January 2026 Monthly Markets Update
Executive Summary The S&P 500 Index gained +1.5% in January, setting a new high as it traded above 7,000 for the first time. The month was also marked by sharp sector rotation; value outpaced growth across market caps. Large Cap Growth declined -1.5% as tech stocks traded lower, while Large Cap Value rose +4.6%. The […]
Equity Market Recap – Stock Market Ends the Year Near All-Time Highs
Monthly Market Summary 2025 began with the stock market hitting new highs in February, only to reverse sharply as trade policy uncertainty triggered a nearly -20% sell-off. However, the sell-off set the stage for one of the strongest recoveries in decades. Fueled by AI enthusiasm, rate cut expectations, strong corporate earnings, and resilient economic growth, […]
Markets Digest the Path of Interest Rates & the Next Phase of the AI Cycle
Monthly Market Summary The Market’s Tug-of-War with the Federal Reserve The stock market was volatile in November as the Federal Reserve managed investor expectations for a December rate cut. The volatility started after the Fed’s late-October meeting, when Chair Powell said a December rate cut was “not a foregone conclusion”. Market-implied odds for a third […]
October Recap: Monthly Roundup
Executive Summary Markets extended their rally in October, rising for a sixth straight month and hitting new highs despite weakening breadth. Parallels to the late 1990s, marked by narrow leadership, expensive valuations, and transformative tech, continue to fuel debate of a bubble. While today’s AI leaders are fundamentally stronger than their dot-com era peers, questions […]
September Recap: Third Quarter 2025 Executive Summary
Equity Markets Risk On Equity Markets carried their strong momentum from Q2 into Q3, with the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and small-cap stocks each hitting new highs. Investor sentiment remained optimistic despite soft labor market data and mixed economic signals, and stocks traded higher due to strong corporate earnings, the Federal Reserve’s pivot toward rate cuts, […]
August Recap: Stocks Trade Higher as Federal Reserve Signals Rate Cut
Monthly Market Summary Federal Reserve Prepares to Cut Interest Rates as the Labor Market Softens The Federal Reserve has kept interest rates unchanged this year due to concerns that tariffs could reignite inflation. This concern, along with strong job growth and low unemployment, gave the central bank time to wait for more data. However, the […]
July Recap: Reflecting on the YTD Market Volatility & Recovery
Monthly Market Summary Key Market Themes Trade De-Escalation Boosts Risk Appetite. July saw meaningful trade de-escalation as Washington reached separate agreements with Japan and the EU. The frameworks set tariffs at 15% on most exports, along with still-undefined additional investments in the U.S. The trade deals boosted risk appetite and helped the S&P 500 set […]
May Recap: Reflecting on the YTD Market Volatility & Recovery
Monthly Market Summary Markets Back Near All-Time Highs, But Forward Visibility Remains Low The defining story of 2025 has been changing trade policy. Markets have weathered two months of policy-driven volatility, only to end up roughly where they started. After a nearly 20% decline from late February to early April, the S&P 500 has rebounded […]
Navigating the Markets and Building Wealth Webinar
May 21, 2025 – Managing Director Shawn Wallace hosts Managing Directors Derek Scarth and Josh Freedman and Head of Wealth Planning Mallon FitzPatrick to discuss the markets as well as provide wealth planning tips to help secure your financial future.
April Recap: Rising Policy Uncertainty Leads to Increased Market Volatility
Monthly Market Summary Markets Rebound from an Early-Month Selloff as Trade Tensions Ease Stocks declined in early April after the White House unveiled sweeping tariffs, with the S&P 500 falling over -10% in the first week. However, after the administration paused tariffs and trade tensions eased, the S&P 500 rebounded to finish the month with […]
March Recap: The Market Navigates Economic and Policy Uncertainty
Monthly Market Summary Stocks fell in the first quarter after two consecutive years of gains exceeding +20%. The year started off strong, with the S&P 500 reaching a new all-time high in mid-February. However, sentiment shifted late in February amid rising policy uncertainty in Washington, and the S&P 500 ended the quarter down. There are […]
February Recap: The Market Navigates Economic and Policy Uncertainty in February
Monthly Market Summary Stocks and Bonds Move in Opposite Directions Amid Market Rotation Stocks traded lower in a late-month sell-off as sentiment weakened. The S&P 500’s decline erased most of its post-election gains, which had been driven by expectations for stronger growth and deregulation under the new administration. Smaller companies underperformed, with the Russell 2000 […]