The Independent Market Observer

Economic Release Snapshot: Housing Heats Up

Digesting the Fed: Markets and the Fed Seeing Eye to Eye (For Now)

Monthly Market Risk Update: March 2024 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Accelerates in February

What’s Worrying Investors?

Economic Risk Factor Update: March 2024 [SlideShare]

Q4 2023 Earnings: The Winter Thaw Has Begun

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Accelerates in February

International Women’s Day: Investing in Women

Looking Back at the Markets in February and Ahead to March 2024

Market Thoughts for March 2024 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: Personal Income and Spending Grow in January

A Start to Remember for the Markets

Economic Release Snapshot: Existing Home Sales Rise in January

A Portfolio Manager’s View on Markets

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Comes in Hot in January

Monthly Market Risk Update: February 2024 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Service Sector Confidence Improves in January

Economic Risk Factor Update: February 2024 [SlideShare]

Looking Back at the Markets in January and Ahead to February 2024

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Surges in January

Market Thoughts for February 2024 [Video]

Digesting the Fed: Committee Members Need More Time

Market Outlook: Strong January, Strong Year?

Economic Release Snapshot: Economic Growth Beats Expectations

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Sentiment Soars in January

Will India Steal China’s Thunder Within Emerging Markets?

Monthly Market Risk Update: January 2024 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Mixed December Inflation Reports

Q4 2023 Earnings Preview: A Glass Half-Full for 2024?

Can Market Momentum Continue into the Election Year?

Economic Risk Factor Update: January 2024 [SlideShare]

Navigating Uncertainty: What We’re Hearing from Portfolio Managers

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Accelerates in December

Looking Back at the Markets in December and Ahead to January 2024

Market Thoughts for January 2024 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: A Busy Start to the Year

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Confidence on the Upswing

Merry Christmas to All

What's the Outlook for the 60/40 Portfolio?

Monthly Market Risk Update: December 2023 [SlideShare]

Taking the Long View: Where Will the Economy and Markets Be in 2028?

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Moderates in November

What Mattered This Week? Focus on the Fed

Digesting the Fed: Rates Hold Steady, but Cuts to Come?

Economic Risk Factor Update: December 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Accelerates in November

What Mattered This Week? U.S. Economy Chugging Along

Looking Back at the Markets in November and Ahead to December 2023

Market Thoughts for December 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: Personal Income and Spending Growth Slows

What Mattered This Week? All About Interest Rates (Again)

Will December’s S&P 500 Return Matter for 2024?

Will the Fed Cut Interest Rates Soon?

Economic Release Snapshot: Housing Sales Slow in October

What Mattered This Week? Fed Minutes, Consumer Sentiment

Thanksgiving Food for Thought: The Parable of the Turkey

Q3 2023 Earnings: A Little Taste of Everything This Thanksgiving

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Moderates in October

What Mattered This Week? Progress on Inflation, Markets Bounce

The Federal Deficit and Debt: A Painful Problem to Solve

Monthly Market Risk Update: November 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Sentiment Sours in November

What Mattered This Week? Economy and Markets Remain Resilient

What Would Happen if the Fed Issued a Digital Dollar?

Economic Risk Factor Update: November 2023 [SlideShare]

Looking Back at the Markets in October and Ahead to November 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Slows in October

What Mattered This Week? Economy Slows, Markets Cheer

Digesting the Fed

Market Thoughts for November 2023 [Video]

Bear Market or Intermediate Correction?

Economic Release Snapshot: GDP Growth Accelerates in Third Quarter

What Mattered This Week? Markets Kept Dropping

Curbed Appeal for Would-Be Homebuyers

Economic Release Snapshot: Housing Sales Slow in September

What Mattered This Week? Interest Rates Jump

Monthly Market Risk Update: October 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Confidence Falls in October

What Mattered This Week: Hamas Invasion of Israel

Q3 2023 Earnings Preview: Do You Believe in Bad Omens?

Economic Risk Factor Update: October 2023 [SlideShare]

Looking Back at the Markets in Q3 and Ahead to Q4 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Surges in September

What Mattered This Week? Interest Rates and the Jobs Report

Will Markets Rally by Year-End?

Market Thoughts for October 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: Personal Income and Spending Grow in August

What Mattered This Week? The Real Economy

Considering the Consequences of a Government Shutdown

Economic Release Snapshot: Housing Sales Slump in August

What Mattered This Week? All About Interest Rates

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Accelerates in August

What Mattered This Week? Inflation, UAW Strike, and Consumers

Monthly Market Risk Update: September 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Service Sector Confidence Improves in August

What Mattered This Week? Economic News on the Upswing

Looking Back at the Markets in August and Ahead to September 2023

Economic Risk Factor Update: September 2023 [SlideShare]

Market Thoughts for September 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Accelerates in August

What Mattered This Week? Fed Is Likely Done with Rate Hikes

Economic Release Snapshot: Existing Home Sales Slow in July

Index Concentration: A Tricky Problem for Investors

Monthly Market Risk Update: August 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Retail Sales Growth Accelerates in July

What Mattered This Week? China, Interest Rates, and Fundamentals

Economic Risk Factor Update: August 2023 [SlideShare]

An Optimistic Outlook for Markets?

Economic Release Snapshot: Headline Prices Rise in July

What Mattered This Week? Mixed News on Inflation

Is Inflation on Its Way Back Up?

Is GDP a Scam?

Looking Back at the Markets in July and Ahead to August 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Remains Solid in July

What Mattered This Week? Jobs, Credit Downgrade, and Market Drop

Fitch Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating: Big News or No Big Deal?

