MARKET COMMENTARY

Read monthly updates on economic events and market trends

Ryan Redfern

Chartered Market Technician® (CMT®)

Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®)

INVESTMENT RESEARCH

Learn more about active management form the author of “Why Bad Things Happen to Good investments”

Will Hepburn

Vice President of Investment Research

BEHAVIORAL FINANCE

Discover how your values influence your financial behavior

Phil Lebkuecher

Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA)

PERSONAL FINANCE

Take the fear out of finance by understanding how personal decisions affect long-term goals

Laura Redfern

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) Professional

Certified Financial Transitionist®

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Blog

May 2023 Market Commentary

May 2023 Market Commentary

The last thing I was expecting this month was a nearly flat market.  Sure, there have been some interesting ups and downs, but as I write this at the end of May, the S&P 500 is still where it was in early-February.  There has been a lot of political drama around...

Savings, CDs, and Money Markets, Oh My!

Savings, CDs, and Money Markets, Oh My!

You’ve probably heard that it’s a good idea to “save money for a rainy day.”  But where?  There are loads of options out there!  Here are some considerations when stashing away your hard-earned cash.  Savings Accounts  Probably the easiest and most familiar place for...

Talk of Recession Presents Opportunity

Talk of Recession Presents Opportunity

When everyone expects something to happen in the financial markets, normally the opposite happens.  Lately, it seems that everyone expects the US to slide into recession.  Think for a minute.  Do you know anyone who thinks otherwise?  Employment appears strong and,...

What Can I Do as Interest Rates Rise?

What Can I Do as Interest Rates Rise?

I’ve been told that I have an amazing ability to state the obvious, but obviously some things need to be stated over and over again.  I’m also excellent at redundancy if you didn’t notice.  What I’m really trying to say is that rising interest rates are a significant...

April 2023 Market Commentary

April 2023 Market Commentary

Our expectations for April were higher than what reality gave us.  Just as I was writing last month’s market commentary, things were starting to look up.  Sector strength was improving.  Money flow was turning positive.  And seasonality factors suggested a reasonable...

3 Things You Should Know About Social Security

3 Things You Should Know About Social Security

Regardless of your opinion of our Social Security program, you can’t deny that it is an important source of income for many people in the United States.  In fact, the Social Security Administration reports that in 2019, 69.1 million people received benefits from...

Is a Government Shutdown Imminent?

Is a Government Shutdown Imminent?

A debate is brewing in Congress about whether to approve President Biden's request to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling.  If not resolved, the issue could cause a shutdown of government services beginning as early as July.    With this issue possibly dominating...

How Does Inflation Impact My Retirement?

How Does Inflation Impact My Retirement?

Over the past 12 months, by far the most common question I’ve been asked is about inflation and its potential long-term effects on retirement plans.  Ever since food prices started rising about 18 months ago, inflation has increased the cost of goods and services...

March 2023 Market Commentary

March 2023 Market Commentary

March is historically a strong month for the stock market.  However, this year, it wasn’t until around the middle of the month that we saw most markets start to make gains.  While those gains were focused on the Technology and NASDAQ space, the S&P 500 also showed...

Avoiding Retirement Regrets

Avoiding Retirement Regrets

I was recently asked what advice I would give to someone who found themselves unexpectedly unhappy with retirement.  What would you say to someone with retirement regrets?  It struck me as a very human question.    Certified Financial Transitionists are trained to...

In This Market, Agility Is the Key

In This Market, Agility Is the Key

The new year gave the financial markets some nice upward momentum – until it didn’t.  In January, enough stock market indicators were turning positive to have commentators suggesting the bear market was over, but that dynamic has turned around 180 degrees.  The late...