The U.S. Dollar Index — which measures the value of the dollar against the world’s six most traded currencies — took a historic 11% dive in the first six months of 2025, delivering the worst first-half performance since the 1973 oil crisis. As of February 27, 2026, the dollar had lost more than 10% of […]
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Weekly Market Update: Wall Street Closes Lower on Stubborn Inflation
The last week of the month proved to be a tough one for Wall Street. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed the week lower, impacted by stubborn inflation and a cooling of major tech and AI stocks. The Producer Price Index rose faster than in the previous two months (see below), which fueled […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: U.S. Equities Rebound After Risk-Off Week
U.S. equities spent most of last week trending lower, ultimately rebounding in a major way last Friday to close the week higher. Investors were in a “risk-off” mode as inflation rose while economic growth slowed notably. However, Wall Street reacted favorably to Friday’s Supreme Court ruling against President Trump’s tariffs. The S&P 500 surged to […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: Turbulent Week for U.S. Stocks
Investors experienced another turbulent week for U.S. stocks last week, although a fairly mild inflation report brought the market some relief on Friday (see below). The S&P 500 had it’s worst week since November, and the Global Dow was the only major market index that didn’t end up in the red. Fears about AI disruption […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: Market Volatility Drives Wild Week on Wall Steet
Last week was defined by volatility as stocks whipsawed between deep, tech-led losses and a late-week rally. Wall Street experienced a mid-week selloff as investors moved away from tech and AI shares. Investors were also concerned about a drop in job openings (see below) and a rise in jobless claims (see below). A surge last […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: Earnings, Fed Pause, and Market Volatility
Equities ended the week mostly lower as investors parsed through a heavy slate of fourth-quarter earnings data, economic reports, high valuations, and the Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain interest rates at their current levels. Several of the benchmark indexes hit notable highs midweek, with the S&P 500 surpassing the 7,000 level. Nevertheless, stocks generally retreated […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: Volatility Ahead of Fed Meeting
Last week was marked by volatility as investors moved cautiously ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. Wall Street struggled to find direction amidst tariff concerns and geopolitical tensions, resulting in sharp moves in key sectors, with several major market indexes ultimately ending the week lower. The Dow, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ declined […]
Read MoreNo More Groundhog Day for Your Finances: Time for a Financial Wellness Checkup
Just like Groundhog Day, our financial habits can repeat themselves, month after month and year after year. That is, until we consciously break the pattern. Now is a good time to check on your finances, since it’s still early enough in the year to make meaningful changes. A financial wellness checkup can help you identify […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: Stocks Dip as Earnings Season Begins
The U.S. stock market endured quite a bit of volatility last week. A rally last Thursday wasn’t enough to prevent the three major market indexes, the Dow, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ, from closing in the red. The Global Dow and the small caps of the Russell 2000 posted modest gains by last week’s […]
Read MoreWeekly Market Update: Dow Hits Record High
In this weekly market update, Wall Street responded to mixed economic data by closing higher last week. The Dow reached a record high, ending the week well above the 49,000 milestone, surpassing that mark for the first time in its history. Investors were not deterred by a rather lukewarm jobs report, as the S&P 500 […]
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