Market Thoughts for August 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: GDP Growth Accelerates in Second Quarter

What Mattered This Week? Consumers, Economic Growth, and the Fed

Putting the Fed Meeting into Focus

Economic Release Snapshot: Retail Sales Continue to Rise

What Mattered This Week? Economic News a Mixed Bag

Monthly Market Risk Update: July 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Slows in June

What Mattered This Week? Inflation

Economic Risk Factor Update: July 2023 [SlideShare]

2023 Midyear Outlook: Asset Allocation Risks and Opportunities

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Slows in June

Looking Back at the Markets in June and Ahead to July 2023

2023 Midyear Outlook: Fixed Income May Offer Compelling Options

Market Thoughts for July 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Confidence Improves

What Mattered This Week? No Slowdown Here

Will the S&P 500 Keep Rising After Hitting a 52-Week High?

2023 Midyear Outlook: Do Equity Markets Warrant Caution Ahead?

Economic Release Snapshot: Housing Market Shows Improvement

What Mattered This Week? Market Reaction to Powell

2023 Midyear Outlook: Is the Economy Half Empty or Half Full?

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Inflation Slows in May

What Mattered This Week? Inflation and a Pause on Rate Hikes

Monthly Market Risk Update: June 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Service Sector Sentiment Sours in May

Economic Risk Factor Update: June 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Accelerates in May

What Mattered This Week? The Debt Ceiling, Inflation, and Jobs

Market Thoughts for June 2023 [Video]

Looking Back at the Markets in May and Ahead to June 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Personal Spending Improves in April

What Mattered This Week? Progress on the Debt Ceiling

Economic Release Snapshot: Retail Sales Rebound in April

What Mattered This Week? The Debt Ceiling, the Data, and the Fed

Debt Ceiling Crisis: Breaking Down the Worst-Case Scenario

Monthly Market Risk Update: May 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Release Snapshot: Year-Over-Year Inflation Moderates in April

What Mattered This Week? Inflation and the Debt Ceiling

Economic Risk Factor Update: May 2023 [SlideShare]

Looking Back at the Markets in April and Ahead to May 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Hiring Accelerates in April

Looking for the Sweet Spot in the April Jobs Report: A Preview

What the Fed Will Do—and Why

Market Thoughts for May 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: GDP Growth Slows in First Quarter

Economic Release Snapshot: Housing Sales Slow in March

Will the Debt Ceiling Debate End in Default?

Monthly Market Risk Update: April 2023 [SlideShare]

All Eyes on Earnings Season: What to Expect for Q1 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Inflation Cools in March

The Dollar, Digital Currency, and the Fed: Look Beyond the Headlines

Economic Risk Factor Update: April 2023 [SlideShare]

The Case Against the Collapse of the Dollar

Economic Release Snapshot: Business Confidence Slips in March

Strong Jobs Report Could Spell Trouble for Markets

Looking Back at the Markets in Q1 and Ahead to Q2 2023

Market Thoughts for April 2023 [Video]

Economic Release Snapshot: Personal Spending Rises in February

What Mattered This Quarter? Rates, Recession, and Politics

Pay Attention When the Job Growth Dog Barks

Economic Release Snapshot: Existing Home Sales Improve in February

What Mattered This Week? Banks Seek Help from the Fed

Market Focus Moves from the Fed to Financial Crisis

Economic Release Snapshot: Mixed February Inflation Reports

What Mattered This Week? Banks, Banks, Banks

Monthly Market Risk Update: March 2023 [SlideShare]

Economic Risk Factor Update: March 2023 [SlideShare]

Are Bank Failures Signaling a Rerun of the Great Financial Crisis?

Economic Release Snapshot: A Mixed February Jobs Report

What Mattered This Week? The Jobs Report and a Major Bank Closure

High Stakes for the February Jobs Report

Looking Back at the Markets in February and Ahead to March 2023

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer Confidence Declines in February

What Mattered This Week? Consumer Confidence and Durable Goods

Market Thoughts for March 2023 [Video]

Will the Bear Market Come Roaring Back?

Economic Release Snapshot: Personal Income and Spending Rise in January

What Matters for the Economy and Markets? 4 Signals to Watch

Economic Release Snapshot: Consumer and Producer Prices on the Rise

Yield Curve Inversions Lead to Recession: Fact Check

Monthly Market Risk Update: February 2023 [SlideShare]

Inflation Report: Nothing to See Here?


Subscribe via Email

New call-to-action
Crash-Test Investing

Hot Topics



New Call-to-action

Conversations

Archives

see all

Subscribe


Disclosure

The information on this website is intended for informational/educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or investment product. Please contact your financial professional for more information specific to your situation.

Certain sections of this commentary contain forward-looking statements that are based on our reasonable expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

The S&P 500 Index is a broad-based measurement of changes in stock market conditions based on the average performance of 500 widely held common stocks. All indices are unmanaged and investors cannot invest directly in an index.

The MSCI EAFE (Europe, Australia, Far East) Index is a free float‐adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the U.S. and Canada. The MSCI EAFE Index consists of 21 developed market country indices.

One basis point (bp) is equal to 1/100th of 1 percent, or 0.01 percent.

The VIX (CBOE Volatility Index) measures the market’s expectation of 30-day volatility across a wide range of S&P 500 options.

The forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio divides the current share price of the index by its estimated future earnings.

Third-party links are provided to you as a courtesy. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided on these websites. Information on such sites, including third-party links contained within, should not be construed as an endorsement or adoption by Commonwealth of any kind. You should consult with a financial advisor regarding your specific situation.

Member FINRASIPC

Please review our Terms of Use

Commonwealth Financial Network®