War has come, and the markets are running scared. Well, sort of. After some initial excitement following the unprovoked U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, the U.S. markets began to reel from the realities of this warfare: skyrocketing oil prices and general geopolitical instability. In addition to general war related uncertainty, President Trump’s continual change in stance […]
Despite every market indicator pointing toward the need for a major market correction, the U.S. stock market continued to rise in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 2.4 percent at the close and 17 percent for the year. For the quarter, large cap stocks rose 2.7 percent, small cap stocks rose 2.2 percent, foreign stocks grew 4.9 percent, and U.S. bonds rose 1.4 percent. As of December, the rate of inflation was about 2.7 percent.
For anyone following the financial news cycle, it’s hard to miss the increasingly heated debate around sustainable, responsible, and impact (SRI) investing. Detractors—often speaking from an ideological position on the right—argue that SRI promotes progressive values in corporate boardrooms. Supporters counter that these strategies have generally performed in line with traditional portfolios while helping to
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Despite continued threats of tariffs, the U.S. soared in the third quarter of 2025, reaching record highs and rising about eight percent for the period and up 35 percent since its low in April. These record returns have, once again, been achieved in large part by artificial intelligence companies and tech in general. Despite headwinds
In the second quarter of 2025, the looming possibility of high tariffs continued to play a significant role in driving the U.S. and global economies. However, the trade policy worst-case scenarios championed by the current administration have yet to materialize, as they continue to threaten— but ultimately back away from—their most severe tariff policies. Tech
The first quarter of 2025 has been a rollercoaster for investors, with the market reacting to the ever-evolving and often conflicting changes implemented since the new administration took control. For the quarter, large-company stock declined by 4.3 percent, small-company stock fell 9.5 percent, while foreign stock grew by 6.9 percent. Countering trends in the domestic
The stock and bond markets were mixed over the fourth quarter, though up for the year. Large-company stocks rose 2.4 percent for the quarter, and 25 percent for the year. Small-company stocks were up just 0.3 percent for the quarter, and up 11.5 percent for the year. Foreign stocks lost 8.1 percent for the quarter
The stock and bond markets fared well during the third quarter as the expectation for—and then confirmation of—a Fed interest rate cut sustained investor confidence. For the quarter, U.S. large-company stocks rose 5.9 percent, small-company stocks were up 9.3 percent, and foreign stocks rose 7.3 percent. Because bond values tend to move in the opposite
The stock market finished second quarter higher with large-company stocks up 4.3%. Small-company stocks finished lower, down 3.3%, and foreign stocks were also down 0.4% for the period. Bonds were up 0.5% as traders weighted the probability of Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cuts later this year. The stock market has been supported by a
The stock market performed well over the first quarter with large-company stocks rising 10.6%, small-company stocks up 5.2%, and foreign stocks up 5.7%. Bonds, broadly measured, lost ground ending modestly down 0.4%. The U.S. economy is holding up well, and that’s a challenge for the Federal Reserve. The pandemic economic shock prompted a swift and