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Weekly Market Insights: Earnings and Data Tell Two Different Stories on Near Future.
Stocks added to their early 2023 gains amid a busy stream of mixed corporate earnings results and conflicting economic data.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.81%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 2.47%. The Nasdaq...
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Inflation Is Trending Lower. Now What?
The December inflation report had some encouraging news. It showed that consumer prices trended lower for the month, but more importantly, it confirmed that overall prices have been trending lower for the past six months.Now the ball...
Read MoreSECURE Act 2.0: An Overview
In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to make it easier to contribute to retirement plans and access those funds earmarked for retirement.The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it's a follow-up to...
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The Cycle of Investing
When markets fall, it’s easy to forget that downtrends are part of the investing cycle. So when prices slip, it's a good time to review some common terms that you may be hearing that describe today’s financial markets.The...
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Outlook 2023: What's Next for Interest Rates?
What does the bond market know that the Fed isn’t telling us?Fed officials recently have said that short-term rates will need to climb to over 5 percent to bring inflation under control. But in the table below, you can see that...
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Oil Prices Make a Round Trip in 2022
The financial markets are complex systems. They can move from one event to the next so quickly that it's hard to know what’s driving prices.For example, look at the roundtrip oil prices in the chart below.Oil prices surged to...
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Weekly Market Insights: Easing on Rate Hikes and Job Numbers Cheer Markets
Stocks ended higher last week as investors navigated the crosscurrents of a potential easing in future rate hikes and continued strength in the labor market.The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.24% higher, while the Standard &...
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Is the Fed Ready to Pause?
Over the years, the Fed has followed a similar pattern with interest rates. It raises interest rates, then pauses, so it can see how the economy is adjusting to the higher rates. The chart below shows the Fed’s pattern with...
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Warren Buffett on Contrarian Investing
You may have heard the phrase “contrarian investing,” but did you know that one of the most reliable contrary indicators is individual investors?Retail investors often do the wrong thing at the wrong time. But this year,...
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How You Can Purchase I Bonds Direct from the Treasury
With inflation hovering near 40-year highs, some investors are looking for investments that keep pace with rising prices. For many, a Series I Savings Bond is just the ticket. I Bonds give investors a rate of return plus inflation...
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Stubborn Inflation Tests Fed's Resolve
Stubborn doesn’t seem like a strong enough word, but that’s how Fed officials are describing inflation.Inflation's “stubbornness” has been on full display in recent weeks: First, the Producer Price Index (PPI)...
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Putting Interest Rates Into Perspective
Traditionally, I’ve been a little cautious when people say, “it’s different this time.” After all, the past few years have seen more financial “firsts” than most.But despite that skepticism, this...
Read MoreLife Doesn't Stand Still
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. If you haven’t reviewed your insurance profile in a while, you may be surprised that what made sense in the past no longer fits your life.Here are some ways to quickly evaluate your...
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1% Moves in S&P 500
If you’ve felt like stock prices were a little more volatile in 2022 than in recent years, your “spidey senses” are right on the money.The S&P 500 has posted 81 daily moves of at least 1% through August. Of those...
Read MoreThree Ways the Inflation Act Could Impact You
Have you heard? The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Tuesday, August 16. While the $430 billion package includes many provisions, I thought I’d highlight three key areas where you may benefit the most.Tax credits...
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These Months are More Volatile Than Others
We’re entering a tricky time of year: September and October have a reputation for bringing an extra measure of market volatility.Some of the stock market’s most challenging events have hit in September and October, and...
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Recession or Growth Scare? Your Guide
I’m hearing a lot of mixed messages these days about the economy. Some headlines say we’re already in a recession; some say one is looming. Others hint that we’ll avoid a recession and have a soft landing. It makes...
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The Fed's Inflation Nowcasting Tool
Does waiting 30 days for a government report seem a bit unreasonable? After all, we live in a world of instant messages and real-time quotes. Why should we wait a whole month between updates on the Consumer Price Index to see what's...
Read MoreWhere There's A Will
"Where there's a will, there's a way." Sage advice that applies not only to our lives but to your estate strategy.When was the last time you reviewed your will or estate strategy? August is National "Make a Will" Month, an excellent...
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Unpacking the Summer Economy
In the financial world, some weeks are more important than others, and we just lived through a big one. Let's unpack each of the four key stats:The Fed. As expected, the Fed bumped up short-term rates again at its July meeting. But the...
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Companies Winning Despite Sour Economy
Sometimes, it’s a good idea to get a second opinion.And this may be one of those times.Government reports are telling a rather bleak story about the economy. The headlines talk about high inflation, rising interest rates, and a...
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Inflation, Interest Rates, & Indiana Jones
Stop me if you heard this already—roughly half the population wasn’t alive last time inflation was at this level.It’s true. According to IMDb.com, Raiders of the Lost Ark was the #1 movie at the box office the last...
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Midyear Outlook 2022: Navigating Turbulence
LPL Financial Research Midyear Outlook 2022: Navigating TurbulenceMarkets rarely give us clear skies, and there are always threats to watch for on the horizon, but the right preparation, context, and support can help us navigate...
Read MoreHow SECURE 2.0 Might Change Retirement
The SECURE Act of 2019 represented the biggest update to retirement law in over a decade. Now, Congress is deliberating on what “SECURE 2.0” legislation might entail.In March, the House passed the Securing a Strong...
Read More3 Shrewd Maneuvers in a Down Market
It’s natural to think “defense” during a bearish market season. But why not mix in some “offense” with your defense? Here are three moves we can discuss together that may be helpful during the current...
