The stock market fared quite nicely during the Fourth of July week. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted gains, with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 reaching record highs a few times during the week. Only the small caps of the Russell 2000 slid lower. The June jobs report (see below) gave investors […]
Read MoreUpdates
The Markets (as of market close June 28, 2024)
Stocks closed generally higher for the week, with the Russell 2000, the Nasdaq, and the Global Dow posting gains, while the large caps of the Dow and the S&P 500 declined. Ten-year Treasury yields rose as bond prices fell. Crude oil prices gained about $1.00 per barrel. The dollar and gold prices inched higher. Investors […]
Read MoreInterest Rates on Federal Student Loans Jump to Decade Highs for 2024-2025 Year
Every May, interest rates on federal student loans are reset for the upcoming school year. The rates are calculated by combining the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note with an extra fixed amount set by Congress. Based on this calculation, interest rates on federal student loans are set to increase for the 2024-2025 school […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close June 21, 2024)
Wall Street rode a rally in tech and AI stocks for most of last week. The end of the week saw a bit of a downturn, but not enough to keep the benchmark indexes listed here from closing the week higher. The large caps of the Dow led the indexes, followed by the Russell 2000, […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close June 14, 2024)
U.S. stocks outpaced the rest of the world last week as global investors sought relief from the turmoil caused by European elections. Tech stocks carried the market as investors digested a pair of cooling inflation reports. The Nasdaq closed at record highs every day last week, and the S&P 500 also posted a solid gain, […]
Read MoreRetirement Confidence Edges Up, With Some Optimism
After falling in 2023 by the widest margin since the 2008 financial crisis, retirement confidence began to edge back up in early 2024. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey, workers who said they are at least somewhat confident in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement rose to 68%, up […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close June 7, 2024)
Despite a dip at the end of the week, stocks closed last week generally higher, with the exception of the economically sensitive small caps of the Russell 2000. A robust jobs report at the end of last week may have alleviated concerns about an economic slowdown, but it also strengthened the Fed’s case to refrain […]
Read MoreReal Estate Roundup: Feeling the Impact of Higher Rates
U.S. commercial real estate prices fell more than 11% between March 2022, when the Federal Reserve started hiking interest rates, and January 2024. The potential for steeper losses has chilled the market and still poses significant risks to some property owners and lenders.1 On the residential side of the market, the national median price of […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close May 31, 2024)
Equities generally closed lower by the end of the week with, the Nasdaq and the Dow falling furthest among the benchmark indexes listed here. The Russell 2000 and the Global Dow were flat. Investors spent the week assessing the first-quarter gross domestic product, jobless claims, and corporate earnings data. Ten-year Treasury yields rose as bond […]
Read MoreTax Treatment of Home Energy Rebates
The IRS has provided guidance on the federal income tax treatment of certain home energy rebates offered by states, with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Background The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included two provisions allowing rebates for home energy efficiency retrofit projects and home electrification and appliance projects. These home […]
Read More