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Monday Money Report - Social Security Solvency

The S&P 500 retreated last week, dropping just over 1%, after chipmakers and other AI-heavy stocks fell. Consumer sentiment increased as inflation eased. The ongoing conflict with Iran could continue to impact the market, as fuel...

Monday Money Report - How do Trump Accounts Stack Up?

Last week the S&P was up just a bit, but this week earnings season kicks off with most major banks reporting their quarterly earnings. We’ll also see the Consumer Price Index, a common measure of inflation, and the Producer Price Index...

Monday Money Report - Student Loan Rules are Changing

The S&P 500 finished the week down just over two percent as technology stocks fell. With the high concentration of technology stocks in the index, moves in this sector have an outsize impact. It’s a reminder that, while tech is booming...

Monday Money Report - Worried About Taxes on Your Inheritence?

All three major indexes, the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the NASDAQ, were all up last week as a peace deal in the Middle East is said to be within reach. A more immediate concern for many people is a potential tax...

Monday Money Report - What Impacts Your Credit Score

Despite the SpaceX IPO, markets were essentially flat last week. Worries about continued high inflation coupled with a resilient labor market have raised the possibility of a rate increase later this year. The new head of the Federal...

Monday Money Report - Initial Public Offerings

Last week, the market saw a selloff in computer chip makers, with the S&P 500 falling 2.6%. The jobs report showed a strong labor market, with March and April figures being revised higher, and the May report crushing expectations with...

Monday Money Report - An Administrative Date Night

The S&P 500 finished the month of May up over 6% for the year. This coming week will bring some significant economic data as several labor reports are released, along with earnings from several technology companies active in the AI...

Monday Money Report - It’s the Big Ticket Items, Not the Latte.

The market was essentially flat last week, as traders weigh inflation reports and ongoing geopolitical tensions. If you’re worried about putting money into the market, consider buying in over time, with pre-determined amounts moving...

Monday Money Report - Smart Moves for Recent Graduates

The S&P 500 has had six straight positive weeks, reaching another new high on Friday as corporations continued to exceed earnings expectations and the labor market holds steady. Concerns remain about inflation and the impact on fuel...

Monday Money Report - Biggest Risk to Wealth Preservation

The S&P 500 set another all-time high last week, as earnings reports from publicly traded companies were mostly positive. The Federal Reserve Bank held interest rates steady as expected. With expected Initial Public Offerings of Open...

Monday Money Report - Join Your Local Library

The bull market continued last week, as the S&P 500 was up again, reaching an all-time high on Friday.Last week was also National Library Week, and if you are looking for ways to trim your budget, it’s time to check out your local...

Monday Money Report - Reaching the Top Leg of the K

It’s been a crazy few weeks in the market. While we expect continued volatility, the S&P 500 was up over 3% last week, bringing the index down less than one percent year-to-date. I say this often: drops in the market are normal, even...

Monday Money Report - Action Items for a Down Market

Stock prices continued to fall last week as the conflict in the Middle East intensified. The S&P 500 is down just over 7% year to date. As oil prices have surged, shipping costs increase, driving inflation. Inflation concerns had the...

Monday Money Report - One Strategy for Market Volatility

Conflict in the Middle East is wreaking havoc on oil prices and the stock market with the S&P 500 index down over three percent for the year. Before you panic, consider three things.First, the market is up over 80% since January 2023....

Monday Money Report - Managing Cash Flow

The markets were down across the board last week, with all three major indices moving into negative territory year-to-date. This does not mean that you should panic. This is a normal short-term reaction to geopolitical events.If you...

Monday Money Report - We're Due for a Hit

Last week the markets closed the month of February with every major US index down slightly. While the S&P 500 is still positive for the year, it’s been two months of fits and starts. We’ve had three great years in the market, and many...

Monday Money Report - Why You Feel Like You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck

Two weeks ago, the S&P 500 was down about 1%. Last week, it was up just over 1%. These are normal swings, and a reminder that investing is a long-term proposition, not something you do for a day, a week, or even a year.This week brings...

