Insights + Resources

A Wall of Worry

Aug 13, 2021

Stock market worry
You’ve got plenty of choices these days.

Have you ever heard the Wall Street expression, “markets climb a wall of worry?”

It’s the idea that financial markets are constantly on edge. Traders fret about how long a market rally can continue before it runs into trouble. Worry shifts from one news event to the next as traders attempt to build a case whether it’s time to go “risk-off” with a portfolio strategy.1

If you’re looking for something to worry about, you’ve got plenty of choices these days: the Delta variant, inflation, jobs, vaccines, Fed policy, taxes, unemployment, and so on. There’s no shortage of headlines to help boost investors up the wall.

But by early August, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index notched its 42nd record closing of 2021. And while past performance is no guarantee of future results, it’s important to keep in mind the S&P 500 has moved higher despite the wide range of economic and financial concerns.2

Our role as financial professionals is to help guide and equip clients with the tools they need regardless of what news “worries” the financial markets. We work with professionals who monitor the economy and interpret how the recent news may influence the overall trends.

If you find yourself worried about the financial markets, please reach out. We’d welcome the chance to hear your thoughts.

For more insights and resources, be sure to sign up for our Weekly Market Commentary. Follow our YouTube channel where we regularly post our Epic Market Minute videos. Follow us on LinkedIn, or like us on Facebook. And as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a dedicated service professional at Epic Capital.

More Insights

Apr 17, 2024

Following Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Israel over the weekend and the apparent escalation likely in any Israeli response, stocks fell sharply during Monday’s trading session. We examine the latest developments in the Middle East conflict, how stocks have reacted historically to geopolitical events, and the possible impact on markets moving forward.

Apr 15, 2024

Did you buy U.S. Savings Bonds decades ago? Or did your parents or grandparents purchase them for you? If they’re collecting dust in a drawer, you may want to take a look at them to see if any of your bonds have matured. If your bonds have matured, that means they are no longer earning … Continue reading “How US Savings Bonds Work”

Apr 12, 2024

In baseball, three strikes and you’re out. With inflation, a third straight month of hotter-than-expected consumer inflation data nearly ruled out probabilities for a June rate cut yesterday (now less than a 25% chance, according to fed funds futures). The core Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.4% in March, or 3.8% when compared on a … Continue reading “Market Update – Assessing the Prospect for a Pullback”

Apr 10, 2024

You know how important it is to plan for your retirement, but where do you begin? One of your first steps should be to estimate how much income you’ll need to fund your retirement. That’s not as easy as it sounds, because retirement planning is not an exact science. Your specific needs depend on your … Continue reading “Estimating Your Retirement Income Needs”

Apr 8, 2024

Let’s talk seasonality. For those that are unfamiliar, seasonality is the tendency for markets to perform better during some calendar periods and worse during others in a somewhat predictable way. One of the more amazing things about 2023 and part of the first quarter of 2024 is how well U.S. equity markets have been following … Continue reading “Can Pre-Election Market Trends Survive This Attention?”

Insights + Resources >