Oct 11, 2021
By Bill Hornbarger, Chief Investment Officer
Three Things to Watch
- The third-quarter earnings season kicks off in earnest this week. Earnings are expected to grow approximately 28%, which would be the fifth consecutive quarter, the longest streak since 2005.
- Banks will lead the earnings charge with Citigroup, Bank of America, and JP Morgan Chase all on the docket. Walgreens, Delta, and BlackRock also report, and AMC Theatres will announce box office results that include the first weekend of the latest James Bond offering.
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Oct 11, 2021
By Pete Biebel, Senior Vice President
Yep, that’s the title of the new, just-released James Bond movie. It seemed appropriate for a stock market recap on a week in which the market was shaken, not stirred. Perhaps an even more appropriate title would have been from an older Bond movie: Die Another Day. That was one from the Pierce Brosnan era, but its cast also included Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike,
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Oct 8, 2021
By Edward “Ed” V. O’Neal, Senior Vice President and Manager, Retirement Plans
As we enter the bewitching month of October, it’s natural for thoughts to shift to the beautiful fall foliage and the enjoyment of Halloween, when it’s fun to indulge in scary activities. However, for those that are planning for and nearing retirement, making key mistakes in the retirement planning process can lead to some negative and scary outcomes – and not the fun kind!
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Oct 4, 2021
By Ben Norris, Securities Research Analyst, Associate Vice President
September has been an historically rough month for stock market performance, and September 2021 kept that trend alive. After seeing positive performance in each of the seven months prior, the market probably needed to take a month and catch its breath. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) finished September down 4.76%, notching the worst monthly performance since September 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite followed suit and fell 4.29% and 5.31%,
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Oct 4, 2021
By Bill Hornbarger, Chief Investment Officer
Three Things to Watch
- Washington will be center stage again this week as lawmakers continue to debate a major infrastructure stimulus package (bipartisan infrastructure bill), social spending deal (Build Back Better Act), and address the debt ceiling. Despite uncertainty and rancor surrounding all three topics, the S&P 500 remains less than 4% from its record high closing level.
- Jobs and the employment situation will be the focus this week in terms of economic data.
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Oct 1, 2021
By Eric Estelle, Manager, Financial Planning & Marketing
For most of the country, October signifies a transition. Jackets come out of storage, trees put on a colorful show, and everything gets covered in pumpkin spice. It means the holidays and a new year are fast approaching as well, but October is probably most famous for Halloween. Through costumes, haunted houses, and home decorations, we poke fun at the things that frighten us.
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Sep 29, 2021
By Dan Schulte, Senior Vice President and Manager, Annuities and Insurance
Running a business with other people can be very rewarding and successful. Utilizing each owner’s unique abilities can often lead to the best business outcome. This is usually because you and your fellow owners have unique skills that complement each other.
However, it’s also important to consider what happens when one of the business owners is ready to leave the company – either voluntarily or involuntarily.
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Sep 27, 2021
By Bill Hornbarger, Chief Investment Officer
Three Things to Watch
- The showdown in Washington over the debt ceiling and the politics surrounding it should heat up this week. There is no consistent pattern historically of the impact on the S&P 500 when this has happened previously, and the current situation has been well advertised in this time of the yawning divide between the two parties.
- The Federal Reserve will stay on the radar with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to speak in front of Congress twice on the pandemic and monetary policy.
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Sep 27, 2021
By Pete Biebel, Senior Vice President
The stock market’s northerly route over the past several months has been occasionally interrupted by brief jogs to the south. Those sudden veers, which were severe enough to induce panicked cries from the back-seat drivers, proved to be fleeting. In no time at all, the bulls had regained control, the market resumed its drive north and the lost ground was recovered in just a day or two.
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