Read MoreSearching for the Goldilocks Economy
At the risk of slowing economic growth, the Fed has driven short-term rates higher to rein in inflation. But it’s a tricky proposition.Raise rates too much, and you may trigger a recession. Don’t raise rates enough, and you...
Read MoreWise Words from Warren Buffett
During periods of market turbulence, I take comfort in one of my favorite Warren Buffett quotes:“Don’t watch the market closely.”The Oracle of Omaha gave this sage advice in 2016, when Brexit, China’s economic...
Read MoreWhen bears are loud, consider this
Some gloomy headlines are coming out of Wall Street lately. Have you noticed?In recent days, I’ve read things like “Brace yourself for economic hurricanes” and “Wall Street investor survey paints a dire outlook...
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When Will the Stock Market Hit Bottom?
The number one question I’m hearing this week is, “When are we going to see the stock market reach a low point?” In spite of recent volatility, my answer remains the same: rather than timing the markets, focus on time...
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Weekly Market Insights: Recession Concerns Rising
Recession fears grew last week following weak earnings reports from major retailers, sending stocks lower.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.90%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 3.05%. The Nasdaq Composite index dropped...
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Are You Worried About Selecting The Right College Savings Plan For Your Child?
In this article, we take a look at some basic questions that a grandparent/parent faces towards financing their children's college education. Are you concerned about how to balance paying for college while planning for retirement? This...
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Are You Scared of Facing Risks of Losing Wealth Saved for Health & Retirement?
Do you always look to protect all you have worked hard for better health and dream retirement? This article will help you take the right approach towards risks faced by individuals regarding health, retirement, and Life. How do you...
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Wall Street Reacts to Potentially Divided Government
After many weeks of telegraphing a long and careful ballot count, this week’s election lived up to that prediction in races for the Senate, the House, and the presidency. While Americans voted Tuesday, Wall Street cast its...
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October Is Financial Planning Month
When training to become a financial professional, much of our course work centers on the six critical areas of creating a financial strategy. Some recognize October as Financial Planning Month, so it's an excellent opportunity to...
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Mergers, Acquisitions, & the Markets
There hasn’t been much merger and acquisition activity through 2020. This diminished activity comes despite low interest rates, which may help companies manage the cost of borrowing for a purchase. Some of this makes sense, in...
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Do You Really Need A Financial Planning Service?
Are you struggling with managing your money? Are you struggling with managing your investment? Are you finding difficulties in making decisions for any investment? Is your business's financial management on the right path? If your...
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6 Life Stages That Trigger The Need for Life Insurance
Various life events or priority changes can create a need to re-evaluate your clients’ life insurance needs. Take a look at your existing book of business and make a list of clients you think might have experienced a life event...
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It’s a lot easier to help clients and prospects find solutions when they understand the problem
More than half of Americans think life insurance costs 3x or more than it does. 6 ways life insurance can offer financial protection Get a detailed estimate with Riskalyze Financial’s life insurance calculator.
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43% of American’s aren’t Protecting Their Loved Ones from The Unexpected
43% of Americans aren’t protecting their loved ones with life insurance, which means there is a good chance you may know someone who doesn’t have life insurance, giving you the opportunity to help them protect their loved...
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Economics in the time of COVID - You are invited... Click Here for Register
Navigate safely to the other side of a historic economy Join Brian Resnick, director and senior investment strategist at Alliance Bernstein, for a look at economic history in the making. He’ll share his cyclical and secular...
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Will Political Changes Affect the Economy?
With all of the storm and stress of the year 2020, you’d be forgiven if you momentarily forgot that we’re due for another national election in November. Many states will be selecting governors, representatives, and...
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Don’t Overreact in August
One of my favorite Wall Street quotes is from Mark Twain, who said:“October: This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June,...
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30-year Home Loans Fall to Historic Lows
Lately, it can feel like each day brings a new headline about fluctuating market behavior. But amid the ups and downs of 2020, there may be some potential good news on the horizon. On July 16, 2020, the interest rate for a 30-year...
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Weekly Market Insights: Stocks See a Mixed Week
Stocks were mixed last week as investors reacted to positive economic data, progress on a COVID-19 vaccine, and the continued nationwide increase in COVID-19 cases.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 2.29%, while the Standard...
Read MoreActing in your best interest
LPL Financial, LLC. values the privilege of helping you pursue your financial goals. Along with this rewarding work comes the obligation to comply with industry regulations which have been established to protect investors. On...
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What's driving current market behavior?
In the era of COVID-19, and the financial woes it has created, I often get asked, “Why is the stock market holding up so well when the economy appears to be struggling?”To understand why the markets react — or...
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Reminder: Tax Day is Tomorrow
This year has had no shortage of changes to the normal course of business.In March, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that they extended the federal income tax filing and payment deadline until July 15...
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Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Gain After Volatile Week
Stock prices notched solid gains last week, looking past an increase in COVID-19 cases and any potential economic concerns raised by the trend.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.96%, while the Standard & Poor’s...
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Have you been thinking about life insurance?
In our uncertain climate, it’s unsurprising that when American investors are thinking about their financial strategy, that the topic of life insurance comes up.For some, it’s always been front of mind. For younger...
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Weekly Market Insights: Rise in Cases Inspires Turbulence
A jump in COVID-19 cases dampened investor enthusiasm last week, sending stock prices lower on worries that rising infections could derail the economic recovery.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 3.31%, while the Standard &...
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