investment

The Weekly Update

Week of August 10, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks bolted ahead last week as investors cheered the last big week of Q2 corporate reports and a Friday jobs update that put the spotlight on the Fed’s next move with short-term rates.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 3.57 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 5.19 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.96 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 2.32 percent.

Best Week in Nearly 4 Months
Stocks opened the week strong as oil prices slid on news of diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. Big Tech led, which helped push the Dow Industrials to a record close.

Investor optimism continued to build on Tuesday as stocks opened higher and climbed throughout the day. Strong Q2 corporate reports added fuel to the rally, lifting all three averages into a second day …

The Weekly Update

Week of August 3rd, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks pushed through another volatile summer week as diverging Q2 corporate reports and the Fed’s rate decision whipsawed prices.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.05 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.59 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.04 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased 2.13 percent.

Tech Stocks Steal Spotlight
Chip stocks were under pressure at the start of the week as investors fretted over fresh competition from China and higher-than-expected AI capital expenditures. But the Dow pushed higher as oil prices slid and investors rotated out of technology.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve said it was holding interest rates steady, a move that was initially well received by markets. But as the day progressed, selling picked up as investors expressed concern that the Fed was not doing enough to …

The Weekly Update

Week of July 27th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks ended last week down as Q2 corporate results, Middle East developments, and the chips trade took investors for a choppy ride.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was under the most pressure, falling 2.13 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 0.61 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.38 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 0.35 percent.

A Volatile Week
After a sluggish start on Monday, stocks rebounded on Tuesday as the chips trade led the markets higher, as investors turned their attention to Q2 corporate earnings results.

Then stocks stalled midweek as oil prices and bond yields rose and investors digested some initial Q2 reports. The S&P 500 ended just below the flatline, while the Dow went sideways and the Nasdaq posted a modest loss.

Stocks opened lower Thursday as mixed corporate updates …

The Weekly Update

Week of July 20th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks fell last week as the chip-stock trade entered a selloff phase, despite upbeat news on inflation.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.55 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 2.90 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.93 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 0.80 percent.

Chip Stocks Under Pressure
Renewed tensions in the Middle East gripped investors as the week kicked off. Stocks slid broadly as oil prices climbed.

On Tuesday, investors cheered news of the first drop in consumer inflation in six years. The following day, an unexpected drop in wholesale inflation prompted investors to rethink the Fed’s next move on short-term interest rates.

But on Thursday, the S&P 500 opened lower as chip stocks dragged the broader market lower once again.

As the week wrapped up, the S&P lost over 1 …

The Weekly Update

Week of July 13th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks largely advanced over a V-shaped week as the AI trade, led by chip stocks, pushed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq averages higher amid renewed conflict.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.23 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.74 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.50 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 1.42 percent.

Tech-Led Rise Past Geopolitical Concerns
Stocks rose to start the week, with the Dow hitting another record close and the Nasdaq climbing more than 1 percent as investors shook off valuation concerns that plagued AI stocks over the past few weeks.

The Dow hit a new intraday high on Tuesday before its two-day slide, along with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, through the week’s lows midday Wednesday. That said, the Nasdaq eked out a slight gain on …

The Weekly Update

Week of July 6th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Markets notched a solid gain over a shortened trading week as investors cheered ongoing diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.77 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 2.12 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.97 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, gained 1.81 percent.

Q2 Ends with Fireworks
Stocks opened higher to start the week, climbing on weekend news regarding the U.S. and Iran.3
On the second day of trading, the rally narrowed with chip stocks leading the way. The Nasdaq rose more than 3.5 percent and the S&P 500 2 percent in the first two days of the week.

But as July began, markets pivoted as investors rotated out of some AI and tech names. The Dow hit a new intraday high before pulling back a bit. …

The Weekly Update

Week of June 29th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks ended mixed as falling oil prices helped lift the Dow Industrials, while concerns about AI valuation put pressure on the broader market.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.95 percent while the Nasdaq Composite Index skidded 4.60 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.60 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 1.33 percent.

Dow Industrials Take the Lead
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes were under pressure to start the week as the AI trade and tech more broadly came under scrutiny. But the Dow Industrials made a modest gain for the day.

The rotation away from tech continued Tuesday, with large consumer stocks faring particularly well, which minimized the Dow’s decline. The S&P fell about 1.4 percent for the day, while the Nasdaq fell more than 2 percent.

Midweek, stocks were mixed. Healthcare, …

The Weekly Update

Week of June 22nd, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks rose over the shortened trading week as investors digested developments in the Middle East while the Fed held short-term rates steady.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.93 percent through Thursday’s close, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 2.43 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.71 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 0.96 percent over the same four-day period.

Dow Hits 52,000
The week began with stocks rising and oil prices falling after the White House announced that the U.S. and Iran had reached an agreement over the weekend.

All three major averages climbed on Monday, ranging from 1 to 3 percent gains, while crude prices declined by roughly 5 percent.

Tuesday was a split-screen performance. The Dow Jones Industrials rose to a record intraday high as oil prices fell, while the S&P …

The Weekly Update

Week of June 15th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks moved higher last week as inflation jitters gave way to investor enthusiasm over Middle East diplomatic efforts and the largest-ever initial public offering (IPO).

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.65 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.70 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.66 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 0.92 percent.

War, Peace & Space
Stocks were mixed on the first day of the week. Chip stocks led advances by the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, while the Dow Industrials sagged.

The script flipped in the next session, as the chip stock fizzled despite a drop in oil prices. The S&P and Nasdaq slipped, while the Dow Industrials gained. Materials and consumer discretionary and real estate sectors led, with the latter rising on better-than-expected existing home sales.

Stocks fell broadly midweek …

The Weekly Update

Week of June 8th, 2026
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks slumped last week as investors winced over the potential for oil-shock inflation and concerns that strong jobs data could lead to higher interest rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.32 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index dropped 2.59 percent. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 4.68 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 1.41 percent.

Under Pressure
June kicked off with modest gains as a tech rally overcame rising oil prices. On Monday, all 3 averages logged new all-time intraday highs and record closes. The S&P 500 recorded its first close above 7,600 on Tuesday, while the Dow advanced nearly a half percentage point.

But stocks fell midweek as oil prices rose further. The S&P 500 broke its nine-day winning streak as investors fretted about the inflationary effects of the Middle East. By …