Weekly Market Commentary

6 Ways to Ensure a Long-Lasting Retirement

For most people, the road to retirement is a multi-step process that lasts a working lifetime. To that end, here are six ways to plan and ensure a long-lasting retirement. It all starts with setting goals. Long-term goals define how much you want to have saved in various accounts by the time you retire. These goals have to do with how you want to live in retirement, where you want to live, and so on...

Provided By Robert A. Mecca, CFP®, MBA
Vice President, Wealth Management

Did you ever count the number of do it yourself TV programs and internet applications? Don’t bother as there are more than you can imagine. DIY holistic fitness, DIY self-health diagnosis, DIY weddings, and much more. The one that catches my attention is the plethora of DIY house remodeling programs. In a 60 minute program, including commercials that consume about 18 minutes...

By Bradley J. Rathe
Chief Investment Officer

In the midst of the greatest financial uncertainty in over a decade, the NASDAQ 100, an index of the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, is up over 19% year-to-date (as of 7-22-20). Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google are the five biggest companies in the NASDAQ 100 and make up over 38% of the exposure of the NASDAQ 100 index.

What is the link between inflation and equity returns?

As a general rule, equities are a good hedge against inflation. However, given this unprecedented economic situation, general rules may not always apply, especially in the short term. This article presents some interesting insights into the link between inflation and equity returns. We found this information interesting as it answers some common questions our clients have been asking...

How to Decide Where to Donate Money and Make an Impact Right Now

The death of George Floyd has started a movement across the country and the world. You're probably seeing a lot of social media post asking you for donations to organizations that will help various causes. But how do you know who to give to and if that organization is really going to help? This article discusses the many ways your giving can have the greatest impact....

Provided By Robert A. Mecca, CFP®, MBA
Vice President, Wealth Management

How many times have you heard the following expression at the beginning of a statement? “During these uncertain times.” It seems like everywhere we turn, this saying is blasted all over the media. Are you tired of hearing this? Me too. We know these are difficult, unusual, and, yes, uncertain times. We don’t have to be told again and again...

June Monthly Economic Update

Stocks rallied in May, sparked by a supportive Federal Reserve, stories of states re-opening, and reported progress on a COVID-19 vaccine. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4.2%, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index picked up 4.5%. The NASDAQ Composite led, gaining 6.7%. April's positive momentum continued into May...

Provided By Steven M. Gronceski, CFP^®, AIF^®
Vice President, Wealth Management

Undeniably, spring 2020 has tried the patience of investors. An 11-year bull market ended. Key economic indicators went haywire. Household confidence was shaken. The Standard & Poor’s 500, the equity benchmark often used as shorthand for the broad stock market...

May Monthly Economic Update

Stocks rebounded sharply in April, fueled by a flattening pandemic curve and positive results from a clinical trial investigating a treatment for COVID-19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which dropped 1% in March, jumped 11.08%. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 12.68%, and the NASDAQ Composite surged 15.45%.

Provided By Robert A. Mecca, CFP®, MBA
Vice President, Wealth Management

There is no textbook any of us can use to navigate through this present global situation. We cannot, for example, pull out the finance book, go to chapter four, page 112 and read about the best strategies to implement in case of a major coronavirus outbreak killing thousands...