Monday Money Report - Tax Moves for 2025

The market continued its up and down swings, with the S&P 500 ending the week down just over 1%. Concerns about AI disruption overcame a strong jobs report and a lower-than-expected inflation report, with the Consumer Price Index...

Monday Money Report - Drops in the Market are Normal

If you follow the stock market closely, I hope you enjoyed last week’s roller coaster ride. We ended the week down just under 1% in the S&P 500, and almost 3% in the tech-heavy NASDAQ, as investors realized some gains in their...

Monday Money Report - How Banks Make Money

Last week, the markets were essentially flat, with the year off to a strong start, with the S&P 500 reaching 7,000 for the first time. Kevin Warsh was nominated as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Board of Governors and...

Monday Money Report - Building Your Emergency Fund

The markets were down slightly, rebounding after tensions regarding Greenland eased, and are still positive for the year. This short-term volatility should be a reminder that investing is, by definition, a long-term proposition. Buy...

Monday Money Report - Investment Fees

The S&P 500 reached another all-time high last week, as unemployment ticked down a bit and chip makers continued to post outsized returns. For everyone concerned about a bubble, consider this: The S&P 500 returned about 16% in 2025....

Monday Money Report - Intentionality of Saving

Happy 2026! We just finished a third consecutive bull market year, with the S&P 500 Index rising over 15% last year. While not as strong as the two prior years, stocks, or equities, provided investors with positive growth.As we start...

Monday Money Report - Handling Competing Priorities

The markets set and then retreated from another all-time high, with the S&P 500 closing the week down about 1%. As the year comes to a close, it seems we will have a third consecutive year of gains in the market, and many analysts are...

Monday Money Report - Roth Conversions and Rebalancing

The PCE, or Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index, is the Federal Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of inflation. Last week, the core PCE was reported at 2.8%, which is lower than expected. The report indicates that inflation is...

Monday Money Report - Money & Happiness

The S&P 500 was down almost two percent last week. After good news with NVDIA earnings, doubts of a December rate cut pushed the markets lower. More jobs were created than expected, and initial unemployment claims were down, but the...

Monday Money Report - 2026 Retirement Contribution Changes

Last week, the federal government returned to work. The market was essentially flat, with the S&P 500 down just under 1%. The index is currently just over 6,700, and many analysts are predicting it may close over 7,000 – an additional...

Monday Money Report - Year-End Taxes

The S&P 500, considered a proxy for the stock market, was down last week. Corporate earnings remain strong yet concerns around the continued government shutdown and a struggling labor market drove the decline. There are also concerns...

Monday Money Report - Open Enrollment Options

The S&P 500 was essentially flat last week, despite a mid-week bump from the cut in interest rates by the Federal Reserve. Year-to-date, the index is up over 16%. This is coming on top of back-to-back runs of over 20% in 2023 and 2024....

Monday Money Report - Health Insurance Benefits

The S&P 500 set another all-time high last week, as inflation came in slightly lower than expected. With both inflation and employment cooling, expectations have been set for two additional rate cuts this year. And as we approach the...

Monday Money Report - Shutdown Resources

The market was essentially flat last week, as the trade war with China and the government shut down both continued to impact stock prices. While we see headwinds with a softening job market and some loan defaults, consumer spending...

Monday Money Report - Mutual Fund Taxes

The market fell on Friday amid concerns of an escalating trade war with China, and the continuing government shutdown. The lack of the monthly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the delay of expected inflation data...

Monday Money Report

The market declined slightly last week, with the Consumer Price Expenditures, or CPE, report, coming in as expected. The CPE is the Federal Reserve Bank’s preferred inflation measurement. This week, we’re facing a looming government...

Monday Money Report

The markets set another all-time high last week, after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter of a percent. Lowering interest rates boosts the economy in several ways: it makes it easier for consumers to borrow for...

