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Monday, September 25, 2023

Thursday saw the market react to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s speech, with a drop of 1.6% in the S&P 500, the largest single-day drop since March.[1] The Fed agreed to leave interest rates alone for now but indicated...

 

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

As the cost of food, housing, and gas has continued to rise, many families are feeling the pinch.  And we live in an expensive place. Families who are trying to raise children often feel as if they are living paycheck to paycheck,...

 

Monday, September 11, 2023

The market was down last week, and news articles about the rest of the year are predicting everything from a massive gain to a complete collapse. The reality will most likely be somewhere in the middle. We’re waiting for...

 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

A positive effect of rising interest rates is that your savings now has the potential to earn something.  The question is how you can take advantage of current rates. You generally have three options for liquid (meaning you can...

 

Monday, August 28, 2023

Stocks were all over the place last week, aided by chip maker Nvidia’s earning’s report and the Federal Reserve Bank’s meeting in Jackson Hole. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s Friday speech indicates the Fed may...

 

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Tuesday, August 22, 2023

The final step in CovingtonAlsina’s Hierarchy of Financial Priorities concerns two goals many of us have: passing on a large inheritance and giving back to causes that matter to us. We started our hierarchy with a basic will and...

 

Monday, August 14, 2023

Stocks were down again last week, as investors digested the latest inflation reports. The Producer Price Index was up slightly, mostly due to the cost of services. At the same time, core inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price...

 

Monday, August 7, 2023

The markets fell last week due to a combination of factors.  The credit-rating agency Fitch downgraded US debt from AAA to AA+, based on both growing government debt relative to GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, and the political...

 

Monday, July 31, 2023

This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The markets were up last week despite Thursday’s drop.  Good news came in the form of lowered inflation and earnings reports. The Personal Consumption...

 

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Next up on CovingtonAlsina’s Hierarchy of Financial Priorities, is retirement. That concept has changed dramatically and continues to evolve. We used to work at one company for our entire life, retire and collect a pension for a...

 

Monday, July 24, 2023

The markets were up again last week, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average having its longest winning streak since 2017.[1] The great thing about these gains is that they are showing across multiple sectors, and not just technology...

 

Monday, July 17, 2023

Last week the market fell on Thursday with the release of jobs data, then rebounded on Friday for a slightly down week. Why do employment numbers impact the market so much?  The market is concerned about the Federal Reserve Bank...

 

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Continuing through CovingtonAlsina’s Hierarchy of Financial Priorities, todays is all about asset protection, which is just a fancy way of saying insurance.  We’ll do a high-level overview today, and dive deeper into...

 

Monday, July 10, 2023

Last week the market fell on Thursday with the release of jobs data, then rebounded on Friday for a slightly down week. Why do employment numbers impact the market so much?  The market is concerned about the Federal Reserve Bank...

 

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

The next step on CovingtonAlsina’s Hierarchy of Financial Priorities after cash flow is emergency savings.Prior to the 2008-2009 financial crisis, we typically recommended having three months of living expenses in a savings...

 

Monday, June 26, 2023

Last week the market declined, although we are still up for the month. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s testimony indicated that, while interest rate hikes have been paused, there may be two more hikes coming this year.  This...

 

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

We’re continuing our discussion of CovingtonAlsina’s Hierarchy of Financial Priorities, specifically focusing on cash flow. Today we’ll cover credit card debt and conscious spending.If you have credit card debt, there...

 

Monday, June 12, 2023

Last week the S&P 500 entered bull territory, defined as a 20% increase from the previous market low, in this case in October of 2022.[1] Remember that a bull market is a rising market, like a bull’s horns going up when they...

 

Monday, June 5, 2023

The debt ceiling crisis was averted, and the markets responded accordingly, with the major indices all up for the week. Friday was also impacted by the jobs report showing that wage growth is slowing down.[1]  Unemployment also...

 

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

We’re continuing our discussion of CovingtonAlsina’s Hierarchy of Financial Priorities. The second level is cash flow.  You want more to come in than goes out.  Which, in this area, is easier said than done....

 

Monday, May 22, 2023

The market finished up last week despite declines on Friday afternoon following an impasse in debt ceiling negotiations. Personally, I’m remaining hopeful that both sides will come together and resolve this issue. But what...

 

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

This week, we’ll begin a deeper dive into the first  level of our Hierarchy of Financial Priorities. The most important step is getting your wills and other legal documents in order.  While I jokingly say “imagine...

 

Monday, May 15, 2023

The market declined last week, based on lowered consumer sentiment, concerns about banks, and worries about the debt ceiling negotiations.  We’re still up year-to-date and, absent a major crisis, believe the market should be...

