Peek of the Week - Weekly Market Commentary for November 6, 2023. Today's Peek of the Week asks “will there be a year-end rally in the stock market?” while also acknowledging that no one knows with any certainty what the future will bring. As investors try to predict market lows and highs, they remember that creating a well-allocated and diversified portfolio is the best way to combat any uncertainty in the markets.

Investor uncertainty and questions about a shutdown

Peek of the Week - Weekly Market Commentary for October 23, 2023. We share a recap of all the uncertainty cycling through the markets. According to a survey released by Investopedia last month, investors are currently most concerned about: inflation, the upcoming election, a recession, interest rates, U.S. tension with China, the war in Ukraine, the war in Israel, the U.S. credit rating and climate disasters. The ability to stay calm and consider the big picture becomes extremely important in the midst of uncertainty. We take a deeper look at the history of stock market performance and compare it to the tumultuous challenges of our current day.

A strong economy brings significant uncertainty

Peek of the Week - Weekly Market Commentary for October 9, 2023. Financial markets lost ground during the third quarter, but U.S. stocks rallied last week due to corporate earnings and falling inflation. New details on inflation numbers, the labor market, and U.S. employment data. Unemployment rates are nearing historically low levels and labor force participation increased.

Cooling markets during the heat of summer

Today's Peek of the Week has the latest insight into how the stock markets are cooling down now that the U.S. economy isn't burning as hot as it once was. With that being said, and even after the last two quarters of slowed growth, the United States economy continues to surprise us. Unemployment has fallen quite low, the labor market is on fire, and the main driver for this shift has been women returning to the workplace. With all this "job talk" brings more "recession talk" and today's PEEK of the WEEK shares some second quarter business activity data to follow up on the whole recession idea.

The pace of inflation slows, optimism grows

The three major U.S. stock market indices moved higher last week... for the first time in weeks. Prior to the increase, we saw investors reassess their approach and predictions. Today's Peek of the Week explains how strong corporate profits, more attractive share prices and the Fed's potential slowdown of rate hikes have brought us a stock market rally. And we appreciate it!

Market corrections... and the great college debate!

Today's Peek of the Week is full of questions. Investors wonder what will happen with the current geopolitical tensions, if the Federal Reserve will tame inflation and how the market correction is being received. Major U.S. stock indices moved lower last week and came even closer to correction territory. A stock market correction occurs when assets, indexes or markets decline by 10 to 20 percent and although they feel unpleasant, they aren't unusual. In addition, here have been all kinds of debates about college and its importance. Questions such as: is college a good investment? Which college majors are worth the cost? And, should employers remove college degree requirements from job listings? What do YOU think?