Market Commentary: Understanding ‘Short Squeezes’ and Last Week’s Intense Market Demands
The prices of a small set of heavily shorted stocks spiked last week as multiple factors conspired to create an intense demand for shares of some companies. The extreme move in prices has created a large gap between the current price and the price targets of even the most optimistic investors.
Intentional Living
“Living with Intention is scary—it means taking responsibility for yourself and your life. It means letting go of the rulebook that society and your family gave you. When you let go of the rules, you’re in charge. You get to decide. When you decide to live with Intention, suddenly you have …
How the Biden Administration Could Impact Retirement and Tax Planning
Jamie Hopkins, Director of Retirement Research at Carson, offers insight as our country navigates changes after the inauguration.
5 Things to Watch in the First Quarter of 2021
Have you found yourself officing in a room with a bunk bed? Do you realize you’re going to the store in your pajamas and never leaving your car? Does going to the movies mean going to the living room to turn on the TV? Quarantine changed the world almost overnight, and the adjustment is so …
Market Commentary: Chinese GDP Grew in 2020; U.S. Corporations Outperform Q4 Expectations.
Chinese GDP grew 2.3% in 2020, making it the only major economy to grow last year. In the fourth quarter, the Chinese economy grew 6.5% as China continued to gain ground on the U.S. economy. The growth was led by strong performance in industrial production, which rose 7.3% in December, comp …
Market Commentary: Biden Proposes New Stimulus Package as Signs Point to Economic Slowdown
The signs of an economic slowdown continue. Initial jobless claims, which are released weekly, spiked to 965,000 last week. Claims increased by 181,000 and marked the highest weekly total since mid-August. Continuing claims increased 199,000, indicating those losing work are not finding new …
Market Commentary: Markets Start the New Year Strong Despite the Chaos in Washington
The vivid pictures and appalling actions in Washington, D.C., Wednesday captured the attention of the globe, but not the interest of markets. The Democratic sweep in the Georgia Senate races didn’t attract a lot of interest from investors either. Neither were markets fazed by the first loss …
Help Improve Your Financial Plan This Year with These One-time Adjustments
It’s no secret that many people do not keep their New Year’s resolutions. Every year around this time, gym memberships go up and personal planners fly off the shelves. A few weeks later, the planner gets left on the train and the gym, well, it’s just so far out of the way! New Year’s resolu …
Market Commentary: S&P 500 Finishes the Year at a Record High, Unemployment Numbers Decrease Slowly
The S&P 500 wrapped up a surprising year with another strong week. The index of large-cap stocks, including dividends, climbed 1.5% and finished 18.4% higher for the year. Figure 1 shows the performance of the S&P 500, ex-dividends, in 2020 and just how far stocks have roared back f …
Market Commentary: Trump Signs New Stimulus Package as Vaccine Distribution Continues
The new stimulus package approved by the House and Senate was signed by President Trump Sunday night. The president had proposed upping the aid to individuals to $2,000 after the bipartisan agreement had been reached. Garnering support for that proposal would likely have proven difficult an …