 

Monday, May 8, 2023

Last week was quite a wild ride. Jobs reports came in better or worse than expected, depending on your view. Job openings fell to 9.6 million[1], showing that the labor market is beginning to tighten. Inflation has come down as well...

 

Monday, May 1, 2023

Earnings reports from big tech companies drove an upswing in the market last week, with Thursday recording the biggest daily increase in both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 since January 6th.[1] Also released on...

 

Monday, April 24, 2023

Last week the markets were essentially flat as investors weighed corporate earnings reports amid fears of an upcoming recession. We also had the tax filing deadline on Tuesday.Hopefully your taxes have been filed and the question is...

 

Monday, April 17, 2023

The markets had a fourth consecutive week of gains after three pieces of positive news. The Consumer Price Index and Producers Price Index both declined, showing that inflation, while still high, is slowly dropping.  Three large...

 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Welcome to PursePower™, our financial column for moms.  It will focus on financial topics that affect us all, but especially parents. Things that keep you up at night, things you think you know but aren’t quite...

 

Monday, April 3, 2023

Last week, the S&P 500, which is just 500 of the largest companies in America, was up about 3%. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the Core Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, which is the Federal Reserve...

 

Monday, March 27, 2023

Monday Money ReportThis is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report.The markets were up last week after the Federal Reserve Bank increased rates by a quarter of a percent.  This was largely in line with...

 

Monday, March 20, 2023

The market was up last week but it was a wild ride as we negotiated the fallout of SVB’s collapse. The Treasury and Federal Reserve both jumped in with support for the entire banking system. Normally, FDIC insurance covers $250...

 

Monday, March 13, 2023

The markets were down last week, as investors initially feared the Federal Reserve Bank would be raising interest rates more than expected. Employment information announced on Friday had mostly good news on the inflation front. While...

 

Monday, March 6, 2023

Last week the markets were up, although not enough for a positive February.  Year to date, we are still improving, with the S&P up over 5%. We expect continued volatility, or swings in the market, for at least the first half of...

 

Monday, February 27, 2023

The stock market has seen its shadow, and we’re in for continued volatility. While inflation is still coming down, it’s not declining as fast as analysts predicted. This makes it more likely that the Federal Reserve will...

 

Monday, February 13, 2023

The markets had their worst week of the year, with investors worried that the strong jobs report will lead the Fed to keep rates higher and longer than expected.  The current unemployment rate of 3.4% is the best since 1969.[1]...

 

Monday, February 6, 2023

The markets were up again last week, despite a drop on Friday.  Through Thursday, the S&P 500 was up 8.9% for the year. The expected news was that the Federal Reserve Bank did increase rates by a quarter of a percent. Chair Jerome...

 

Monday, January 30, 2023

Last week the markets were up as good news continued to roll in. Both inflation and consumer spending were down in December[1], spurring hopes that the Federal Reserve will raise rates by a quarter of a percent next week, followed by...

 

Monday, January 23, 2023

The market was down last week as investors are still weighing economic data and wondering what track the Federal Reserve Bank will take with future interest rate increases. Inflation metrics, while declining, remain well above the...

 

Monday, January 16, 2023

Stocks had a great week last week, with the S&P 500 up about 2%.  The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, report was released Thursday, and showed prices declined by a tenth of a percent in December, with prices overall increasing 6.5%...

 

Monday, January 9, 2023

2023 was off to a rocky start but eked out a positive first week. Friday’s gains were fueled by economic data showing that the labor market remains steady, but wage growth is slowing, inflation is slowing, and the...

 

Monday, December 19, 2022

Last week the Federal Reserve did exactly what was expected and raised interest rates by half of a percent. Given that this was expected, what happened to the market? The S&P was down over 2% last week. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s...

 

Monday, December 12, 2022

The markets were down last week, largely on fears that the Fed may have to raise rates more than the ½ a percent that was expected.  The PPI, or Producer Price Index, was higher than expected and the labor market continues to...

 

Monday, December 5, 2022

Last week the markets were up, largely based on Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech on Wednesday. The Federal Reserve Bank Governors look at a number of economic indicators to develop monetary policy.  These include inflation...

 

Monday, November 21, 2022

The markets were down slightly last week but remain positive for the last month. The Producer Price Index, a measure of wholesale prices, came in lower than expected at 8% year-over-year.[1]  At the same time, expectations for...

 

Monday, November 14, 2022

What a difference a week makes. The market soared, with the S&P 500 up over 5%.  The S&P is 500 big US companies selected by Standard & Poor’s to reflect the US economy. The midterms didn’t have as big of an impact,...

