiastic about last week. Major stock indices in the United States soared, finishing the week higher and setting new records along the way, reported Al Root of Barron’s. There was plenty of good news...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 8, 2021
Neanderthal DNA may make people more – or less – susceptible to COVID-19, reported The Economist. It all depends on whether you have the genes and, if you do, which DNA string you inherited. No matter what your gene...
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Changes to Paycheck Protection
On Monday, Feb. 22, the White House announced several changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that went into effect on Wednesday, Feb. 24. These changes are intended to further target “the smallest businesses and those...
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Market Commentary, Week of March 1, 2021
Students of financial markets may have noted a historically unusual event last week. On Thursday, the yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes briefly matched the dividend yield for the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index. This type of...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of February 22, 2021
It’s a contrarian’s dream come true. Contrarian investors like to buck the trend. They buy when other investors are selling and sell when others are buying. Last week, Bank of America (BofA) delivered a contrarian’s...
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Kentucky Annual Report Reminder
All LLCs doing business in Kentucky must file an Annual Report every year. You need to file an Annual Report in order to keep your LLC in compliance and in good standing with the state. Reports can be filed any time between January 1...
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Market Commentary, Week of January 16, 2021
Way back, when radio disk jockeys played 45-rpm vinyl singles, the A-side of a disk was the song the record company was promoting and the other side – the flip side – held a song that sometimes had an equal or greater...
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Market Commentary, Week of February 8, 2021
The Markets It’s not a black diamond ski run yet, but the yield curve for U.S. Treasuries is steeper than it has been in a while. A yield curve is the line on a graph showing yields for different maturities of bonds. Yield curves...
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Tax Filing Deadlines in 2021
Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that tax season will start a little later than usual. This year the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2020 tax returns on Friday, February 12, 2021.1 In light of the...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of February 1, 2021
The Markets They say people watching the same event often see different things. That seems to have been the case last week when share prices of a few companies experienced tremendous volatility. Some cast the events as a David vs....
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of January 25, 2021
The Markets Last week, as COVID-19 vaccination efforts continued, there was speculation about stock market corrections and asset bubbles. On Sunday morning, Bloomberg reported 63 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine had been...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of January 19, 2021
Investors were rocked by economic data showing the economy hit the brakes hard in December. Last week, major U.S. stock indices decelerated as investors gaped at the economic damage caused by the rising number of coronavirus cases...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of January 11, 2021
The event at the United States Capitol building had a resounding impact around the world, but it didn’t deter global stock markets. Last week, investors weighed the violent disruption of America’s 2020 presidential election...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of January 4, 2021
Last week was the cherry on top of a turbulent year for investors. After the $900 billion fiscal stimulus bill was signed on Sunday, major U.S. stock indices moved higher. The Washington Post reported, “The S&P 500-stock index,...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of December 28, 2020
U.S. stock markets remained calm as a fresh chapter opened in the coronavirus stimulus saga last week. Congress managed to cobble together a new stimulus package that was acceptable to both sides and pass it. The proposed package...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of December 14, 2020
When it comes to beverages, frothy can be delicious. In what may be the least inspiring description of fizzy drinks ever written, a group of food engineers explained, “Aeration in beverages, which is manifested as foam or bubbles...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of December 7, 2020
When is bad news good news? Take a look at last week. Major stock indices in the United States hit all-time highs on Friday, despite a lackluster employment report and a surge in COVID-19 cases, reported Lewis Krauskopf of Reuters....
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of November 30, 2020
Last week, vaccine optimism immunized investors against signs of economic weakness. In previous commentaries we’ve written about narrative economics, which holds that popular stories may affect individual and collective economic...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of November 23, 2020
The U.S. economy is like a semi-trailer truck. No one likes being stuck behind a semi at a stoplight because big trucks don’t go from zero to 60 in 2.5 seconds. Neither does the U.S. economy. When the pandemic brought our economy...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of November 16, 2020
Vaccine can be a powerful word. It’s worth 14 points in Scrabble (42 on a triple word square) and, last week, it was worth a whole lot more than that to financial markets. On Monday, a pharmaceutical company and a biotech company...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of November 9, 2020
It’s said markets hate uncertainty, but that wasn’t the case last week. Despite tremendous uncertainty about the outcome of the United States election, major domestic and international stock indices moved higher and the...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of November 2, 2020
The Markets Last week, financial markets and economic data told very different stories. Reviewing economic data is a bit like looking in a rearview mirror. Typically, it offers information about what is behind us. For example, last...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of October 26, 2020
The Markets Stimulus talks led investors in a merry dance last week. So far in 2020, stock markets have been sensitive to fiscal stimulus. Last week, there was optimism a new stimulus package could be negotiated before the election....
