The eventful first quarter of 2022 has weighed down market performance, a trend that is continuing into the second quarter. Despite impacts from the pandemic, 2020 and 2021 were fairly strong in terms of market performance. But as 2022 kicked off, we started to see a slump. This is not a totally unexpected response. We […]
How are the Stock Market and Economy Related?
2020 was a financially difficult year for many. Industries tanked. Major companies filed for bankruptcy. Thousands of people lost their jobs, and many more had their hours cut. Even a year later, countless businesses and households are still reeling from the pandemic. But if you take a look at the S&P 500 index, it tells […]
Should You Pay Attention to Stock Prices?
If you’ve been following the news from Wall Street, you know that just a handful of stocks had record returns recently. The most noteworthy example is Gamestop, where institutional investors saw an opportunity to make money by betting against its share price – a.k.a. short-selling. Short-selling is a way to make money off the price […]
2016 – A Review on Financial Market Growth
This year is ending on a high note for the U.S. financial markets, but those numbers don’t tell the whole story. The Dow Jones Industrial is closing out 2016 with an 8 percent increase and 17 record closes since November, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite rose about 0.3 and 0.5 percent respectively in […]
Target Date Funds 101: Everything You Need to Know
While browsing your employer’s 401(k) options or searching for a fund to open in a brokerage account, you may have come across target date funds. Some people love these so-called “set it and forget it” funds, while others dislike them for the ability to take a completely hands-off approach to investing. When considering target date […]