 

Monday, October 31, 2022

Last week the market posted strong gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching its highest level in two months, and on track for its best October in history.[1]  Inflation reports were about what analysts expected,...

 

Monday, October 17, 2022

Bad news keeps driving stock prices lower.  We had a bit of a market rebound on Thursday before the markets declined further on Friday, leading to a loss for the week. Core CPI, or the Consumer Price Index when calculated without...

 

Monday, October 10, 2022

Declines late in the week almost wiped out all of last week’s gains, but the market eked out a slight increase overall.  The drop came as a result of great news in the job market.  Employers added 263,000 workers to...

 

Monday, October 3, 2022

Ouch. The markets finished down for the week, the month, and the quarter.  Inflation continues to rise, which means the Fed is expected to continue interest rate increases.  The dollar has gained against most major currencies...

 

Monday, September 26, 2022

The markets dropped last week as the Federal Reserve increased interest rates by another 0.75%.  While this was largely expected given the higher-than-expected inflation numbers that were reported last week, stocks declined. ...

 

Monday, September 19, 2022

Inflation reports came in higher than expected, with the Consumer Price Index[i] up 8.3% over last year.  This has stoked fears of increased Fed tightening, or rising interest rates. It is widely expected that the Fed will raise...

 

Monday, September 12, 2022

This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report.The market had a three-day winning streak to finish up for both the week and the last three months. Next week, the Fed will receive a final round of monthly inflation...

 

Monday, August 29, 2022

This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report.The markets fell again last week, although they remain positive for the last month. The week had started strong – what happened? On Friday, Fed Chairman Jerome...

 

Monday, August 22, 2022

This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report.The markets fell last week, ending a four-week winning streak. It’s uncertain if we have reached bottom, and stocks will continue their upward trend, or if this...

 

Monday, August 8, 2022

The market continued its positive streak last week, despite a drop on Friday.  More than 80% of S&P 500 companies have reported earnings, and the results were largely positive.[1]  In fact, the S&P 500 is up over 10% since...

 

Monday, August 1, 2022

The S&P 500 is on track for its best month in almost two years[1], largely fueled by strong earnings by Apple and Amazon, among other companies.  The Federal Open Market Committee raised interest rates by 0.75%, which means the...

 

Monday, July 25, 2022

Despite declines on Friday, the S&P 500 was positive last week, showing gains on a strong earnings season.  To date, more than 2/3 of reporting companies have exceeded earnings expectations.[1]  At the same time, the...

 

Monday, July 18, 2022

The S&P 500 dropped last week, with steeper losses after June inflation results were announced.  On Friday, the market began a slow climb back.  Inflation was reported at 9.1% for June, the largest gain since November of 1981...

 

Monday, July 11, 2022

Last week the S&P snapped its losing streak, posting gains of about 3%.  This follows the worst first half performance since 1970.[1] The June jobs report showed the economy added 372,000 jobs in June, well above the expected 250...

 

Monday, June 27, 2022

The market bounced back last week, snapping several weeks of a downward trend. Investors reacted positively to what would normally be bad news.  Several data points released point to a slowing of the economy.  A slowing...

 

Monday, June 20, 2022

The market declined again last week on increasing fears of an economic slowdown. The Federal Reserve Bank increased interest rates by ¾ of a percent, a hike not seen since 1994. We saw a bit of a bounce that day and again on...

 

Monday, June 13, 2022

Last week opened well, but fears of rising inflation drove the market to decline Thursday and Friday. Inflation rose to 8.6%, exceeding April’s 8.3% increase.  The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, had the highest...

 

Monday, June 6, 2022

Last week was another roller coaster, with the market up and down day by day. We ended the week close to where we started. We expect this volatility to continue while the Fed tries to slow down the economy, creating that unicorn known...

 

Monday, May 23, 2022

We are officially in bear territory. The S&P 500 is down just over 20% from the all-time high set on January 3rd.  This is scary.  The closer you are to retirement, or if you’re in retirement, the scarier it gets...

 

Monday, May 16, 2022

The S&P 500 came close to a bear market last week, with Thursday’s close bringing the market down just over 19%.  A bull’s horns go up while a bear puts its head down to charge. So a bear market is a 20% or greater...

 

Monday, May 9, 2022

Last week the Federal Reserve Board met and raised interest rates a half of a percent, as expected.  The markets reacted with a wild rally, which was then completely wiped out on Thursday.  Friday continued the slide and the...

