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Steve Coker, CFP
- 3 days ago
- 1 min
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
- Aug 26
- 2 min
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...
Carole Meitler
- Jul 23
- 3 min
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...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Jul 15
- 2 min
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
- Jun 17
- 2 min
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 10
- 3 min
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
- Apr 1
- 2 min
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
- Mar 19
- 2 min
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 5
- 2 min
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...
Carole Meitler
- Feb 26
- 2 min
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,...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Feb 13
- 2 min
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 4
- 2 min
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
- Jan 7
- 3 min
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
- Dec 3, 2021
- 2 min
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
- Oct 23, 2021
- 4 min
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 9, 2021
- 3 min
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
- Jul 25, 2021
- 2 min
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 16, 2021
- 3 min
More Inflation
In May I emphasized that inflation was on the move, and that inflation will become more and more important to investors in the months...
Steve Coker, CFP
- May 14, 2021
- 2 min
What about inflation?
The stock market was rattled this week on the release of April’s inflation data. Consumer price inflation (“CPI”) for the month of April...
Steve Coker, CFP
- Apr 11, 2021
- 2 min
Economic Boom
The S&P 500 hit another record this week as a combination of a receding virus, massive stimulus, and low interest rates pushed stocks,...