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of October 19, 2020
The Markets It was a turbulent week for investors. Waves of positive and negative news buffeted financial markets last week: The financial sector delivered upbeat earnings news Currently, many financial companies in the Standard &...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of October 12, 2020
The Markets Yes. No. Maybe? Markets were sharply focused on the status of stimulus last week. First, it was on. Then, it was off. Then, it might be on. Then, it was off again. There was a big bill. There was a smaller bill. There were...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of October 5, 2020
Last week, the third quarter of 2020 came to an end – and the fourth quarter delivered a doozy of an October surprise. President Trump has the coronavirus On Friday Americans awoke to the news President Trump had contracted...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of September 28, 2020
For four weeks, the U.S. stock market has sparked and sputtered like a campfire in light rain. Today, pandemic-driven demand is providing fuel for the investors. The need for certain types of products and services has accelerated and...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of September 21, 2020
Investors weren’t happy with central banks last week. After the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell confirmed the economy is recovering more quickly than anticipated: “With the...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of September 14, 2020
Last week, the Nasdaq Composite Index set another record. So far, 2020 has been memorable for many reasons, not the least of which is the incredible speed at which some events have been occurring in financial markets. This year,...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of September 8, 2020
Stock markets in the United States retreated a bit last week. U.S. stocks have been trending higher for months. Last week, they gave back some gains. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 3.3 percent, while the S&P 500 Index fell 2.3 percent,...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of August 31, 2020
8.31.2020 The Markets The stock market rallies like it’s 1986. August has been a good month for stock investors. At the end of last week, the S&P 500 Index was up 6.8 percent for the month. The Index is poised to deliver its best...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of August 3rd, 2020
AUG 2020 Commentary August 3, 2020 The Markets Last week delivered a mixed bag of financial and economic news. As many expected, the U.S. economy did not fare well during the second quarter. COVID-19 lockdowns and business closings...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of July 20, 2020
JUL 2020 Commentary July 20, 2020 The Markets Is the United States economy recovering or faltering? It depends on who you ask and which data you consider. For example, last week, the Department of Labor reported fewer people applied...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of July 13, 2020
JUL 2020 Commentary July 13, 2020 The Markets Please don’t scream inside your heart. Last week, a reopened Japanese theme park asked patrons to wear masks to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. It also asked them not to...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of July 6, 2020
JUL 2020 Commentary July 6, 2020The MarketsWhat a quarter!Who could have guessed a global pandemic would produce outsized stock market returns? Near the end of last quarter (March 23), the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down 30...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of June 29, 2020
JUN 2020 Commentary June 29, 2020The MarketsBlame it on the coronavirus.Stock markets in the United States and Europe retreated last week as the number of new COVID-19 cases increased steadily in America. On Thursday, there were more...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of June 22, 2020
Could it be the upside surprises?U.S. stock markets have marched higher despite a pandemic, an economic downturn, and social justice protests – and a lot of people have wondered why.1Greg Rosalsky of Plant Money spoke with Nobel...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of June 15, 2020
The Nasdaq Composite dipped its toes into record territory last week before retreating. Stock indices in the United States rallied early last week on optimism about the reopening of businesses across the country. The Nasdaq Composite...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of June 8, 2020
The employment report electrified U.S. stock markets last week.American stock markets responded enthusiastically to the news U.S. unemployment was 13.3 percent in May. If it seems inexplicable double-digit unemployment would thrill...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of June 1, 2020
It was a good week for stock markets in the United States, but there was trouble in Asia. U.S. stock markets rallied last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, and Nasdaq Composite all gained more...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of May 26, 2020
The Markets It was a good week for stock markets in the United States, but there was trouble in Asia. U.S. stock markets rallied last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, and Nasdaq Composite all...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of May 18, 2020
America is reopening, state by state. That’s welcome news for many businesses, but we’re far from business as usual. Last week’s economic news included unemployment hitting an 80-year high, a record drop in retail...
Read MoreSpring 2020 Newsletter
Lots of useful information in our Spring 2020 Newsletter!
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of May 11, 2020
The stock market is not the economy. It’s an important point to remember when headlines marvel that U.S. stock markets are moving higher while the U.S. economy is contracting. Stock markets are not mindful of the present moment....
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of May 4, 2020
There are signs COVID-19 may be in retreat. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control reported, overall in the United States, for the week ending April 25 (officially week 17 of the coronavirus), the number of:1 • People visiting...
Read MoreMarket Commentary, Week of April 27, 2020
We live in interesting times. There is discussion about whether the saying, “May you live in interesting times,” is a blessing or a curse. At this point in 2020, we all understand why.1 Last week, the world watched in...
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