 

Monday, May 2, 2022

Wow! Fasten your seatbelts because the ride is bumpy. Stocks declined, then rose, then declined again last week. We’re still in earnings season, and the S&P 500 is tracking a 4.3% growth year over year in revenue, with 86% of...

 

Monday, April 25, 2022

The markets reacted strongly to indications that the Federal Reserve will be raising interest rates by half a percent at its May meeting.  It’s the first time since 2006 that rates have been increased at back-to-back...

 

Monday, April 11, 2022

 

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Monday, March 21, 2022

 

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Monday, January 31, 2022

 

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Monday, December 20, 2021

Last week was a roller coaster, as the markets reacted before the Fed met on Wednesday, and then again after the meeting.  Down, up and down again.  The Federal Reserve announced they will taper bond purchases at a faster...

 

Monday, December 13, 2021

 

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

 

Monday, November 29, 2021

The latest Covid variant threw the market into a tailspin on Friday, with the drop almost wiping out the gains for the month of November. We still see strong economic fundamentals, but the fear of another wave and possible lockdowns...

 

Monday, November 22, 2021

The market continued its bull run, setting another all time high on Thursday. We’ve just about finished earnings reports, and overall earnings growth was almost 40%, far outpacing the expected growth of 23%. While consumer...

 

Monday, November 15, 2021

Inflation in the US hit a 31-year high in October, with the data showing prices increased 6.2% over the prior year. The market reacted quickly, snapping the 8-day winning streak with a drop on Wednesday. And then reality set in, and...

 

Monday, November 8, 2021

The jobs report released last week showed job growth rebounded in October, with the economy adding over half a million jobs, and unemployment dropping further to 4.6%. The Federal Reserve Board of Governors met and is holding interest...

 

Monday, November 1, 2021

Last week, the market hit another all time high before declining slightly on Friday. Both Amazon and Apple reported earnings that were lower than expected, driving both the NASDAQ and S&P 500 lower. You may be wondering why, if both...

 

Monday, October 25, 2021

Two weeks ago, we were talking about a market pullback, or a drop of over 5%. Last week, the market hit yet another all-time high. The takeaway from those two pieces of information is not to let short-term market volatility scare you....

 

Monday, October 11, 2021

Stocks rebounded last week after a pullback of just over 5% as Congress passed short-term solutions for the debt ceiling and government funding. We’re still seeing weakness in labor, as September disappointed in the number of new...

 

Monday, October 4, 2021

September ended as the worst month for the market since March 2020, with a drop of 4.8% for the month, and down 5.1% from the market high set on September 2nd. Even with that, the S&P eked out a positive quarter, up 0.2% for its sixth...

 

Monday, September 27, 2021

And we’re back. Last Tuesday the markets began to recoup the losses of the last two weeks. The S&P 500 is down for the month, but still has strong gains for the quarter and year to date. The Federal Reserve Bank has stated they...

 

Monday, September 20, 2021

The markets rose and then fell last week to finish down slightly. Concerns about the delta variant continue to impact the markets, along with uncertainty around Federal Reserve Bank actions. Jobless claims increased slightly as well....

 

Monday, September 13, 2021

Last week, the markets declined by about 1%, but are still near the record highs set previously. Jobless claims continue to decline, but investors appear worried about the impact of Covid variants on the economy, and the potential for...

 

Monday, August 30, 2021

The markets were back up last week, setting yet another all-time high. Jobless claims remain low and it is expected that things will improve further with children returning to in-person school this fall. The “yet another all-time...

 

Monday, August 23, 2021

The markets were down last week despite solid gains on Friday. Unemployment claims are at the lowest since the pandemic began, so what was the problem? Minutes from the Federal Reserve Bank, or the Fed, were released last week and...

 

Monday, August 16, 2021

Friday was yet another all-time market high and we continue to see good news with other economic indicators. Inflation has begun ticking down, and new unemployment claims are also down for the third consecutive week. Projections for...

 

Monday, August 9, 2021

We are continuing the bull run in equities, or stocks, as the S&P set yet another all-time high last week. Despite concerns about the Delta variant, the economy is continuing to grow. The jobs report showed that there were 943,000 jobs...

 

Monday, July 26, 2021

I’m feeling like a broken record, but the market set another all-time high next week. Earnings season is wrapping up with strong performance. Concerns about the delta variant were short-lived. It appears investors are poised to...

 

Monday, July 19, 2021

The market set more all-time highs before declining on Thursday with worries of inflation. Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Jerome Powell testified before Congress and reiterated that the Fed is more focused on unemployment than...

 

Monday, July 12, 2021

After multiple record high-days, the S&P 500 dipped on Thursday and came back to finish the week strong, reaching another all-time high on Friday. Initial jobless claims increased at the same time there is a record high number of open...

