I should go away more often. While I was on the road, the market hit new highs and looks set to go even higher. This move is kind of a surprise, given the extensive discussion of the trade war, the political turmoil in Washington, the worries about the emerging markets, and on and on. What’s happening, and is it likely to last?

I am sitting in an airport writing this after a speaking trip—and running behind schedule—so this will be a short post. First, thanks to everyone who wrote in to congratulate me on my book, Crash-Test Investing. It is much appreciated. Second, thanks even more to those of you who bought the book—especially Mom and Dad! It is a great start to the publishing adventure.

I am very pleased to announce that my book, Crash-Test Investing, is finally available for sale on Amazon. Right now, only the paperback version is available, but we are working on the Kindle version. You should buy a copy for every room in your house, all your friends and family, and all the rooms in their houses. Go ahead—I’ll wait! Unless you’re a Commonwealth advisor, in which case you’ll be getting a copy at our National Conference.

Before doing that, however, you might ask yourself these questions: Why do we need another book on investing? And what do I have to offer that made it worth my time to write?

Brad here. I don’t normally write too much about stock market inside baseball, but something is about to happen that will undoubtedly get a lot of press—and raise a lot of questions. Specifically, the companies that operate the S&P 500 are changing how they classify companies within the index. While these changes won’t actually alter anything about the index as a whole, or the companies within it, they could affect your investments. Because of that, I asked Brian McCormick from our Investment Research department to take a deep dive on what these changes are and what they might mean to you. Take it away, Brian!

Last week’s data started with prices and whether inflation was picking up. This week’s economic data is all about housing.

You know the old saying: hindsight is 20/20. Apparently, foresight is as well because I have recently seen several prominent economists and investors calling for a recession in 2020. Repent, the end is near—but not all that near.

There has been much discussion recently about how the great financial crisis kicked off 10 years ago this week. We have retrospective interviews with participants, updates on how people fared during and after the crisis, and all of the typical media storytelling. It’s good stuff, and valuable for bringing a sense of perspective to the present moment. But it’s not all that useful in outlining what we should really be thinking of today in light of that history.

I was out with a friend the other night, and we got on the topic of what I do. He asked me a simple question: “why do I need a financial advisor?” He really did not get why anyone would want—let alone need—someone to help manage their financial lives.

Market risks come in three flavors: recession risk, economic shock risk, and risks within the market itself. So, what do these risks look like for September? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

Last week was a short but very busy period for economic news, with looks at business sentiment, the trade balance, and, most important, the job market. This week’s data will start with prices and concerns over inflation.