Keeping You Informed 

The U.S. and Iran announced a preliminary agreement intended to end the four-month conflict that has weighed on the global economy. Financial markets have reacted positively to this development, with the stock market climbing, oil prices falling, and interest rates declining. How should investors interpret this agreement and what does it mean for portfolios?

IPOs from high-profile private companies like SpaceX can generate a lot of headlines, so it's important to understand both the opportunities and the nuances involved. How does the SpaceX IPO affect long-term investors?

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

Discover why starting early is often more powerful than saving more. This article uses a side-by-side comparison of two hypothetical savers to illustrate the remarkable impact of compound growth over time.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

The S&P 500 recently surpassed 7,500 for the first time, marking another milestone in a year that has seen many new all-time highs. This is positive for investors, especially because several sectors have contributed to this rally. These trends have also fueled enthusiasm for IPOs, particularly ones related to artificial intelligence, after years of relatively few companies going public. This is occurring despite ongoing concerns over inflation, high oil prices, and hopes for a peace deal in Iran that has not yet materialized. In contrast to the stock market, these challenges have weighed on the bond market, pushing long-term interest rates higher. The 30-year U.S. Treasury yield, for instance, briefly reached a nearly 20-year high before settling back toward 5%. Since headlines like these can create uncertainty for markets, maintaining perspective and balance are more important than ever.

How will the Fed Under Kevin Warsh Impact Markets?

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

What does the recent rise in inflation mean for the economy and markets? The just-released Consumer Price Index report for April showed prices rising 3.8% over the past 12 months, the highest level since mid-2023.

Macroeconomic events have increasingly driven markets. Today, oil prices, new OPEC developments, and tariffs are creating uncertainty. How should long-term investors keep these events in perspective?

Starting in 2026, families can open 530A accounts — also known as "Trump Accounts" — for eligible children under 18. Learn how they work, who qualifies, contribution limits, and how they may factor into long-term family savings.

The human brain is excellent at finding patterns, a skill that has evolved to help us across many parts of life. However, it can also lead us astray when there is no real pattern at all, such as when we see shapes in clouds and ink blots. When it comes to investing, this is relevant because some patterns are important, such as the long-term relationship between the market and the economy, while others may be due to pure coincidence. Distinguishing between what makes for interesting trivia versus true investing principles is a challenging but important part of achieving long-term financial success.

It has now been more than three-and-a-half years since the bull market began in October 2022. At that time, inflation was rising at its fastest pace in fifty years, the Fed was hiking interest rates, and ChatGPT was still a month away from being released to the public. Since then, the S&P 500 has more than doubled in value and the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond index has fully recovered.

Housing activity has been mixed in recent years across a number of measures. For new buyers, the biggest challenge with affordability is mortgage rates. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is around 6.3%, well above the lows of 3% or less in 2020 and 2021, and the average of 4.6% since 2008. This means that the monthly cost of purchasing a home is significantly higher than it was just a few years ago, even for buyers with substantial down payments.

One of the most consistent lessons from financial history is that markets have a way of surprising investors. They can often rebound exactly when investors are the most pessimistic, and this year is a great example. A common question is: Should I stay invested?

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

The reality is that geopolitical conflicts tend to affect financial markets through energy prices, which directly impact fuel costs and can then ripple through the economy. How much this affects prices depends on how long energy costs stay high. Understanding these transmission mechanisms can help investors maintain perspective. In particular, inflation, the job market, and corporate earnings, can provide useful insights in today’s market environment.

The Week In Perspective combines market activity, financial events, commentary and analysis for individual investors.

The immediate reaction to the ceasefire in Iran has been a jump in the stock market and a significant drop in oil prices. This is positive, especially from a humanitarian perspective. The two-week ceasefire recently announced between the U.S. and Iran, with a key focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supply, is an important development for investors. Energy prices and inflation concerns continue to be top of mind.

Why are gasoline prices rising so rapidly, and how is the conflict in Iran influencing what Americans pay at the pump? How much more are households spending on fuel, and who feels the greatest financial strain? How do higher energy costs ripple through the broader economy, raising prices for goods and services and add pressure to inflation?