 

Monday, June 28, 2021

The S&P 500 set another all-time high last week. Investors followed the Fed’s lead and believed inflation will be transitory. One of the key measures of inflation rose again, but by less than expected. All major US banks passed...

 

Monday, June 21, 2021

Last week, the markets were down. The Federal Reserve Bank Board of Governors, or “the Fed”, met last week as well. They signaled that they are a bit concerned about rising inflation and may raise rates sooner than...

 

Monday, June 14, 2021

Last week, the markets were up, setting a new market high on Thursday before retreating slightly. Initial jobless claims continue to decline. Inflation rose to the highest levels since 1991. The Federal Reserve Board of Governors, aka...

 

Monday, June 7, 2021

We saw some good economic news last week, as the private payroll report showed almost a million new jobs were filled in May. Economists expect the unemployment rate to fall below 6% as a result. While this is still well above...

 

Monday, May 17, 2021

The markets dropped early last week with the news that core inflation was at 3% before beginning to rebound on Thursday. Why such a swing based on one economic indicator? First, what is inflation? It’s the rate of increase in the...

 

Monday, May 10, 2021

Last week the jobs report came in below expectations. New claims continue to drop, but overall unemployment is still above 6%. Despite this news, the market continued to grow, setting yet another new high. All this growth in the market...

 

Monday, May 3, 2021

Last week we saw the S&P 500 set two new record highs before declining on Friday. For the month of April, the market was still up about 5%. So far, reported earnings for S&P 500 companies are nearly double what was expected. Earnings...

 

Monday, April 26, 2021

Demand has continued to surge around the globe, and many economists believe we are looking at a long-term global economic expansion. The US markets had significant volatility last week, largely due to a global increase in covid cases...

 

Monday, April 19, 2021

Earnings season has kicked off and the market continues to reach new highs. Unemployment has fallen to 6%, down from a pandemic peak of 14.8%. Total people claiming unemployment benefits has fallen over the last week by 1.3 million,...

 

Monday, April 12, 2021

Last week the market reached yet another all-time high. We closed out the first quarter of the year with the S&P up 5.8%. The March jobs report was strong, both US and global economic forecasts have improved, and the reopening of much...

 

Monday, March 29, 2021

Last week the market took heart from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s testimony to Congress. The Federal Reserve Bank also removed restrictions on banks’ ability to pay dividends, citing an...

 

Monday, March 22, 2021

Last week the market set another all-time high before retreating on Thursday. Overall, the week was essentially flat. Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Board of Governors, referred to as “the Fed”,...

 

Monday, March 15, 2021

Last week the market set another all-time high before declining slightly on Friday. Economic data, the passing of the American Rescue Plan stimulus bill, and reopening of businesses and schools as pandemic case loads drop are all...

 

Monday, March 8, 2021

Last week we had some good news with the February jobs report showing an above-expected increase in jobs. We also saw Treasury yields, or the amount of income earned from a Treasury bond, increase to about 1.6%. Federal Reserve...

 

Monday, March 1, 2021

Last week the markets saw increased volatility. Thursday was a 2.5% drop, and Friday’s gains were not enough to make up the losses. We’re still positive for 2021. Even with last week’s drop, we are not far off from...

 

Monday, February 22, 2021

Last week the markets rebounded on Friday to provide modest gains. The jobs report showed increasing unemployment, and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen has called for more stimulus. Also last week, the IRS finally opened filing...

 

Monday, February 15, 2021

Last week the markets were up slightly, as unemployment claims slowly decline and talks of additional stimulus continue. With all the recent frenzy in the markets, we’ve had several conversations about SPACs lately. Fortunately,...

 

Monday, February 8, 2021

Last week, the markets recovered their losses and set another all-time high. The jobs and unemployment data was weaker than expected, leading to hopes of President Biden’s stimulus package making it through Congress. GameStop...

 

Monday, February 1, 2021

Last week, the markets saw significant volatility ending with a loss to close out January. Given the news and the questions we gotten from clients, I thought that I would explain the Game Stop frenzy today. First, some basic...

 

Monday, January 25, 2021

The markets hit another all-time high last week before tapering slightly on fears of covid slowing growth. Home sales hit a 14-year high last year, with prices reaching record levels in many areas. The European Central Bank has warned...

 

Monday, January 18, 2021

Stocks fell slightly last week after President-Elect Biden released his stimulus plan. Retail sales were also less than expected, and unemployment continues to be an issue. Inflation has increased slightly but is still well below...

