The Weekly Insight

Last week was a rough start to the year with the S&P 500 down 1.52%. But what does that mean? Is a bad first week a harbinger of bad things to come? Have there been any significant changes in the expectations for the market or the economy in 2024?
 
Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-a-slow-start/

The New Year is an excellent time to take stock of things. How did last year go? What are the concerns and opportunities in the year ahead.
 
Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-2024-concerns-and-opportunities/

Christmas came early in the stock market last week. Old Saint Jerome and his merry band of elves decided it was time to start handing out presents. And boy did they. The latest report from the Fed has the markets feeling optimistic as we head into the end of the year.

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-old-saint-jerome/

Perspective is an important thing. And even the smartest people in the world can fall victim to losing it. Take, for example, the Doomsday Clock. Set by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, it is supposed to provide scientific assessment of how close the world is to Armageddon. And today it’s set the closest we’ve ever been to midnight. We would argue those scientists have lost a bit of perspective.The same goes for the markets and the economy. 
 
Read more here:  https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-doom/

The end of the year will be here before we know it. Are you ready? In this edition of the Weekly Insight Podcast, we address some of the important year-end planning items you should be thinking about in December. And we also take a look at what just may be the last big hurdle to ending the year on a positive note.

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-racing-toward-the-finish/

If you have a view about the economy, there is a data set that backs it up. Optimistic? Look at earnings and wage growth! Pessimistic? Inflation and Fed policy! But in the end, there are a few really big things that matter. And the biggest of all is the health of the consumer. There is no better snapshot of the consumer than Black Friday.

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-the-consumers-not-done-yet/

Market sentiment is a fickle thing.  And there is no question that we want to be on the right side of that sentiment when things are humming along.  But there’s risk in joining the herd, especially when there is perceived certainty about the outcome.  This week we take a look at where certainty is popping up in the market (Fed policy) and why that should be a reminder to keep our heads on a swivel.

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-absolute-certainty/

As a firm based in central Iowa, our office is full of people who either love or hate the Iowa Hawkeyes.  But even if you hate them, you have to admit that this football season has been fascinating.  They have one of the worst offenses in history and have already locked in a share of the Big 10 West title.  But what does this have to do with your portfolio?  It turns out there are some important lessons we can learn from the offensively inept Hawkeyes about what it takes to be successful in the market. 

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-know-who-you-are/

A few weeks ago, we talked about “immutable truths” in the world. Things that no one can argue about. And why – in financial markets – there really isn’t such a thing. We got a great reminder of that one Wednesday. Jerome Powell stepped to the podium after last week’s FOMC meeting and…wait for it…the market went UP! And it kept going up on Thursday and Friday. What in the world?

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insig…t-like-the-other/

Tonight is Beggars' Night in Des Moines.  It’s a unique Halloween tradition that was caused by a strange (and ineffective) solution to an age-old problem (misbehaving kids!).  It reminds us a bit of the mess happening in Congress right now as we stare down yet another government shutdown in just 17 days.  Are we going to get a spooky result?

Read more here: https://insightwealthgroup.com/the-weekly-insight-beggars-night/