Monday Money Report

The market was up last week, largely based on expectations of a reduction in the Fed Funds Rate later this month. The concern now is that stocks in the S&P 500 are trading at, on average, 22 times their expected future earnings....

Monday Money Report

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 Index were both slightly down last week, while the tech-heavy NASDAQ was up just a bit. It seems that the slowing labor market has finally had an impact on the stock market. Inflation...

Monday Money Report

Last week started on a downward trajectory, before a huge recovery on Friday after Jerome Powell’s speech. He’s the President of the Federal Reserve Bank Board of Governors, and his talk from Jackson Hole seems to indicate that they’ll...

Monday Money Report

The stock market continued its bull run, with the S&P 500 up over 1.5% last week. The sudden drop earlier this year is a great example of why advisors recommend staying the course and investing for the long term, instead of reacting to...

Monday Money Report

Last week was a mixed bag, as publicly-traded companies continued to report earnings. As of August 1, two-thirds of the S&P 500 has released earnings, and 82% of those companies have outperformed expectations.[1] This is well above the...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 set another record high last week, buoyed by a new trade deal with Japan. While the potential for short-term volatility is always present, corporate earnings remain strong. This week about a third of the S&P will report...

Monday Money Report

The markets have reached yet another all-time high. As always, we have conflicting information: retail sales were higher than expected, but auto loan delinquencies are rising. If you’re nearing or in retirement, now may be a great time...

Monday Money Report

Last week, the S&P 500 reached another all-time high. Which sounds crazy on the surface. Many people I talk with feel as if the world is crashing down around us, and can’t believe how well the market is doing. Remember that stock...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 was up about 3.5% last week, and reached a new all-time high, as geopolitical tensions eased. There remain two schools of thought: one, that the rally is only beginning and we will continue to see market gains. Productivity...

Monday Money Report

The market ticked down just a touch last week, but the big news happened over the weekend. This week will show how the market reacts to the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities. Historically, markets have responded with a small drop...

Monday Money Report

Last week was off to a great start, with the Consumer Price Index coming in lower than expected, as inflation continues to approach the Federal Reserve Bank’s 2% target. The market reacted favorably before dropping as a result of the...

Monday Money Report

Friday’s jobs report, while moderate overall, still exceeded estimates. Continued strong employment levels overall make it less likely that the Federal Reserve Bank will be lowering rates any time soon. The markets reacted positively...

Monday Money Report

We had yet another good week in the market, with the S&P 500 returning over 2%, for a year-to-date return of over 7%. While we expect continued volatility due to trade negotiations and consumer sentiment, the market is back on a bull...

Monday Money Report

Last week the market was essentially flat, although it was up and down on a daily basis. And while 2025 has the S&P 500 down about 3.5%, the index is over 8% higher than one year ago. Just like criticism sticks with us longer than...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 was up almost 6% last week. While the recent drops may have seemed scary, the rapid rebounds show why it’s important not to panic. The index averages an increase of about 10% a year. We saw over half of that last week – so...

Monday Money Report

What a week. The S&P 500 was incredibly volatile last week, seesawing back and forth before ending the week on a high note. Last week is a prime example of why it’s hard to time the market. And as gut-wrenching as watching the drops...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500, an index of 500 stocks that represents the broader US stock market, fell almost 8% last week after tariffs began, and is down just over 13% year to date. It can seem scary and overwhelming. And stock prices may continue to...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 was down over 2% last week, as investors weighed the impact of tariffs. More worrisome is that companies are projecting decreased earnings, as consumer spending declines. Stock prices are essentially the current price we...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 was slightly up last week, although we expect continued volatility and pressure on stock prices as consumer spending declines. But before you panic, realize that, while 2025 has been negative year-to-date, the S&P 500 is up...

Monday Money Report

The market had its worst week since September, with the S&P 500 falling over 3% last week. But before you sell everything, it’s important to note that the market is still higher than it was 6 months ago. Investing is, by definition,...