 

Monday, January 11, 2021

Well, the good news from last week is that the market has gone on to yet another all-time high. We’ll just stop there. Stimulus payments have also begun hitting people’s bank accounts. We’ve had lots of questions,...

 

Monday, January 4, 2021

And good riddance to bad rubbish. We’re excited to start the new year and hope it is boring, calm, and completely precedented. While we won’t have a full analysis of the year until later this month, we have some big-picture...

 

Monday, December 28, 2020

We had a shorted trading week due to the holiday. While the week finished down slightly from the all-time highs set earlier, overall the markets are trending up. Good news about the vaccine and the stimulus package helped here in the...

 

Monday, December 21, 2020

Déjà vu last week. We reached another all-time high, only to see a slight decline as stimulus talks came down to the wire. The bigger news is that Tesla joins the S&P 500 this morning, so trading volume is expected to...

 

Monday, December 14, 2020

After reaching another all-time high, the market declined slightly, largely due to stalled talks on a Covid stimulus package. The other big news for the market was the IPOs for AirBnB and DoorDash. And if you’re wondering what,...

 

Monday, December 7, 2020

Last week the market was up again, setting new all-time highs. Positive reports from DC about a stimulus package, as well as reduced unemployment, helped drive returns. As we get ready to close out 2020, there are a few actions you can...

 

Monday, November 30, 2020

Last week the market hit all time highs, largely on news about three different vaccines. Earnings for publicly-traded companies was also mostly good news. Unemployment is starting to rise again, with the restrictions due to Covid. Even...

 

Monday, November 23, 2020

Last week the market soared on news of the Moderna vaccine, then plummeted with fears of new shutdowns and no stimulus. And, wow, doesn’t that sound scary? In reality, the S&P 500 went up, and down, less than 1%. Given all the...

 

Monday, November 9, 2020

Last week was a wild ride, with the election, a great jobs report and the Federal Reserve indicating it will keep rates low for now. We’ve had the best two-day rally after an election and best start to the month of November ever,...

 

Monday, November 2, 2020

The S&P 500 was significantly down last week, based both on increased Covid cases and election volatility. In contrast, the economic data is positive. Unemployment claims are decreasing, the third quarter set a record for economic...

 

Monday, October 26, 2020

The S&P 500 was down last week, largely on concerns that there is a lack of political will on both sides to resolve stimulus talks before the election. The market is still up over 2% for October after falling in September. We continue...

 

Monday, October 19, 2020

Earnings season began last week, when publicly traded companies report their financial results for the quarter. Overall, the S&P 500 Index was essentially flat, with good news about earnings and increased consumer spending offsetting...

 

Monday, October 12, 2020

Last week the markets saw a sharp increase, based on hopes of additional stimulus and expected positive earnings reports next year. Total unemployment also continues to decline. And we see questions coming in asking about the...

 

Monday, October 5, 2020

The third quarter ended last week, with the market up for the quarter but down slightly for the month. Historically, September has been a down month in the market, so this is not unusual. The news that President Trump has Covid-19...

 

Monday, September 28, 2020

We ended last week on a positive note, recovering some of the month’s losses. While we’re down for the month, the 3rd quarter is still positive. Earlier in the month, the losses were coming from tech stocks and growth...

 

Monday, September 21, 2020

The market declined about 1% last week. While unemployment claims continue to decline, the Federal Reserve Bank reaffirmed they will keep interest rates low until inflation increases, and probably for the next few years at least. We...

 

Monday, September 14, 2020

Last week, the market had a second consecutive week of losses, coming down from all-time highs. Is it time to panic? Probably not. Since the low in March, the S&P 500 has risen over 40%. Year to date, it is still up over 3%. This up...

 

Monday, August 31, 2020

The market has reached another all-time high, with the S&P 500 crossing the 3,500 mark, for an almost 7% gain this past month. What’s interesting is that we are also seeing an increase in the VIX, or volatility index. We...

 

Monday, August 24, 2020

The market approached its all time high last week. Since the low on March 23rd, the S&P 500 has climbed just over 50%. Jobless claims dropped below 1 million, while Congress failed to reach an agreement on additional stimulus. The S&P...

 

Monday, August 17, 2020

The market approached its all time high last week. Since the low on March 23rd, the S&P 500 has climbed just over 50%. Jobless claims dropped below 1 million, while Congress failed to reach an agreement on additional stimulus. The S&P...

 

Monday, August 10, 2020

The market continued to rebound over the last week as companies reported quarterly earnings. While earnings, or the profit or loss per share of stock, are certainly down from last year, over 80% of companies beat their consensus...

