2021’s Biggest Market Themes and What They Mean January 3, 2022 Weekly Update China, coronavirus, COVID-19, financial planning, inflation, Omicron, Weekly Update Please note: This update was prepared on Friday, December 31, 2021, prior to the market’s close. With final preparations for tonight’s Times Square countdown underway, four miles south, Wall Street traders are set to celebrate a remarkable year for stocks: The S&P 500 has hit 70 all-time highs this year despite myriad … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
The Year’s Biggest Market Themes and What They Mean December 31, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, financial planning, inflation, Omicron, Weekly Update With final preparations for tonight’s Times Square countdown underway, four miles south, Wall Street traders are set to celebrate a remarkable year for stocks: The S&P 500 has hit 70 all-time highs this year despite myriad reasons it shouldn’t have—from inflation and infection to consumer uncertainty and global insecurity. The market’s gains … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Will the Omicron Grinch Spoil Holiday Cheer? December 27, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, tax planning, Weekly Update Please note: This update was prepared on Thursday, December 23, 2021, prior to the market’s close. Despite skyrocketing cases of the omicron COVID-19 variant, Wall Street traders entered the final session ahead of the Christmas holiday feeling merry and bright. The S&P 500 index ended Wednesday fractionally below a record high after … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Will the Omicron Grinch Spoil Holiday Cheer? December 23, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, tax planning, Weekly Update Despite skyrocketing cases of the omicron COVID-19 variant, Wall Street traders entered the final session ahead of the Christmas holiday feeling merry and bright. The S&P 500 index ended Wednesday fractionally below a record high after pulling a U-turn from last week’s declines. Debate over whether President Biden’s $2 trillion education, health … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Sobriety and Anxiety on Wall Street December 20, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, family gifting, inflation, jobs, Omicron, Weekly Update Please note: This update was prepared on Friday, December 17, 2021, prior to the market’s close. It could be said that sobriety and anxiety are consuming Wall Street as we head into the final weeks of the year, with stocks trending slightly down around the globe to close out several days of … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Sobriety and Anxiety on Wall Street December 17, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, Retirement, Weekly Update It could be said that sobriety and anxiety are consuming Wall Street as we head into the final weeks of the year, with stocks trending slightly down around the globe to close out several days of seesaw activity. What’s making traders so nervous? Fears of inflation and concerns about the spread of … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Inflation: Forcing the Fed’s Hand December 13, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, Retirement, Weekly Update Please note: This update was prepared on Friday, December 10, 2021, prior to the market’s close. Omicron was the watchword on Wall Street again this week—whether stocks were up or down. On Tuesday, a headline in The Wall Street Journal attributed stock market gains to “Omicron Optimism.” On Thursday, after markets gave … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Inflation: Forcing the Fed’s Hand December 10, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, Retirement, Weekly Update Omicron was the watchword on Wall Street again this week—whether stocks were up or down. On Tuesday, a headline in The Wall Street Journal attributed stock market gains to “Omicron Optimism.” On Thursday, after markets gave up some ground, the paper blamed “Omicron Restrictions.” The S&P 500 has mostly recovered the ground … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Omicron vs. the Markets: Stay Tuned December 6, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, Weekly Update Please note: This update was prepared on Friday, December 3, 2021, prior to the market’s close. One word dominated headlines this week as a mix of exasperation and trepidation continued to roil markets: Omicron. Even the tiniest hint of news about the new COVID-19 variant seemed to send stocks sinking. The announcement … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Omicron vs. the Markets: Stay Tuned December 3, 2021 Weekly Update coronavirus, COVID-19, inflation, Omicron, Weekly Update One word dominated headlines this week as a mix of exasperation and trepidation continued to roil markets: Omicron. Even the tiniest hint of news about the new COVID-19 variant seemed to send stocks sinking. The announcement that the first omicron case had been discovered in the U.S. on Wednesday prompted an immediate … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Groundhog Day for the Reopening Trade? August 26, 2021 Investing COVID-19, delta variant, Pandemic, reopening trade by Charlie Toole, Vice President and Portfolio Manager The S&P 500 has hit a series of new highs—but the view from above doesn’t tell the ongoing reopening trade story. The index’s gains have been driven by large technology and communication stocks; meanwhile, many other companies in the index … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right
Could a Return to Lockdown Cripple Our Economy? August 17, 2021 Economy and the Markets COVID-19, delta variant, economic recovery, lockdown The unwelcome surge of the delta variant of COVID-19 has already led to the reintroduction of some pandemic restrictions. In our webinar Rocket or Rollercoaster: Where Will the Markets Go From Here?, Chief Investment Officer Jim Lowell gave our take on whether another round of lockdowns could cripple our economy. Please … Read Morekeyboard_arrow_right