Monday Money Report

The markets were down last week, as Nvidia dropped almost 9%. As Nvidia makes up approximately 6% of the S&P 500, that one stock dropping had an outsize impact on the index. We still see bullish, or good signs, in the markets. As...

Monday Money Report

It’s hard to believe given the news, but the market continues to see strong returns. The S&P 500 set another all-time high last week before declining on Friday. The VIX, or volatility index, is low, meaning investors are not expecting...

Monday Money Report

The markets continue to perform well, despite all the turmoil in Washington. The S&P 500 remains near its all-time high. Which reinforces the concept that, in the long-term, stocks are priced based on the value of the company, and not...

Monday Money Report

All three market indices were up last week, despite concerns of tariffs and inflation. Much of this is due to market fundamentals, as companies report earnings and we see if they are earning as much as – or more than – expected. That...

Monday Money Report

The Federal Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of inflation, the Personal Consumption Expenditure’s Index, was released last week and came in as expected, with inflation remaining above the Fed’s 2.0% target. Also as expected, the Fed...

Monday Money Report

The stock market is both rational and irrational. It’s rational in the long run, because companies are either profitable and grow, or they go out of business. In the short run, stock prices fluctuate based on human emotion. Investors...

Monday Money Report

Last week was the best week for the S&P 500 since November, as inflation came in lower than expected. Beyond that, major banks reported quarterly earnings and many were ahead of analysts’ expectations. Also last week, I was attending a...

Monday Money Report

We had great news on the employment front this week. The economy continues to grow and the jobless rate dropped to 4.1%. The bad news is that continued higher-than-average inflation and a robust economy means rate cuts are looking less...

Monday Money Report

Despite closing out the year on a down note, the S&P 500 was up 23% for 2024. Many analysts are predicting a 10% total return for 2025, which is much closer to the average annual return. As we start the new year, many of us are...

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 was down slightly last week, but it’s still up over 25% for the year. This week brings the final meeting of the Federal Reserve Bank, with expectations of another quarter-percent rate cut. I recently returned from a week of...

Monday Money Report

The markets continue to climb, with three positive weeks for the S&P 500 and a new all-time high. Last week, the jobs report was released, showing that the labor market remains strong and unemployment continues at low levels, just over...

Monday Money Report

The market continued its upward swing last week, with all three major indexes posting a gain. The Federal Reserve Bank’s preferred inflation measure, the Consumer Price Expenditures report, comes out this week, and may provide some...

Monday Money Report

Election volatility began to calm as the markets dropped slightly last week. Inflation continues to remain sticky, which led to doubts about another rate cut in December, further depressing the markets. As we approach year-end, now is...

Monday Money Report

The major market indexes all set new record highs last week, with the S&P 500 briefly topping the 6,000 mark. The Federal Reserve Bank, or Fed, cut interest rates another quarter of a percentage point. This week we’ll see the release...

Monday Money Report

Last week the markets declined, partly because of the October jobs report. While unemployment remained steady at 4.1%, only 12,000 jobs were added last month.[1] Initial jobless claims remained low, as Hurricanes Milton & Helene,...

Monday Money Report

Despite a slight drop mid-week, the markets continued their winning streak, with the S&P 500 closing Friday at close to another all-time high. This week, data on jobless claims and home sales will be released, along with continued...

Monday Money Report

The markets reached an all-time high last week, with the S&P 500 crossing the 5,800 mark for the first time. Inflation data came in mixed, with CPI a little higher than expected and the Producer’s Price Index a little lower. Over the...

Monday Money Report

The markets were up last week as the port strike was ended and workers returned. A better-than-expected jobs report was released, moderating expectations for larger interest rate cuts. Over the next few weeks, we’ll see publicly-traded...

Monday Money Report

The markets set new record highs last week, as the Personal Consumption Expenditures, or PCE, Report was released. This is the Federal Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of inflation. In August, the index fell by more than expected, to 2...

Monday Money Report

This is Ann Covington of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The Federal Reserve Bank cut rates last week by a half of a percentage point. The market had been expecting this cut for over a year, and responded by dropping,...

