January 2023 Market Update
Improving inflation & consumer sentiment December now marks three months in a row with improving news on inflation. Monthly prices declined by 0.1% in December and annual prices increase by 6.5%, down from a 7.1% increase in November(1). However, core inflation, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, did tick up during the month, rising […]
November 2022 Market Update
Positive GDP and CPI Recent positive economic developments include third quarter GDP rising at a 2.6% annualized rate(1). Also, inflation is showing some signs of slowing, with the yearly change in the Consumer Price index falling from 8.2% to 7.7%2. The GDP report essentially puts to bed the discussion of currently being in a recession, […]
October 2022 Market Update
Inflation Another hot inflation report from September shows the Fed has a long way to go to get inflation under control. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% for the month and 8.2% over the prior year(1). While the annual increase is slightly slower than the 8.3% in August, there weren’t many silver linings in the […]
The smart way to do debt
Debt is a reality of life for most of us, and, when done right, can be a great tool to help you manage your finances. In fact, never borrowing money can negatively impact your financial health overall. But there are risks involved, too. If you use credit incorrectly, the interest payments on your debt can […]
August 2022 Market Update
Inflation, Labor market & Consumer sentiment Inflation slowed to “just” an 8.5% annual increase in July, down from 9.1% in June and 8.6% in May. On a month-over-month basis, prices were pretty much flat(1). Relief at the gas pump was a major driver of the slowdown with gas falling 7.7% and overall energy falling 4.6% […]
July 2022 Market Update
Inflation Continues Inflation ticked up once again in June, with the Consumer Price Index increasing 9.1% from the year prior, up from May’s 8.6% increase(1). Price increases were spread broadly across the economy, though surging energy prices accounted for almost half of the overall increase. Pain at the pump in June drove headlines with gasoline […]
June 2022 Market Update
Bear Market territory and cooling consumer sentiment On June 13th, the S&P 500 officially entered bear market territory, defined as a pullback of at least 20%(1). While global capital markets have been volatile all year, crossing these man-made thresholds has the potential to create additional anxiety and nervousness, generating a lot of headlines and inevitably […]
May 2022 Market Update
Inflation shows signs of cooling, but not as quickly as hoped The market got exactly what it was expecting from the Fed in May – and didn’t like it. The Federal Reserve raised rates by 50 basis points, while also announcing they would begin to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet in June. Interestingly, Fed Chair […]
April 2022 Market Update
Inflation and Interest Rates It’s déjà vu all over again. Inflation, rates, sentiment, and the invasion of Ukraine highlight markets and economics. Unsurprisingly, Inflation continued to push higher in March with prices rising 8.5% over the prior year(1), coming in close to expectations. It’s anticipated the Fed will weigh a larger increase in rates to […]
How the Fed influences rates and investments
There tends to be a lot of confusion when it comes to the Federal Reserve and interest rates. It makes sense, too. Monetary policy can be confusing. But interest rates are a critical part of how we think about financial planning. To that end, we want to walk through, at a high level, how the […]