 

Monday, July 27, 2020

Last week the market started off well, but dropped Thursday and Friday. Thursday saw unemployment claims rise for the first time in months. Friday, approximately one-quarter of the S&P 500 reported earnings. While 80% of the companies...

 

Monday, July 20, 2020

We had another volatile week in the markets, finishing slightly ahead for the week. Earnings season, when publicly traded companies report how much money they made or loss for the prior quarter, is just getting started and will impact...

 

Monday, July 13, 2020

Stocks were up and down last week, but still positive for the week. Friday’s gains were led by bank stocks, and the news that Gilead Sciences Inc’s drug remdesivir cuts Covid-19 mortality by 62%. This eased fears about...

 

Monday, July 6, 2020

Last week, the markets were closed on Friday. Tuesday saw an end to the best quarter in market history, with the S&P up over 20%. Of course, this follows the first quarter of 2020, which was the worst in history. We continue to see...

 

Monday, June 29, 2020

Last week, the S&P 500 started strong, but began dropping mid-week. On Friday alone, the market fell about 2%. Looking at one year comparisons, we are still higher than last year. The volatility, or the ups and downs in the market, is...

 

Monday, June 22, 2020

Last week, the S&P 500 continued recovering on Monday and held on to those gains the remainder of the week. On a year-over-year basis, we are still positive. Economists are predicting a variety of things. This makes sense, given the...

 

Monday, June 8, 2020

The markets continued to recover last week, with the S&P 500 gaining over 5%. We are close to being positive on a year-to-date basis. There are three big factors behind the success of big, publicly-traded companies. The Fed has...

 

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

During dinner last night, my daughters mentioned that this year has been like the second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire. If you're not familiar with it, the game in the story is based on a clock. Every hour brings a new, fresh hell...

 

Monday, June 1, 2020

The market was up again last week, and is still positive on a year over year basis. This seems absolutely crazy, given what we see and hear about restaurants closing, retail chains filing for bankruptcy, unemployment figures, and other...

 

Friday, May 22, 2020

As the pandemic drags out and cabin fever sets in, we continue to see a divergence between "the market" as defined by the S&P 500 and small business reality. Government intervention by both Congress and the Federal Reserve Bank has...

 

Monday, May 18, 2020

The market was up for most of last week, falling on Friday with announced retail sales numbers reflecting the largest drop in history, and increasing China-US trade tension. On a year over year basis, though, we are still almost even...

 

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Our podcast today referenced Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities in discussing the difference between the stock market and our personal reality. As I write this, the S&P 500 (an index of 500 large US publicly traded companies that generally...

 

Monday, May 11, 2020

The markets posted gains again last week, and the S&P 500 is positive on a year-over year basis. Meaning your investments are worth more now than they were one year ago. It’s like A Tale of Two Cities. How is that possible, given...

 

Monday, May 4, 2020

I would love to give you a clear idea of what to expect over the next few months, but the only reliable thing I can tell you is that we are in uncharted territory. Given everything, the market overall is doing well. We started off the...

 

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

This video provides a quick overview of the global financial markets and my perspective on them for the first quarter of 2020. If you'd like a deeper dive into the last quarter, I've attached a full market commentary from our...

 

Saturday, April 25, 2020

I think that the one thing we are all searching for is the one thing we can't have: answers about how this will all play out, when we'll be back at work, what will happen to the economy. Heck, I'm wondering what will happen to some of...

 

Monday, April 20, 2020

The markets were up again last week. The S&P 500 was up approximately 3%. Given everything going on, you might wonder how this can be possible. Remember that the markets are forward looking. Based on pushes to reopen parts of the...

 

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

We are definitely on wild roller coaster ride at this point. We have gone from record highs to the worst first-quarter performance in market history, to the largest gains, to steep drops again. And it's not just the market; our...

 

Monday, April 13, 2020

The markets rebounded last week, up over 10%. We’re back at May 2019 levels overall for the stock market. Why did this happen? Investors reacted to several pieces of information: signs that the social distancing is working and...

 

Monday, April 6, 2020

The markets closed their worst first quarter in history last week, and we expect the volatility, or the ups and downs in the market, to continue for some time. What’s important to remember is that markets are forward looking,...

 

Saturday, April 4, 2020

There are two sayings that are resonating with me right now. The first comes from my daughters' high school: Function in disaster, finish in style. For now, we will all do the best we can to get through. When this is over, and things...

 

Monday, March 30, 2020

What a wild ride. The markets are on a roller coaster right now, and we expect that to continue for some time. On the expectation of the stimulus bill being passed, the markets surged, posting the largest gain since 1931. Friday was...

