At Jackson Hole last week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell hinted the Fed could cut rates in September, but emphasized decisions will remain data-dependent and insulated from political pressure. Let’s look at what that might mean for your portfolio.

U.S. equities and bonds were mostly higher as the market expects a September rate cut.

The Nikkei 225—Japan’s version of the S&P 500—is near an all-time high. Yet we think Japan is still a good source of opportunities.

U.S. equities closed the week higher, led by health care and consumer discretionary. Consumer staples and utilities lagged. Small caps beat large caps.

Hot on the heels of the S&P 500’s strong earnings season, recent inflation data is giving investors another reason to be cheerful: consumer prices rose just 2.7% annually in July, below expectations. This lighter-than-expected print—despite tariff-related pressures in some categories—has led traders to ramp up bets that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates in September. But a lighter CPI has important implications for the equity market, too.

Headline noise around rate cut odds, tariffs, and earnings pushed stocks higher.

Investors have mostly been celebrating the S&P 500’s strong earnings season. But at the same time, a notable slowdown in labor markets is brewing: July’s nonfarm payrolls rose by just 73,000 versus expectations of 105,000, and prior months saw a downward revision of 258,000 jobs. Can corporate earnings remain resilient in this scenario? Let’s take a look.

U.S. equities fell while bonds rallied as labor concerns raised the expectations for a rate cut in September.

Despite the numerous headlines around potential stagflation and recession, the U.S. economy continues to show signs of strength and stability. While growth has cooled from its post-pandemic highs, the data points to a controlled normalization. Here’s what’s happening, and what it means for your portfolio...

Despite significant market volatility and policy shifts, the U.S. economy enters a new paradigm with a solid foundation.