Last week did nothing to dispel October’s reputation as a tough month for the markets. The S&P 500 lost 3.94%, the Dow declined 2.97%, and the NASDAQ dropped 3.78% during what was one of 2018’s most volatile weeks so far. All three indexes are down significantly for the month, and both the S&P 500 and…
Today, Matt Halloran and Jim Black bring you part one of their mini-series: The Financial Planning Process. Since financial planning is the cornerstone of what Jim and his team do, Jim is excited to give you a behind-the-scenes view of the process.
In th…
Stock performance was mixed last week as investors considered the impact of interest rates, international affairs and corporate earnings.[1] The S&P 500 gained 0.02%, and the Dow added 0.41% to post its first weekly gains in October. The NASDAQ declined 0.64% and extended its losing streak.[2] International stocks in the MSCI EAFE dropped by 0.08%.[3] While the…
Volatility was back in full force last week. The three major domestic indexes posted several days of losses before experiencing wide swings on Friday. By week’s end, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), which investors use to help measure fear in the markets, had increased by approximately 70%. The VIX also reached its highest point since…
Although new data continued to show strength in the U.S. economy, markets stumbled across the globe last week.[1] The S&P 500 lost 0.98%, the Dow dropped 0.04%, and the NASDAQ declined 3.21%.[2]International stocks in the MSCI EAFE struggled, posting a 2.35% loss.[3] While U.S. and international stocks followed similar paths last week, data is beginning to…
Friday, September 28, was the last trading day in 2018’s 3rd quarter, and the S&P 500 posted its strongest quarterly return in nearly 5 years.[1] The Dow also showed impressive returns by beating expectations for the quarter, while the NASDAQ notched record highs against 2017 numbers. For the quarter, the S&P jumped 7.2%, the Dow increased…
