Market Commentary: GDP Surges After Stimulus, Fed Reiterates Low Interest Rates
U.S. GDP surged an annualized 6.4% in the first quarter (Figure 1). Two rounds of government stimulus helped the economy climb within 0.9% of its all-time high. If expected growth is included, the economy remains 3.7% below pre-COVID trends. Personal income jumped 21.1% from February as a …
Market Commentary: S&P Shows Strong Growth as Housing Prices Continue to Climb
S&P 500 earnings are exceeding elevated expectations. Before earnings season began, S&P 500 earnings were expected to grow 23.6% as businesses rallied from lower earnings during the COVID shutdowns from one year ago. Based on the first quarter of companies reporting, earnings are n …
Market Commentary: Initial Jobless Claims at the Lowest in a Year, Retail Sales Surged
The U.S. economy seems to be returning to firmer footing based on economic data released last week. Initial jobless claims fell to 576,000 and are the lowest they have been since mid-March 2020. The number of people receiving some form of government jobless support dropped from 18.2 millio …
Market Commentary: Inflation Could Be On the Horizon, Service Businesses Make a Comeback
Producer prices climbed 4.2% last week (Figure 1). Energy prices contributed to the largest gain since the index rose 4.5% in September 2011. The jobs market continues to see a high level of initial jobless claims while steady progress is being made in reducing the number of unemployed rec …
Getting the Most Out of Your College Savings Plan
Carson’s Senior Wealth Planner Beth Schanou and Managing Partner of Wealth Solutions Jamie Hopkins hosted a webinar about how to get the most out of your college savings strategy. Click Here to Watch the Webinar
Market Commentary: Jobs Market Shatters Expectations, Housing Prices on the Rise
The U.S. jobs market roared back to life in March. The economy added or reclaimed 916,000 jobs, shattering expectations of a 150,000 increase. Workers being recalled or hired to fill openings at restaurants and bars contributed 176,000 jobs to March’s gains. Previous months were revised hig …
Checklist: Financial Milestones for College Planning
The days of getting a summer job to put yourself through college are long gone. An education costs more than ever – but it still pays to have one. Our downloadable guide acts as a checklist that explains how you can help them prepare for this passage into adulthood. We’ll look at financial …
Market Commentary: Personal Income Fell in February, Stimulus Clouds Underlying Economic Health
Slow improvement in economic data is being masked by the surging nature of government support. The gush of personal income growth in January was followed by a 7.1% decline in February. March will likely surge again with the latest round of stimulus. Employee compensation, which excludes go …
Getting the Most Out of Your Retirement Savings
Watch the on-demand webinar, hosted by Carson’s Director of Retirement Research Jamie Hopkins and Financial Planning Administrator Michael Gruidel, to learn how to get the most out of your retirement savings. Click Here to Watch the Webinar
Market Commentary: Retail Sales Fell After January Stimulus Surge, Don’t Expect Interest Rate Hike
Retail sales were unable to keep pace with a stimulus-induced surge. Retail and food service sales dropped 3% in February after spiking 7.6% in January. The January data was revised 2.3% higher than first reported. Core retail sales, which exclude autos, gasoline, and restaurants, fell even …