Monday Money Report

Monday Money Report This is Ann Covington of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. The markets tumbled last week with fresh data continuing to reflect a cooling job market. The pundits have predicted everything from a...

Monday Money Report

The markets were up again last week, as Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, indicated rate cuts are around the corner. Now is a great time to lock in long-term CD rates. If you own individual bonds, you should discuss...

Monday Money Report

As economic data continued to show lower inflation and a cooling job market, the markets bounced back last week. While we haven’t reached the previous record high, the major market indexes are all positive year-to-date. The last two...

Monday Money Report

I love roller coasters, but last week was a little bit much. After closing July up over 1% for the month, and over 15% year-to-date, the index dropped steadily for three straight days, then rebounded slightly on Tuesday. The index...

Monday Money Report

The market dropped on Friday, with the S&P 500 dropping just under 2%, and the Volatility Index, or VIX, surged to its highest level since March of 2023.[1] Two key things happened last week: the Federal Reserve held interest rates...

Monday Money Report

The markets were down last week, with the S&P 500 having its worst 3-day drop since October. In case you’re wondering if you need to sell everything and hide, the index is still up over 15% year-to-date. Short-term fluctuations are...

Monday Money Report

The markets reached new highs again last week, as prices fell for the first time since May 2020. The Consumer Price Index for June came in below expectations at 3%, with a drop of 0.10%. This increases the chance of an interest rate...

Monday Money Report

Last week the markets set yet another new high, but the gains remain concentrated in large tech companies. The jobs report released on Friday reflected a cooling job market, with unemployment rising to 4.1%, the highest since November...

Monday Money Report

Halfway through 2024, the S&P 500 is up 14.5%. Stocks are near record highs, and the inflation report last week is pointing towards a positive trend. The Personal Consumption Expenditures Report, or PCE, is the Federal Reserve’s...

Monday Money Report

Last week the S&P 500 set another high-water mark. It’s been 377 days since a drop of over 2% -- the longest stretch since the 2008-09 financial crisis.[1] If you read financial news you’ll see that some people are expecting a serious...

Monday Money Report

Last week the market set several new highs before declining slightly on Friday. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, but indicated they believe inflation is slowly coming down. The Fed is projecting one rate cut later this...

Monday Money Report

This is Ann Covington of CovingtonAlsina, with your Monday Money Report. We’ve had a lot of questions lately about inheritances, specifically around IRAs and other retirement accounts. The rules changed in 2020. If the person you are...

Monday Money Report

The market was up again last week, as investors digested inflation and labor reports, along with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments on potential interest rate moves. Things seem to be pointing to rate cuts later this year,...

Monday Money Report

The markets bounced back last week, with the biggest weekly gain since November.[1] Reported earnings from large tech companies helped investors shrug off the sticky inflation numbers reported last week. If the growth in your...

Monday Money Report

Last week, the market continued its downward trend. On Friday the S&P 500 closed below 5,000 for the first time since February. Looking ahead this week, the Personal Consumption Expenditures index, which is the Federal Reserve Bank’s...

Monday Money Report

Happy Tax Day! It has been said that a person doesn't know how much he has to be thankful for until he has to pay taxes on it. With that in mind, today is the last day to make a contribution to your IRA or Health Savings Account for...

Monday Money Report

The markets were down last week, as inflation continues to hold steady, and the Federal Reserve signaled rate cuts are probably not happening any time soon. A strong jobs report on Friday had stocks bouncing back, as the economy...

Monday Money Report

The markets squeaked out a positive week, despite declines to close out the week after data showed inflation remains stubbornly high. The Federal Reserve Bank will release updated economic projections on Wednesday and give investors...

Monday Money Report

Jobs data was released on Friday, showing the US added 275,000 jobs in February, well above the expected 200,000. At the same time, unemployment has ticked up to 3.9%, a two-year high.[1] What we’re all hoping for is that the...

