Insights

Weekly Market Commentary January 14, 2019

After enduring a number of big swings in the market, investors benefited from a steady uptrend in stocks last week. The S&P 500 gained 2.6%, and only a tiny loss on Friday stopped the index from rising every day. The gains came steadily as there were no moves of more than 1% last week. Read more

Weekly Market Commentary January 07, 2019

The stock market wrapped up 2018 and began 2019 with a couple of big swings as investors reacted to a series of major announcements. On Wednesday evening, Apple warned iPhone sales in China were below expectations. The news sent stocks lower on Thursday, but those losses were erased when stocks soared after an extremely strong jobs report and indications of a more flexible Federal Reserve. Read more

How to Save More in 2019

The start of a new year always brings with it new personal goals – lose a few pounds, go on regular date nights with your significant other, get rid of a bad habit or create more good habits. Of course, many of our goals revolve around finances.

In fact, 37 percent of U.S. adults said their New Year’s Resolution was to save money or save more money in 2018, according to YouGov. One of the few ways to keep that promise to yourself is to pre-plan. Losing weight? Invest in that gym membership. More dates? Buy a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant. But how do you plan to save more this year? Read more

Weekly Market Commentary December 31, 2018

Global stock markets continued to swing wildly last week as shifts in sentiment seemed to push the markets sharply higher and lower without much rationale. Read more

7 Year-End Planning Tips from a Wealth Planner

Published by Mark Petersen, Vice President Affluent Wealth Planning

The holidays are upon us, so that must mean it’s time for year-end income tax planning, right? In the past, I would have said yes, but that changed 12 months ago when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was passed. Read more

How can you navigate a volatile market?

We’ve seen some intense market swings in the last few months, spearheaded by a crazy holiday week of ups and downs. These steep dips can cause worry amongst investors. But what does that mean exactly? Brett Carson, Director of Research, discusses how we can adjust our strategies in times like this. Read more

Weekly Market Commentary December 24, 2018

Stock markets continued to decline last week in response to the Fed’s modest shift in its interest rate outlook. The core issues of slowing growth, how the Fed will respond, U.S. and China trade, and Brexit have introduced a high level of uncertainty in the markets. Read more

Weekly Market Commentary December 17, 2018

After a few near misses, the S&P 500 finally entered a correction, meaning it closed more than 10% below its previous all-time closing high. The S&P 500 had flirted with these levels three previous times, even trading into correction territory. But it had always rallied enough at the close to stay above the 10% mark.

Read more

Weekly Market Commentary December 10, 2018

The market is starting to grate on some investors. The S&P 500 dropped 4.6% last week on concerns the reported trade truce wasn’t as substantial as hoped and that global economic growth continued to slow. Global stocks participated in the decline as the MSCI ACWI lost 3.5% last week. Read more

Gifts without the Guilt – Tips for Avoiding Financial Stress at the Holidays

Pop quiz: Can you name more than three gifts you got for the holidays last year? A sweater, an Apple watch, a popcorn tin … and, ummmm? Most of us would be hard-pressed to answer this question, even by late January.

What we remember, of course, are the moments with family and friends – the relationships that are renewed in the holiday time of slowing down. Material gifts are fine for the moment, but they are usually forgotten even before they have the chance to break and wear out. Read more