July 2026

Stocks End Lower as Oil Prices Swing on Middle East Tensions

Despite a broad-based rally last Friday, stocks generally closed the week lower. With the exception of the Global Dow, each of the benchmark indexes listed here ended last week in the red. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have wreaked havoc with crude oil prices, which jumped to over $100/barrel last Thursday, only to plunge […]

530A Trump Accounts Officially Open: What Families Need to Know

Amid the July 4th fanfare, a new tax-advantaged investment account officially launched: the 530A account, also known as a Trump Account, which is designed to help children get a head start on their financial future. Parents (or other authorized representatives) have been able to apply since December 2025. By mid-June, more than six million accounts […]

Markets Slip as Geopolitical Tensions Weigh on Stocks

Wall Street experienced a downturn last week. Investors were in a “risk-off” mood as the war in Iran escalated, while AI and semiconductor shares dropped, which dragged the overall market lower. Each of the major market indexes lost value, ending a streak of favorable weekly performances. Traders moved away from Megacap shares, which pulled prices […]

Who Owns America’s $39 Trillion National Debt?

America has accomplished incredible things throughout its 250-year history, but debt is also part of its story. Today, the United States has the highest national government debt in the world. This graphic shows who holds U.S. debt, from domestic investors and foreign governments to the Federal Reserve and internal trust funds. Breaking down who holds […]

Tech Stocks Rebound as Markets Shake Off Early Uncertainty

Investors were somewhat skittish during the early part of last week as tensions in the Middle East intensified. However, stocks closed the week on an uptick following solid sessions last Thursday and Friday. After a brief retreat, tech shares led the market surge, supported by the New York market debut of a major South Korean […]

Social Security and Medicare: Planning for Future Changes

A recent survey showed that only about half of workers and 6 in 10 retirees are confident that Social Security and Medicare will provide the same value in the future.1 That’s not surprising. For years, detailed annual reports released by the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds have warned that the trust funds […]

Blue-Chip Stocks Lead as Markets Shift Beyond AI

Last week’s trading session was shortened as the markets were closed on Friday, July 3, in honor of Independence Day. Wall Street saw a shift from AI and semiconductor stocks to more traditional blue-chip stocks. The major market mover was the labor report for June, which saw employment accelerate but at a slower pace than […]