• Inflation Slows to a Two-Year Low – Inflation Trends

    Inflation measured at 3% in June, a two-year low not seen since March 2021. Inflation peaked at a four-decade high of 9.1% in June 2022, more than three times the latest inflation figure. […]

    Published On: August 31, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Fixed Income Overview

    Government and corporate bond yields saw a slight increase in July as the Fed raised short-term rates and increased government debt levels. Shorter-term bond yields remained higher than longer-term bond yields at the […]

    Published On: August 28, 2023Categories: Economy, Retirement

  • Equity Overview

    U.S. equity markets advanced in July as positive earnings momentum and some optimistic economic news helped propel the market. The Dow Jones Industrial Index, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq all saw increases […]

    Published On: August 25, 2023Categories: Market Index Returns

  • Dollar Losing Value as Fed Continues to Raise Rates – Currency Overview

    When the Fed began increasing its Fed Funds Rate in 2022, the U.S. dollar became stronger as higher rates attracted foreign funds. Other currencies, such as the euro, simultaneously lost value due to […]

    Published On: August 24, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Credit Scores Tend to Drop After Retirement – Retirement Planning

    Credit scores are a vital piece in determining whether an individual is qualified for a plethora of life-changing purchases, from mortgages to auto loans. However, even consumers with a pristine history of on-time […]

    Published On: August 23, 2023Categories: Retirement

  • Business Bankruptcy Filings Increasing – Economic Sentiment

    An indication of where the economy might be headed is business bankruptcy filings. Small and large businesses tend to react to economic changes via their business activity and financial conditions. Despite both 2021 […]

    Published On: August 22, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Macro Economic Overview

    The rating on U.S. government debt was cut from AAA to AA+ by Fitch, one of the three major credit rating agencies. Standard & Poor’s, another primary rating agency, cut its rating on […]

    Published On: August 11, 2023Categories: Economy

  • Market Indexes

    August 2023 (all values as of 07.31.2023) Stock Indexes: Dow Jones 35,559 S&P 500 4,588 Nasdaq 14,346 Bond Sector Yields: 2 Yr Treasury 4.88% 10 Yr Treasury 3.97% 10 Yr Municipal 2.53% High […]

    Published On: August 10, 2023Categories: Market Index Returns

  • Wages Lag Behind Inflation in Nearly All U.S. Cities – Employment Update

    Real wages, or workers’ pay adjusted for inflation, have decreased for 26 consecutive months. Even when nominal wage growth has been significant, inflation has surpassed it and diminished workers’ purchasing power for over […]

    Published On: July 21, 2023Categories: Economy

  • People Are Eating In Instead of Going Out

    The restaurant industry continues to experience turbulence that originated with the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns. In 2020, restaurant performance reached historic lows as people suddenly stopped ordering from […]

    Published On: July 20, 2023Categories: Consumer Behavior