The Trust Company of Kansas

Employer Beliefs vs Worker Reality in Today’s Workplace

Employer beliefs vs worker reality can differ significantly when it comes to the financial and workplace challenges employees face today. A recent survey by Transamerica Institute found that many workers are struggling with inflation, caregiving responsibilities, financial stress, and changing job requirements, while employers may underestimate the extent of these pressures and their impact on […]

Strong Jobs Report Ends Stock Rally as Rate Cut Hopes Fade

For much of last week, stocks continued a rally that appeared headed for another week of gains. However, investors, who had been clinging to the prospect of monetary easing, had those hopes all but dashed after a better-than-expected jobs report (see below) doused any hopes of an interest rate reduction in the immediate future. Heading […]

Retirement Confidence Down

Retirement confidence slipped in 2026 after showing signs of improvement the year before, with both workers and retirees feeling less certain about their financial future. According to the latest findings from the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey, only about three in five workers now say they are confident they will have enough […]

Broad Market Rally Continues as Investor Confidence Expands Beyond Tech

Wall Street ended the week with broad gains, record-setting index performances, and a notable shift toward broader market participation beyond tech and AI shares. The Dow, the S&P 500, the NASDAQ, and the Global Dow each finished the week higher. The S&P 500 extended an eight-week winning streak, while the Dow recorded new highs. Markets […]

Midyear Retirement Savings Checkup: Are You Contributing Enough?

A midyear retirement savings checkup is a great opportunity to review your workplace retirement plan contributions and determine whether you can save more before the end of 2026. Even small increases to your 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) contributions may help strengthen your long-term retirement goals while allowing you to take full advantage of employer matching […]

Inflation and Oil Drive Market Volatility in May 2026

Two hotter-than-expected inflation reports and a lack of progress in negotiations to end the war in Iran created havoc in some corners of the financial markets last week. Oil prices surged again while the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed, disrupting the world’s supply of essential crude. The S&P 500 reached record highs on Thursday […]

DOL Proposes New Rule for Alternative Assets in 401(k) Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has proposed a new rule to clarify the steps employers should take when deciding whether to include investments that hold alternative assets in their 401(k) plans. Alternative assets include private equity, private credit, digital assets, and other investments typically reserved for high-net-worth and institutional investors, such as college endowments […]

Stock Market Gains Push S&P 500 to Record Highs

The U.S. stock market ended last week with strong gains, which led to record highs for the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ. The surge in stock values was largely driven by a better-than-expected jobs report (see below), falling crude oil prices, and robust tech company earnings. Investors continued to favor risk, despite the ongoing tensions […]

Tariff Update 2026: Supreme Court Blocks Key Tariffs

Starting in early 2025, President Trump issued executive orders to impose tariffs on goods from nearly all trading partners under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), as well as targeting industries seen as critical to national security with Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Tariffs are taxes on imported goods, which the administration […]

Market Rally 2026: Stocks Hit Record Highs

Wall Street continued to rally with equities ending last week on a strong note. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ closed at record highs, driven by robust corporate earnings, a potential end to the U.S. military involvement in Iran, and easing crude oil prices. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted notable gains as […]