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…
As war in the Middle East escalates, investors are confronted with the reality of a world that is becoming more dangerous. With markets reacting minute by minute to the news, it’s helpful to take a step back and consider events in a broader context, suggests Capital Group political economist, Talha Khan. “The death of Iran’s…
Welcome to our February 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. Your Favorite Asset Class Quilt Rebalancing and diversification are once again…
February delivered one of the more dramatic market reactions in recent memory, driven not by an economic data release, but by a personnel decision. News that President Trump intends to nominate Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as Chair of the Federal Reserve sent shockwaves through the gold and silver trading markets. If there’s such…
Welcome to our January 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. Varying Lengths of Bull Markets The chart below shows the length…
2025: A Masterclass in Tuning Out the Noise If you felt like 2025 was an exhausting year to be an investor, you weren’t alone. Between tariff announcements, government shutdowns, and the 24/7 news cycle constantly reminding us the sky might be falling, it would have been easy to throw in the towel and move everything…
Welcome to our December 2025 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. Impact of Tariffs Data and analysis from the Tax Foundation shows…
The holiday shopping season is off to a record-breaking start. From Black Friday through Cyber Monday, shoppers spent $44.2 billion—up 8% from last year and well above expectations. Consumers are on track to spend $250 billion this holiday season for the first time ever. Contrary to what increased consumer spending typically signals, November consumer sentiment…
