The whirlwind that was the US midterm elections has all but wrapped up, and it ended up being a decisive win for Democrats across the Senate, the House, and governorships around the country. Markets reacted with strong positivity on Wednesday, welcoming the clearer picture and the drop in uncertainty that came with it. A quick…
Welcome to our October 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. Markets and (Midterm) Election Years Election day is fast approaching and…
Making Sense of Rising Yields October has arrived and I am loving it. The Guards are playing for a spot in the World Series, I still have 20 apples from the Orchard to eat through, and not to mention flannels! October also marks the close of Q3, so let’s take a look at how markets…
Welcome to our September 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. Treasury Yields Continue Increasing US Treasury yields have been steadily climbing…
September has earned its reputation as one of the more difficult months for markets, and this year is doing its part to live up to it. Between a Fed meeting that’s carrying more weight than it has in a while and a geopolitical backdrop that hasn’t let up, there’s a lot to sort through this…
Welcome to our August 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. Bond Performance: Coupon Return and Price Return When investors think about…
We’ve made it to back to school month and markets just carry on. Little has changed in the cycle of headlines over the last few months. Oil and gas prices continue to spike and plummet as the War in Iran slows down and picks up. Inflation and interest rates are still a sticking point, especially…
Welcome to our July 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. Inflation Hedge Gold and other metals have been thought of as…
The second quarter came to a close and brought us into the second half of the year. Every year I write this, it feels too soon! Equity markets closed the month of June strong with the S&P 500 up 15.20% for the quarter. Technology was far-and-away the sector winner for the last 3 months, climbing…
Two topics are dominating market conversations right now: energy prices and the long-awaited SpaceX IPO. We’ll start with energy, since it’s making its presence known in inflation data and at the pump. The conflict in Iran is now entering its fourth month, and ceasefire talks have not made meaningful progress. That matters because of one…
Welcome to our May 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. Small Wins to Great Success From 1928 through 2024, the stock…
Before I talk about oil prices and inflation scenarios following recent military conflict involving Iran and disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supply, I want to focus on some of the market positives. After a lousy March, the S&P 500 recovered quickly and is up over 8% year-to-date. International…
Welcome to our April 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. Look on the Bright Side Markets are up this year, but…
Volatility remains in vogue to begin the month of April. The war in Iran continues to change shape with the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz just underway after peace talks fell through. And by the time you read this, it may already be old news. Traders are watching every headline, trying to determine…
Welcome to our March 2026 Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. The World and Oil At this stage of the US war…
