This week Brian reviews the Fed's renewed commitment to continue its asset purchasing program and its emphasis on maximum employment over price stability. We also cover some of the incredible action from some of the most heavily shorted names, which has investors everywhere wondering "what does this all mean?"

CLICK HERE for the first LPL chart mentioned in the episode.

CLICK HERE for the second LPL chart mentioned in the episode.

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This week Brian discusses how earlier this year, mortgage rates followed the 10-year Treasury yield lower to register an all-time low value of 3.3%. Fueled by additional purchases of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) by the Fed, mortgage spreads have narrowed while Treasury yields remain at depressed levels, only recently trading above 1%. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, the average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage has continued to fall, now trading at just 2.88% according to Bankrate.

CLICK HERE for the LPL chart mentioned in the episode.

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Where are my tax forms? This week brian reviews our tax form release schedule, and also covers how the rise in COVID-19 cases in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the subsequent rise in restrictions implemented by state and local governments have taken a toll particularly on small businesses, pushing the Uncertainty Index component of the survey 8 points below the 6-month average.

CLICK HERE for the LPL chart mentioned in the episode.

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2020 was a good year for stock investors despite unprecedented challenges.

After being down more than 30% at the March 2020 lows, the S&P 500 Index ended the year with a solid 18.4% total return. Last year marked the first time the index ended a year positive after being down at least 30% during that year. Gains were driven primarily by the emerging economic recovery taking hold, bolstered by massive stimulus, and the remarkably fast COVID-19 vaccine development that encouraged market participants to begin to price in the end of the pandemic.

This week Brian take's a look at some of the asset class and sector winners and losers in 2020.

Find the referenced chart here: https://bit.ly/3i3OUry

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As 2020 comes to a close, we are already looking forward to a new year—and to a world very different from the one we’re leaving behind. Areas of the economy have been damaged and may never fully recover, but other areas will adapt, reinvent, and help reinvigorate growth. This week Brian Ullmann and Steve Jolly get together to cover what may be on the investing horizon next year by looking at monetary and fiscal policy, the economy, stocks, and bonds.

Continued progress in the response to COVID-19, including further stimulus measures by the government, will be key to sustaining the economic recovery. As the pandemic subsides, restrictions are lifted, and consumers’ daily lives return to something close to normal, the pace of the recovery most likely will pick up speed.

Sound financial advice charted a long-term path for many investors that kept them from getting off course in a turbulent 2020. There still will be risks to navigate in 2021, but it’s important to remain focused on long-term investing goals, stay on course, and power forward.

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Equity strength at this time of the year is widely known as the Santa Claus Rally, but the term is somewhat misunderstood. Discovered in 1972 by Yale Hirsch, creator of the Stock Trader’s Almanac (carried on now by his son Jeff Hirsch), the real Santa Claus Rally is the final five trading days of the year and first two trading days of the following year, not just December. In other words, the official Santa Claus Rally is set to begin Thursday, December 24.

Charts mentioned in the podcast:

1. Second half of December: https://i1.wp.com/lplresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Blog-chart-12.23.20.png?ssl=1

2. Performance during Santa Rally: https://i1.wp.com/lplresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Blog-chart-2-12.23.20.png?ssl=1

3. Santa Rally and the future: https://i1.wp.com/lplresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/blog-chart-3-12.23.20.jpg?ssl=1

4. If Santa fails to call: https://i1.wp.com/lplresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12.23.20-Blog-Chart-4.png?ssl=1

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We always hear about marriage proposals over the holidays, so for the week of Christmas we decided to give some money tips to next year's newlyweds.  According to TD Ameritrade, found that 41% of divorced Gen Xers and 29% of Boomers say they ended their marriage due to disagreements about money.

To combat this, we compiled some tips to help get newlyweds off on the right foot, discussing everything from merging account, filing taxes jointly, and budgeting for the future. As with many things, communication is KEY.

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Inflation is likely to pick up as the economy improves and may run a little hotter than we’ve seen in recent years in 2021, but is a cause for worry? This week we discuss where inflation sits right now, why it may run even hotter, and some of the forces that may keep inflation in check

The LPL Chart of the Day, mentioned in this episode, can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Wefggr


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This week we take a look at the recent November jobs report, which showed the pace of US jobs growth slowed further in November, adding fuel to what’s been borne out by recent high-frequency data: The economic recovery is increasingly cooling in the face of rising COVID-19 cases and renewed lockdowns.

The LPL Chart of the Day, mentioned in this episode, can be found here: https://bit.ly/39I9F9X


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In this week's episode we have the audio replay of our webinar "Social Security Planning for Couples", where we talked about how you and you spouse would likely benefit from coordinating how you apply for Social Security benefits, versus blindly applying for benefits when they're first available or at your full retirement age.

If you're interested in having one of our advisors prepare a Social Security benefit analysis for you, please email your advisor directly, or email the general inbox at [email protected].


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