Annual Market Review 2025 Overview The year 2025 was extraordinary for the economy and the markets. Sweeping tariffs, a cooling labor market, rising consumer prices, a prolonged U.S. federal government shutdown, turmoil in the Middle East, and the ongoing Russia/Ukraine war were some of the many factors that should have
Market Summary October 2025 Tech Leads While Materials Lag All Indices Positive as the Fed Cuts Rates Again Nvidia Overtakes Entire Nations Nvidia (NVDA) has officially entered uncharted territory. The company’s market capitalization has surged past $5 trillion, making it larger than the entire GDP of every country globally except
Will the Fed Ease in 2025? As the Federal Reserve maintains its target rate at 4.25-4.50%, financial markets find themselves at a critical juncture. With Core PCE inflation still elevated at 2.8% and unemployment at 4.2%, the central bank faces one of its most challenging policy decisions in recent history. This analysis examines the heated debate
Expectations for Rate Cuts Accelerate After months of mixed signals and market impatience, August marked a turning point in the case for rate cuts. At Jackson Hole, Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged the shift, stating, “With policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting
June 2025 Market Summary Equities End 1H 2025 with Positive June, Oil Prices Surge, Treasury Yields Fall Stocks closed out the first half of 2025 with gains across the boardas indices continued a rapid clawback out of correction territory from earlier in the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4.5%, the S&P
Why No Change Amid Cooling Inflation & Fed Dot Plot Projections Introduction The Federal Reserve’s June 2025 meeting ended with a collective pause, no rate hike or cut, even as inflation has cooled markedly from last year’s highs. Headline CPI has fallen to ~2.4% (core ~2.8%) as of June, a
What Trump’s Plan to Stop Minting Pennies Means for Consumers President Trump said Sunday that he had asked the U.S. Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, part of an effort to cut down on what he called wasteful government spending. His remarks revived a long-running debate over whether to
Trump’s 2025 Executive Actions: How They Could Affect Financial Markets Introduction: Policy and Markets in 2025 Executive actions often serve as a window into a president’s policy priorities, and for financial markets, these decisions can be transformative. In 2025, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive actions that are
Effective Federal Funds Rate Monthly Update: Key Insights & Analysis September 18, 2024 The Effective Federal Funds Rate is a crucial benchmark interest rate that influences the cost of borrowing and the overall financial landscape in the United States. Set by the Federal Reserve, changes in the Effective Federal Funds
September 2024 Market Summary: Equities Gain Strength, Fed Cuts Rates, and Treasury Yields Decline Stocks fell in the first week of September but gained strength leading up to and following the FOMC meeting on September 18th. The S&P 500 rose 2.1% in August, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2%, and the Nasdaq Composite added