By Kyle Tetting
The performance of stocks in May reflects growing uncertainty about the state of global economic growth. The trade war with China has exacerbated the problem, but it is unfair to blame the entirety of the decline on increased tariffs and ongoing uncertainty. With strong year-to-date returns and growing uncertainty, it can be tempting for investors to try to time an exit from stocks. Current concerns also coincide with misguided investment wisdom to “sell in May.” While it’s never too late to revisit allocations, for a variety of reasons, it is not time to abandon stocks.

Even as stock indexes hit record highs, investors may already be in the first earnings recession in three years. […]

With stock prices rebounding from a late-year sell-off, Bob Landaas and Kyle Tetting discuss earnings, interest rates and prospects for investors. […]

By Bob Landaas
Last month, I wrote that the trade disputes with China were holding back the U.S. economy and along with it, stock prices. Since then, moderate progress on trade issues and a postponement of even higher tariffs on China have sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average 1500 points higher.
The uncertainties of the trade wars have held back corporate spending and were cited as the top concern by companies in their earnings calls. Even a partial resolution of the trade problems could unleash spending as the outlook becomes clearer.

No one knows when recession is coming, but investors need to prepare either way, Kyle Tetting explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]

By Bob Landaas
As I get older, it becomes clearer to me that there are some problems that you face that can be solved while there are others where there is no easy fix.
Two of the issues that are weighing on financial markets currently are solvable and give investors hope after the disappointments of last year.

Automated trading exacerbates market swings while not necessarily reflecting investment fundamentals, Paige Radke explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]

Volatility heading into 2019 reminded investors to be balanced, as Brian Kilb and Kyle Tetting discuss in their look ahead in a MONEY TALK VIDEO […]

By Kyle Tetting
The year 2018 marked the worst in a decade for broad measures of U.S. stocks. After some late January weakness, stocks had been trending higher for most of the year before succumbing to uncertainty in the fourth quarter. Uncertainty is always part of investing in stock markets – and, long-term, creates opportunity – but the fourth quarter of 2018 was unnerving in its reminder of how quickly trends can turn.

Gyrations in the stock market can play havoc with investors’ emotions and lead to impulsive moves. In a MONEY TALK VIDEO, Dave Sandstrom explains why investors should not let short-term market volatility disrupt important retirement decisions but instead rely on balanced investment portfolios and prudent withdrawal plans. […]

After a six-month lull, volatility riled the stock market again in October. Prices on the Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose or fell more than 1% in 10 of the month’s 22 trading days. While heightened activity can be disconcerting, it’s par for the course from time to time and reminds investors to balance their portfolios to risk levels they can tolerate. Kyle Tetting explains in a MONEY TALK VIDEO. […]

In a MONEY TALK VIDEO, Steve Giles notes how investors can plan against bears. […]