Applied Financial Planning

Good economic news does not always get a good market reaction.

The S&P 500 sold off Friday after a stronger-than-expected jobs report, ending a nine-week winning streak.

But one day rarely tells the whole story.

This week’s commentary looks at why the move may say more about profit-taking and rate expectations than a major shift in the economy.

Market’s ‘Good News Is Bad News’ Response to Jobs Report May Actually Be Good News Friday was a challenging day for stocks. The S&P 500 fell 2.6%, which ended the index’s extraordinary nine-week winning streak. We have not had a

The S&P 500 just posted its ninth consecutive week of gains. At the same time, consumers continue to spend despite slower income growth and a lower savings rate. Strong markets can make the story feel simple. The reality is often more nuanced.

This week's commentary explores what's happening beneath the headline numbers. https://ow.ly/1MzY50Z6ov7

The market is sending two messages at once.

Stocks continue to make new highs, helped by strong earnings and a steadier labor market. But inflation is still running hot, and the Fed’s response could shape what comes next.

This week’s Market Commentary breaks down what investors should keep in view.

Market Commentary: Strong Earnings, Labor Market Improvement Help Send S&P 500 to Sixth Straight Week of Gains We might sound like a broken record, but stocks had another great week last week and made more new highs. The S&P 500 traded above 7,300 for the first

The closer you get to retirement, the more the planning changes. It becomes less about what you’ve saved and more about how everything works together. Income, taxes, healthcare costs, and family needs all start to connect.

If those pieces don’t feel fully aligned yet, now is a good time to revisit them.

Next-Level Retirement Planning: Advanced Retirement Strategies Becoming hyper-focused on only one aspect of a project is rarely a good approach. A racecar driver who only focuses on speed and ignores strategy likely

Markets are hitting new highs in the middle of uncertainty, and that’s raising questions. A key driver of the move hasn’t been higher valuations. It’s been earnings growth. So far this year, rising profit expectations have accounted for most of the market’s return.

A closer look at why the rally may have more support than it appears.

Weekly Market Commentary: Markets Are Enthusiastic for the Right Reason—Strong Earnings Growth Another week and continued optimism over progress in the Middle East and strong earnings gains have kept the rally rolling. April isn’t quite over yet,