The Markets The rally continues. A lot of factors influence the United States stock market, including economic trends, market sentiment, and government and Federal Reserve (Fed) policies. However, many investors consider earnings, which reveal how profitable a company is after paying expenses, one of the most important indicators of company and market health. Companies have been more profitable than analysts expected. In 2026, most companies in the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index...

The Markets Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Warsh shakes the market's confidence. Former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke has said that "monetary policy is 98 percent talk and only 2 percent action.” He meant that public statements are powerful tools that can shape the market’s expectations around future Fed actions. That proved true last week, when the Fed appeared to lose credibility during a relatively brief press conference held by its new Chair Kevin Warsh. The Fed did what markets expected, but...

The Markets Sometimes, the road is rough. In the early 1900s, riding in new-fangled automobiles was a bone-jarring and physically exhausting experience. Roads were unpaved and rutted, jolting passengers relentlessly. Shock absorbers changed that. Working in tandem with the spring suspension, they made the ride a lot smoother. A two-part system smooths the ride for investors, too. It includes asset allocation and diversification. Asset allocation can help smooth portfolio volatility....