With the third quarter behind us, earnings season is back underway, which means investors are once again preparing for that special annual tradition: corporate executives explaining why everything is somehow both fantastic and concerning at the same time.

Rising yields can hurt bond prices now, but they may improve future income. See why your timeline matters.

Utilities may be a fat pitch, policy curveballs may miss banks, and markets are differentiating the contenders of AI adoption.

Why do some retirement messages stick while others don't? A different way to think about participant decisions.

Highlights from the week of September 25 – October 1, 2026.

Last week, America considered cutting back, then remembered pumpkin spice is only available for a limited time. Economic uncertainty, on the other hand, seems willing to work around your schedule. The latest reports showed consumers spending more money while feeling worse about the outlook, which makes sense if you’ve ever decided to start budgeting immediately after one small purchase.

Strong growth, resilient hiring, and steady consumer demand suggested the economy may have ordered the largest size after all.

The biggest risk to the AI story may not be AI itself.

Higher yields reflect a resilient economy, not necessarily the start of a punishing tightening cycle. That could be a favorable backdrop for bond investors.

AI companies face a trust test, cost pressure is spreading, and the Fed’s blunt tool may not reach the real bottlenecks.