Monday Money Report

I sound like a broken record, because the S&P 500 set another all-time high last week, largely driven by just a handful of stocks. Last week was also the release of the latest Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, or CPE.  This...

Monday Morning Report

The market is still on a roll, with the S&P 500 setting yet another record high. The index is up over 7% year to date. A deeper look shows that the index remains highly concentrated, with the so-called Magnificent Seven continuing to...

Monday Money Report

For the fifth straight week, the markets were up, with the S&P 500 passing the 5,000 mark for the first time. One of our concerns with the growth of the S&P remains the outperformance of the so-called Magnificent 7, seven large...

Monday Money Report

Groundhog Day also hit the market, with another all-time high being set last week. There was a drop on Wednesday, when the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, and reported they will not be cutting rates in March.

Monday Money Report

The market reached an all-time high last week before retreating slightly on Friday.  This coming week, we have a trifecta of information coming: the Federal Reserve is meeting to discuss monetary policy, the December employment...

Monday Money Report

Friday the market hit an all-time high, largely led by technology companies. We have a busy week of quarterly earnings reports ahead, as well as the release of data around fourth-quarter economic growth and the Fed’s preferred...

Monday Money Report

Halfway into January, the S&P 500 is up almost 1%. The market largely ignored strong inflation data on Friday.  The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, came in at 3.4%, with Core CPI, which removes food and gas from the calculation, at...

Monday Money Report

The markets started off the year on a down note, with the S&P 500 down about 1.5%. Much of the decline was driven by some of the big tech stocks that had fueled market gains for most of 2023. It remains to be seen if this is just...

Monday Money Report

The Santa rally continued last week as the market posted strong gains, hitting record highs for the year. Inflation is trending in line with expectations, and the Federal Reserve Bank has indicated they may be cutting rates in 2024....

Monday Money Report

The market finished up last week, as the jobs report showed the economy continues to be resilient.  While ongoing low unemployment raises hopes of the holy grail of the Federal Reserve Bank, a soft landing rather than a recession,...

Monday Money Report

The market was up again last week, with inflation continuing to slow and the Federal Reserve Bank holding steady on interest rates. Year to date, the S&P 500 is up just over 20%.

Monday Money Report

The S&P closed out a third consecutive week of gains on Friday and is up over 17% year-to-date.  We’re also starting to see positive returns from stocks other than the so-called Magnificent Seven, that have driven much of...

Monday Money Report

To follow one of the worst weeks in the market this year, last week was one of the best, and a great example of why you should stay invested through ups and downs, and not try to time the market.

Monday Money Report

The S&P 500 entered correction territory last week, meaning the index had a drop of 10% or more from the previous high point. Before you panic, take a look at the number of shares you own.

Monday Money Report

The market was down 2.4% last week , as employment growth and retail sales remain stronger than expected. Mortgage rates have crossed over 8%, and many are expecting the Federal Reserve Bank to increase interest rates again in November.

Monday Money Report

The volatility continued in the market last week, with stocks rising early in the week only to fall on Friday. Despite all of this, the S&P 500 is still up for the year, driven largely by the seven largest companies.

Monday Money Report

On Friday, the September jobs report showed that the economy added 336,000 jobs, almost twice the expected number.  Unemployment is holding steady just below 4%, and wages are slightly up, by less than a quarter of a percent.[1]...

Monday Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

PursePower

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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Monday Money Report

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 Money Report

Monday Money Report

Monday Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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,...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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,...

Notes from a Social Distance

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 Money Report

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...

Notes from a Social Distance

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....

Notes from a Social Distance

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...

Monday Money Report

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...

Looking Back on the Fourth Quarter and 2019

Monday Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

Monday Money Report

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 Money Report

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 Money Report

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...

Monday Money Report

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...

Monday Money Report

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...

Money Money Report

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...

Women, Wine & Wisdom...To Go

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...

Considerations for a retirement relocation

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...

WOMEN, WINE & WISDOM...TO GO

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...

A Closed Casket

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...

Leaving a Legacy

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...

Money is a Tool

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.”