The Markets (as of market close January 31, 2018) Equities pulled back off of their record-setting gains at the end of January, but not enough to forestall a month of significant gains. January provided several noteworthy storylines for investors to consider. Unemployment remained low as the number of available job openings continued to recede, possibly [...]
The Markets (as of market close February 2, 2018) Whether it was the start of a market correction or just a blip in what otherwise has been an almost nine-year bull run, equities suffered their largest losses in quite some time last week. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here fell more than 3.0%, led [...]
The Markets (as of market close January 26, 2018) Major stock market indexes continue to set records, as the S&P 500 broke its 14th record in January. Favorable corporate earnings reports, a congressional stopgap measure to fund the federal government, and a 2.6% annual rate of growth for the fourth-quarter GDP helped buoy investors' confidence [...]
The Markets (as of market close January 19, 2018) Corporate earnings season entered its second week with generally favorable results, which likely drove equities last week. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted weekly gains, led by the Dow and Nasdaq, which continues to post strong early-year gains in the technology sector. Apparently, the [...]
The Markets (as of market close January 12, 2018) Equities continued their strong showing to start the year. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted solid gains, led by the Russell 2000. The S&P 500 advanced more than 1.0% for the second week in a row — the first time that's happened since last [...]
Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2018 Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans, thresholds for deductions and credits, and standard deduction and personal exemption amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for 2018.* Employer retirement plans Employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), and [...]
The Markets (as of market close January 5, 2018) The first week of 2018 saw equities enjoy a strong start to the new year. Less than a year after breaking the 20000 mark, the Dow soared past 25000 last week. The wide-ranging S&P 500 also posted a record close while climbing 2.60%. The Nasdaq picked [...]
The Markets (as of market close December 29, 2017) While 2017 surely was a strong year for equities overall, the last week of the year was lackluster at best. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted week-over-week losses, except for the Global Dow, which increased 0.23%. Much of last week's performance could be attributable [...]
Overview The year 2017 was eventful, to say the least. President Trump and Congress tried, without success, to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. However, the new year-end tax law included the elimination of the individual health insurance mandate. The U.S. economy started slowly but picked up steam as the year progressed. Ten [...]
The Markets (as of market close November 30, 2017) The Dow soared over 300 points on the last day of November to close above 24000 for the first time in its history. Hopes for a tax overhaul may have contributed to investor confidence in equities. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted favorable monthly [...]
