Blog

Happy Second Birthday Bull Market – Here’s to a Third! | Weekly Market Commentary | October 14, 2024 LPL Research celebrates the bull market's second anniversary and discusses if the market can continue to run higher. READ MORE...

Just When We Recalibrated, Another Shock Arrived | Weekly Market Commentary | October 07, 2024 LPL Research explores the Fed's recalibration of policy amid economic shifts, rate cuts, and labor market dynamics impacting growth and...

Gold Rally Is No Flash in the Pan | Weekly Market Commentary | September 30, 2024 LPL Research explores the record-high rally in gold and highlights how the precious metal has outperformed most risk assets this year. READ MORE...

Policy Crosscurrents: Potential Market Impacts | Weekly Market Commentary | September 23, 2024 LPL Research discusses potential market impacts of policy changes, including the Fed’s pivot and the upcoming presidential election. READ...

Election Implications on the Municipal Market | Weekly Market Commentary | September 16, 2024 LPL Research examines how the U.S. presidential election could impact the municipal market. READ MORE Tracking # 630158 (Exp. 09/25)

When you hear “hot dog” and “inflation” in the same sentence, you might think of those supermarket franks that plump up when cooked. In this case, we’re talking about the original dogs of the ballpark, a cultural touchstone of...

Russia To Host BRICS Amid Heightened Geopolitical Conflict | Weekly Market Commentary | September 3, 2024 Amid global hostilities, Vladimir Putin announced BRICS 2024 is focused on establishing a “fair world order” and fostering...

When I meet with people, one of the first topics we discuss is "emergency fund" money. I ask a few questions, such as, “Do you have any funds set aside?”, “Where is it located?”, and, most importantly, “What would trigger you to tap...

Stock and Bond Market FAQs From the Field and Focus 2024 | Weekly Market Commentary | August 19, 2024 LPL Research explores advisor FAQs from the 2024 Focus conference, including market volatility, rate expectations, yen carry trade,...

We get regular updates on the Social Security trust fund. In early May, the Social Security Board of Trustees announced that the trust funds had revenue to pay full benefits until 2035. Generally speaking, the headline’s tone is very...

Thoughts on Global Selloff and the Dollar's Path to Decompressing | Weekly Market Commentary | August 5, 2024 LPL Research discusses the global stock market selloff and the U.S. dollar. READ MORE Tracking #610571 (Exp. 08/2025)

I watch many economic trends and business issues evolve as a financial professional. The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) during the past year has been remarkable, and it has spotlighted the fast-paced decision-making in the...

Stocks steadily advanced over the holiday week thanks to strength in mega-cap tech issues and encouraging jobs data. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.95 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index added 3.50 percent. The Dow Jones...

Discover the benefits of Medicare Advantage plans and how they can provide you with additional health insurance coverage, including features like prescription drug plans and coverage for dental, hearing, and vision insurance. Learn...

Artificial Intelligence: The Antidote to Fed Policy? | Weekly Market Commentary | June 24, 2024 LPL Financial explores artificial intelligence, its expected impact on the stock market, and investing in disruptive technologies. READ...

“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Words of wisdom from baseball legend Yogi Berra. And words that Fed Chair Jerome Powell has taken to heart. “Inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated,” Powell said following the Fed’s...

India at the Crossroads | Weekly Market Commentary | June 10, 2024 LPL explores how Indian Prime Minister Modi's recent election victory may impact the country's economy and its status as a global investment destination. READ MORE...

If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably been thinking about your health quite a bit lately — especially if you’re approaching retirement. Trust me, I understand. Anticipating your future medical costs can feel daunting. When it...

Earnings are Doing Their Part: Exploring Q1 Earnings | Weekly Market Commentary | May 28, 2024 LPL Research explores Q1 earnings season with S&P 500 earnings per share up nearly 7% despite a big loss from Bristol Myers Squibb. READ...

We get regular updates on the Social Security trust fund. In early May, the Social Security Board of Trustees announced that the trust funds had revenue to pay full benefits until 2035. Generally speaking, the headline's tone is very...

Preferred Securities: Still Our Preferred Non-Core Bond Sector | Weekly Market Commentary | May 13, 2024 LPL Research explores the preferred securities market and how they may be an attractive option for income-oriented investors....

I don’t know about you, but every time I see headlines that say, “Top 10 Reasons” or “How Much Do You Need,” I click on it. So when I saw the CNBC article, “You’ll need at least $1 million to retire comfortably in these 10 U.S. States...

That Was Quite a Week | Weekly Market Commentary | April 29, 2024 LPL explores what first quarter GDP, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, and a barrage of earnings news mean for the Fed and markets going forward. READ MORE...

Let's start this email with the conclusion: Stick with your investment strategy, and don’t let outside influences like the Fed get in your way. Following the Fed these days is like watching an endless point in a tennis match. The...

Revisiting Energy | Weekly Market Commentary | April 15, 2024 LPL explores the energy space, highlighting oil’s geopolitical risk amid an improving supply/demand backdrop, and how rate cuts could benefit the space. READ MORE Tracking...

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month

Danielle Gates, CFP®

Friday, April 12, 2024

Think you don’t need disability coverage? Think again. We draft a will. Create an estate strategy. And purchase life insurance. But few of us consider disability insurance – the coverage that can help us maintain our income and...

Discover the key considerations in choosing Medicare coverage, including costs, coverage rules, doctor choices, and travel coverage, among others. Plus, learn how to protect yourself from the Medicare COVID Test Scam, which involves...

A Friday rally turned an otherwise mixed week for stocks into a solid performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average picked up 2.42%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 0.77%. The Nasdaq Composite index rose 0.38% for the...

Investor enthusiasm for stocks remained strong last week, buoyed by declining bond yields in a holiday-abbreviated trading week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average picked up 1.27%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 1.00%. The...

The Internal Revenue Service recently released updated income tax brackets, standard deduction, and retirement contribution limits for the 2024 tax year. While these taxes are not due for some time, it may benefit you to start...

Perhaps you’ve heard the maxim, “Preparation is the key to success.” But when it comes to life insurance, knowing when to prepare is almost more important than the preparation, itself. Sure, it can be difficult to...

Have you saved enough? Whether you started late, or have regularly saved throughout your career, you might wish you could stash some additional cash in your retirement fund. Fortunately, if you’re 50 or older, you can. The IRS...

Are you already planning for the end of the year? Where did the time go? In this edition, we’ll be looking into navigating Medicare for the first time, particularly if you are under the age of 65. Don’t forget Medicare...