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How High Will Interest Rates Go?
Both the PPI (Producer Price Index) and the CPI (Consumer Price Index) were higher than expected this week, showing that inflation is...
Steve Coker, CFP
Oct 14, 20222 min read
Bad is Good and Good is Bad
The S&P 500 gained a modest 1.5% this week, giving back by Friday almost all of the 6% two-day gain from Monday and Tuesday. The market...
Steve Coker, CFP
Oct 7, 20221 min read
Troubles in the UK and China
Markets were spooked this week by troubles in both the UK and China. The UK launched a program to boost the economy through a...
Steve Coker, CFP
Oct 2, 20222 min read
The Tightening Continues
As expected, the Federal Reserve Raised rates by 0.75% this week to a target range of 3% - 3.25%, ratcheting interest rates higher in an...
Steve Coker, CFP
Sep 23, 20221 min read
Powell Keeps the Market on Edge
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell spoke at the Fed’s annual Jackson Hole conference on Friday. His speech was relatively short, and...
Steve Coker, CFP
Aug 26, 20222 min read
Our Top 5 Things To Consider Doing In A Down Market
With the S&P 500 down over 20% this year so far and the NASDAQ even more so, many are understandably concerned. However, there are some...
Carole Meitler
Jul 23, 20223 min read
Bonds Have Had a Terrible Year (and that is what makes them attractive)
There is no question that bonds have had a terrible year. How terrible? The Bloomberg Aggregate Bond Index has fallen over 10%...
Steve Coker, CFP
Jul 15, 20222 min read
It’s Official: We are in a bear market
The S&P 500 Index closed at 3,666 on Thursday, down 24% from its record high of 4,796, officially entering a bear market. Investors are...
Steve Coker, CFP
Jun 17, 20222 min read
Who is the Federal Reserve and Why Are They Messing with Interest Rates?
If you are someone who enjoys reading the news and keeping up with what is going on in the world, you may have come across more than a...
Steve Coker, CFP
Jun 10, 20223 min read
Lowering your Medicare Premiums Due to a Life-Changing Event
Many retirees are surprised to learn that Medicare premiums are variable, increasing considerably for higher income individuals. The...
Steve Coker, CFP
Apr 1, 20222 min read
Investing Basics: How does the Fed Funds Rate Impact Interest Rates?
On Wednesday March 16th Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time since 2018. The increase was widely anticipated and fairly small,...
Steve Coker, CFP
Mar 19, 20222 min read
More Inflation, Less Growth
I am old enough to remember the 70’s, when gas lines were common, and inflation was eating away at earnings. Unfortunately, the current...
Steve Coker, CFP
Mar 5, 20222 min read
Market Volatility and Investment Timing
Ideally, wouldn’t we all love a crystal ball that could tell us when to buy low and sell high? However, as famed mutual fund manager,...
Carole Meitler
Feb 26, 20222 min read
Inflation Persists!
The annual inflation rate in the US accelerated to 7.5% in January, the highest level since February of 1982 and well above market...
Steve Coker, CFP
Feb 13, 20222 min read
Choppy Seas
2022 has begun with some choppy seas. From January 1, 2022, to January 27, 2022, the S&P 500 dropped -9.2 percent to mark the first...
Steve Coker, CFP
Feb 4, 20222 min read
2021: A Year in Review
To the surprise of many, 2021 was a wonderful year for stocks. Despite the extensive list of worries, the stock market continued to...
Steve Coker, CFP
Jan 7, 20223 min read
Inflation – Persistent or Transitory?
Inflation has clearly been on the rise this year, as seen in the economic statistics and at the local store and gas station. Inflation...
Steve Coker, CFP
Dec 3, 20212 min read
Preparing for a job change
A record 4.3M Americans quit their jobs in August. There are many reasons for the shift: record high job openings promising better...
Steve Coker, CFP
Oct 23, 20214 min read
The Worry List
Back in August we wrote about some of headwinds to economic growth for the remainder of the year. The list was short and included some of...
Steve Coker, CFP
Oct 9, 20213 min read
What is a fair share?
This week congress is expected to begin negotiations on sweeping changes to the U.S. tax code. We expect taxes to go up, particularly for...
Steve Coker, CFP
Jul 25, 20212 min read
