Market Update – Assessing the Technical Damange
Jul 26, 2024
Key Takeaways
- Volatility came back with a vengeance this week as selling pressure in the mega cap space dragged down the broader market. Counterbalancing weakness in these heavyweight names poses a challenge for the rest of the market.
- Overbought conditions can also be blamed for the recent weakness. The S&P 500 reached a 14.9% premium to its 200-day moving average (dma) last week, marking the highest level since 2011. Historical comparisons point to momentum continuing over the next year, but not on a linear path.
- Technically, the S&P 500 violated a short-term uptrend yesterday as momentum indicators turned bearish. While there is a growing risk the current pullback continues lower, there is plenty of support before the longer-term uptrend is challenged. Furthermore, longer-term breadth metrics and overall market leadership remain bullish.
Tags: Current Events, Investing, Investment Portfolio
Market Performance is a Tale of Haves & Have-Nots
Jul 15, 2024
The S&P 500 strung together 37 record highs this year aboard an 18.1% rally, as of July 10. The advance has largely been powered by a handful of mega cap names tied to technology and/or artificial intelligence. In fact, six stocks — NVIDIA (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), and Alphabet (GOOG/L) — are responsible for nearly two-thirds of the S&P 500’s total return this year. As highlighted in the chart below, the Magnificent Seven, which adds Tesla (TSLA) to the aforementioned six stocks, is up 51% on an equal weight basis. Without these seven stocks, the S&P 493 (ex Magnificent Seven) would only be up 8.3%.
Tags: Current Events, Investing, Investment Planning
The Texas Stock Exchange Aims to Buck Wall Street
Jun 26, 2024
The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) is saddling up as a new electronic stock exchange to be located in Dallas. Underpinned by a significant investment of $120 million from industry heavyweights like BlackRock and Citadel Securities, the TXSE aims to shake up the status quo and provide another competitive alternative to the globally recognized New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ.
Tags: charlotte NC, Current Events, Stock Market
Market Update – Seasonal Tailwinds and Easing Interest Rates
Jun 10, 2024
After a solid 2023 in which the Bloomberg Municipal Index was up over 6% (including a positive 8% in November and December), it’s been a slow start to the year in 2024. Changing Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut expectations and already rich relative value ratios (versus Treasury yields) have, so far, offset still high tax-equivalent yields and solid fundamentals for the asset class. But with the unofficial kick-off to summer behind us, the muni market, we think, is set up for a number of potential tailwinds that could help push the index back into positive territory by yearend.
Tags: charlotte NC, Current Events
Market Update – Stocks Benefit From Solid Fundamental Foundation
Jun 7, 2024
April showers brought May flowers as markets placed greater importance on economic growth and corporate profits than the “higher for longer” interest rate messages from the Federal Reserve (Fed). In fact, the S&P 500 ended May above where it ended March. So, as you prepare for summer vacations, how much should you worry about your stock portfolios? (more…)
Tags: Current Events
Key Market Themes During Election Periods
May 24, 2024
We recognize the presidential election is still a way off, but it’s not too early to draw some policy contrasts between the candidates. Though a sitting and former President facing off limits the amount of potential policy uncertainty investors must consider, there is no doubt the two candidates offer two distinct policy approaches in several key areas.
Here are some of the more divergent potential, economic and market positions to think about.
Tags: Current Events
Bad Money Habits to Break
May 17, 2024
Do bad money habits constrain your financial progress? Many people fall into the same financial behavior patterns, year after year. If you sometimes succumb to these financial tendencies, now is as good a time as any to alter your behavior. (more…)
Tags: Certified Financial Planner Charlotte NC, charlotte NC, Current Events, Personal Finance
Market Update – Navigating May’s Stock Market Outlook
May 10, 2024
After a strong first quarter for stocks, some April showers rained down as the S&P 500 fell about 4% last month. Hopefully those showers will bring some flowers in May, despite the widely cited stock market adage, “Sell in May and go away.” There is some merit to this old adage because the S&P 500’s best six-month returns have, on average, come from November through April, and its worst between May and October (recall bear markets often end in October). Still, historically the index has gained an average of 1.8% from May through October — hardly worth avoiding. (more…)
Tags: Current Events
Market Update – The Patient Pause
Apr 26, 2024
It seems like we just can’t stop talking about the Federal Reserve (Fed). After an aggressive rate hiking campaign that we think ended last year, markets were expecting the Fed to start cutting interest rates as early as next month. But withan economy that continues to surprise to the upside, along with inflationary pressures that are still too hot, it seems it will still be a few months before we get any of those rate cuts.
Tags: Current Events, market up
Conducting a Home Inventory
Apr 3, 2024
A home inventory is a complete and detailed written list of all your personal property that’s located in your home and stored in other structures like garages and toolsheds. It should include your possessions as well as those of family members and others living in your home. You should prepare an inventory whenever you move into a new home. To keep track of new additions and discarded items, be sure to update it every year.Tags: Current Events, Financial Planner Charlotte NC, Financial Planning, Personal Finance
More Insights
Jul 26, 2024
Key Takeaways Volatility came back with a vengeance this week as selling pressure in the mega cap space dragged down the broader market. Counterbalancing weakness in these heavyweight names poses a challenge for the rest of the market. Overbought conditions can also be blamed for the recent weakness. The S&P 500 reached a 14.9% premium … Continue reading “Market Update – Assessing the Technical Damange”
Jul 24, 2024
Life insurance can be an excellent tool for charitable giving. Not only does life insurance allow you to make a substantial gift to charity at relatively little cost to you, but you may also benefit from tax rules that apply to gifts of life insurance.
Jul 22, 2024
When you think of Social Security, you probably think of retirement. However, Social Security can also provide much-needed income to your family members when you die, making their financial lives easier. Your family members may be eligible to receive survivor benefits if you worked, paid Social Security taxes, and earned enough work credits. The number … Continue reading “Social Security Survivor Benefits”
Jul 19, 2024
Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investment choices, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may not even be aware … Continue reading “Making Investment Choices”
Jul 17, 2024
As a business owner, you should carefully consider the advantages of establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Generally, you’re allowed certain tax benefits for establishing an employer-sponsored retirement plan, including a tax credit for establishing the plan and a deduction for contributions you make. In return, however, you’re required to include certain employees in the plan, … Continue reading “Retirement Plans for Small Businesses”
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