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Weekly Market Commentary: November 12-18, 2023

Markets continued to climb back toward end-of-July highs last week. After the Federal Reserve’s last meeting and a softer jobs number indicated a slowing economy, markets began to look for additional confirmation of easing inflation. That arrived with a flourish last week (more in the next section) and all but sealed the end of additional interest rate hikes.

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Weekly Market Commentary: October 15-21, 2023

Stocks opened the week strong, with the S&P 500 marking the 15th consecutive Monday of gains. But deepening tensions in the Middle East weighed on markets by mid-week, and shares fell sharply on Thursday following reports that a U.S. Navy destroyer had shot down cruise missiles reportedly headed toward Israel.

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Weekly Market Insights Sears Wealth Management Weekly Market Insights Sears Wealth Management

Weekly Market Commentary: April 23-29

What is needed to get back on track? I believe the Fed needs to stop raising rates. It’s not a magic solution; if the Fed stops raising rates, things won’t automatically revert back to all good or normal. We need to get government spending in line, and the consumer needs to get healthy again before that can happen.

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Weekly Market Insights Sears Wealth Management Weekly Market Insights Sears Wealth Management

Weekly Market Commentary: March 19 – March 25

Ever heard of a “ Jacob’s ladder” ”? It’s a notoriously difficult sailing ship apparatus that requires finesse to use effectively. One small shift in body weight, and you get all twisted around (if you don’t fall completely off). Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell seems to be grappling with his own Jacob’s ladder, balancing between raising rates to tame inflation and supporting banks under increasing pressure due to the Fed’s rate hikes.

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Weekly Market Commentary: March 12 – March 18

To say lots has been happening in the U.S. banking system over the past two weeks is quite the understatement. First Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were closed by regulators. Then fissures appeared over at Credit Suisse, which reported in February that clients pulled $119 billion out in the fourth quarter and that in 2022 the bank realized its biggest annual loss since 2009.

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