 

Saturday, March 28, 2020

I've attached two analysis pieces: a deeper dive into the current market and some historical perspective, and a piece about the anticipated recovery. I know that we are living in uncertain times. As a nation, we have been through war,...

 

Thursday, March 26, 2020

If you're watching the news, you've probably seen that the market is up so far this week. Investors have reacted positively to the expected stimulus bill, buying back into the market. We're still down from the record highs set earlier...

 

Monday, March 23, 2020

Oh my. Through Thursday of last week, the markets continued to drop, down over 25% from the record highs earlier this year. That sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? On the surface, it certainly does. But for some perspective, consider...

 

Thursday, March 19, 2020

As we navigate these uncertain times, I will continue to send out commentary and research that I believe may interest, educate and/or enlighten you. We will continue to post this information on our website and Facebook page as well....

 

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

There's an old curse that I think applies right now: May you live in interesting times. This is certainly that. I know there is a lot of anxiety right now, about the markets, about the health of older family and friends, and how we...

 

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Oh my. It sure seems like the zombie apocalypse is upon us. The market has officially entered bear territory, ending an unprecedented eleven-year...

 

Monday, February 24, 2020

 

Monday, February 10, 2020

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The market recovered from the corona virus drop last week, with both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching all-time highs....

 

Monday, January 27, 2020

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Last week we talked about finding a financial planner, or financial advisor, to help you get your finances in order. Something to talk with your...

 

Monday, January 20, 2020

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. We continue to see new highs in the market. Last week, the Senate passed the USMCA, the trade deal with Canada and Mexico that will replace NAFTA...

 

Monday, January 13, 2020

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. After a dip the previous week and a volatile start, the market continued to new heights last week, setting new all-time highs. While we expect...

 

Monday, December 30, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The markets continued their upward swing last week, continuing to set all-time highs. Retail sales were up over last year, and post-holiday sales...

 

Monday, December 23, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Both the Dow and S&P set new all-time highs again last week. On December 13th, the US and China announced a “phase one” trade...

 

Monday, December 16, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Both the Dow and S&P set new all-time highs on Thursday, largely on reports that the trade deal with China is close to being finalized. The...

 

Monday, December 9, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The market was volatile last week, based on concerns about trade and a soft manufacturing report. Overall, we are still positive over the last...

 

Monday, December 2, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The market rallied last week, reaching new all-time highs after reports that China has conceded on a key trade negotiation point around honoring...

 

Friday, November 22, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Through Thursday, the market was slightly down, based on fears the phase one trade agreement with China will not be finalized by year end....

 

Monday, November 18, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The market was up again last week, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossing over 28,000. The Dow’s record-breaker was largely fueled...

 

Monday, November 11, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Stock market indices were up again last week, with the S&P 500 reaching another all-time high. The jobs report released the previous week showed...

 

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Monday Money Report This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. Stock market indices were up again last week, with the S&P 500 reaching an all-time high mid-week. Part of this came from publicly-traded...

 

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Good morning, this is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina with your Monday Money Report. Overall, stocks were up slightly last week. Our recession watch indicators are still green, indicating no imminent risk of recession. If you’re...

 

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

This is Ann Alsina of CovingtonAlsina, with this week’s Market Update. The market has been up over the last week. And by market, I’m referring to two general stock-market indexes, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, commonly...

 

Thursday, March 23, 2017

We would like to extend a huge “thank you” to everyone who joined us on Tuesday March 21st for our monthly Women, Wine & Wisdom event. Despite the last-minute venue change we had a great turnout with lots of new faces and a...

 

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Dreaming of living abroad? Moving to be near family? Here are a few important points to think about before you make the move. If living abroad is something you’ve always envisioned, retirement might be the perfect time to explore...

 

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

We would like to extend a huge “thank you” to everyone who joined us on Tuesday, February 21st, for our monthly Women, Wine & Wisdom event. We had a great turnout and enjoyed an engaging talk and discussion on all things to...

 

Friday, May 2, 2014

My grandfather had a problem with open caskets at wakes, visitations and funerals. He insisted that, when his time came, his casket would be closed. “If you couldn’t be bothered to come see me when I was alive, you’re not going to see...

 

Sunday, April 20, 2014

What is a legacy? So often we think of it as a tangible asset, usually wealth, but sometimes antiques, jewelry or other possessions. What if your legacy were the people you’ve touched, the change you’ve sparked, the body of work you...

 

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Working as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional gives me a unique perspective on money, and how it affects people. One of the most common quotes I hear is that “Money is the root of all evil.”