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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Isaac Newton might be smiling if he looked at the charts for eggs, cocoa, and coffee prices. To traders, they are a lesson on how markets can reach an extreme and then correct. But to Newton, they are simply a lesson in gravity....

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

No more passing them by when you see one on the sidewalk. Forget about wasting a couple by putting them in your loafers. And don’t even consider throwing them into a wishing well. The Treasury Department has announced that it is...

Monday, February 17, 2025

We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling through your phone, computer, or tablet, and a notification pops up. “Update Me!” While that isn’t the exact wording, the meaning is the same. Something wants to be updated to the most recent...

Monday, February 10, 2025

Warren Buffett once said, "If you mix your politics with your investment decisions, you're making a big mistake.” There appears to be some truth in Buffett’s quote following a contentious 2024 election cycle. Check out the chart below...

Thursday, January 30, 2025

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are set for Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9. Over the years, the Super Bowl has gone from a mere championship game to a cultural event, earning both national and international...

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Stock prices were jolted lower in late January on concerns that a “black swan” event may lead to some restructuring in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. A Chinese AI firm appears to have developed a competitive AI model that...

Thursday, January 16, 2025

You may have heard about the recently signed Social Security Fairness Act and wondered what it was and how it might affect you.The Social Security Fairness Act eliminates two longstanding provisions for Social Security: the Windfall...

Monday, January 13, 2025

With 2024 coming to a close, I want to share my thoughts on America's current fiscal policy, geopolitical elements, and other factors that may help shape 2025's financial landscape. This transition period offers both challenges and...

Friday, December 20, 2024

In 2024, we all experienced inflation in different ways. Some felt it at the grocery store, others while traveling, or when dining out. In large part, that's because our personal economic choices dictated at least part of our...

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Who is Scott Bessent? While he is the nominee to replace Janet Yellen as the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, unlike a few of the other cabinet nominees, he wasn’t exactly someone with a household name. A former hedge fund manager,...

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

First Community Financial Services is pleased to announce the addition of Tristan Simmons as a financial advisor. Simmons brings nearly six years of experience in wealth management, delivering strategic financial solutions to...

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

There are some jobs that I just don’t want. The home plate umpire in the 9th inning of a major league baseball game. Fishing in the Bering Sea during an ice storm. Or a Fed Governor who must decide what to do with short-term interest...

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Hold everything; stop the presses! There is talk that the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 may get extended. With Republicans in control of the legislative and executive branches, most agree that tax reform will be part of the...

Thursday, November 14, 2024

No Medicare surprises for 2025. As expected, the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $185, up $10.30 from 2024. The annual deductible—the amount paid before insurance begins to pay for health services—will...

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

One of the more contentious elections in recent years has ended with Donald Trump elected to the first nonconsecutive presidential term since Grover Cleveland in 1892.1 Similarly, the Republican Party took control of the Senate, while...

Thursday, October 24, 2024

The Internal Revenue Service released the updated income tax brackets, standard deduction, and retirement contribution limits for the 2025 tax year. While these changes won’t impact you for some time, it may benefit you to start...

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Stop me if you've heard this one before–“You may care more about the outcome of the presidential election than your portfolio.” As a rule, I avoid discussing politics, but I find it important to contribute some insights as we enter...

Monday, September 30, 2024

Wall Street knew a change was coming, but the Fed Chair hid the details until the end. At its September meeting, the Fed cut short-term interest rates by 0.50%, which unsettled some who thought Fed officials would be more cautious...

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

More than 71 million Social Security beneficiaries can expect a 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in 2025, based on the Q3 inflation data so far. In other words, the COLA will raise the average benefit by $48 to $1,968 a...

Monday, September 9, 2024

Election years, particularly presidential elections, traditionally come into focus after Labor Day. This is when many American voters become fully engaged with the process. With that in mind, I often get the question: “Politics aside,...

Thursday, August 15, 2024

The trader's adage goes, “The stock market takes the stairs up and the elevator down.” The saying helps illustrate the speed at which stock prices can move, especially over the last few days. Here's how the recent stock market drop...

Friday, August 9, 2024

When I meet with people, one of the first topics we discuss is "emergency fund" money. I ask a few questions, such as, “Do you have any funds set aside?”, “Where is it located?”, and, most importantly, “What would trigger you to tap...

Thursday, August 1, 2024

As the Olympic Games are being held this year in Paris, I thought it would be interesting to explore how the Olympians earn their chance at gold, silver, or bronze. It turns out that, just like in the world of finance, the path to the...

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Stocks advanced last week as market leadership shifted amid fresh inflation data and quarterly corporate reports starting to roll in. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 0.87 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average picked...

Friday, July 12, 2024

Once in a while, I come across a chart that contains so many powerful economic lessons that I want to share it. The accompanying graph shows that most iPhone users use phones from the 13, 12, and 11 iPhone families. Put another way,...

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Once in a while, I come across a chart that contains so many powerful economic lessons that I want to share it. The accompanying graph shows that most iPhone users use phones from the 13, 12, and 11 iPhone families. Put another way,...

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Words of wisdom from baseball legend Yogi Berra. And words that Fed Chair Jerome Powell has taken to heart. “Inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated,” Powell said following the Fed’s...

Monday, June 10, 2024

Ticketmaster is reeling from a data breach. Hackers stole the data of over 500 million customers, compromising information related to ticket sales, including credit card numbers.1 While this news is incredibly troubling, it’s also...

Friday, June 7, 2024

Have you seen the grocery store signs that say, “Buy one, get one,” or “Buy one at $4.99, or get four for $2.99 each?” It’s a concept called “spaving,” a time-tested marketing strategy designed to get consumers to spend more–perhaps...

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Some have been waiting for the Fed to lower interest rates and confirm it will ease monetary policy, which may result in lower home mortgage rates, credit card rates, auto loans, and so forth. However, the Fed went another route at...

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Over the next four weeks, the vast majority of publicly traded companies will update shareholders on business conditions in Q1. It's called "earnings season," and it happens four times a year. So buckle up because it's relatively...

Monday, April 29, 2024

I don’t know about you, but every time I see headlines that say, “Top 10 Reasons” or “How Much Do You Need,” I click on it. So when I saw the CNBC article, “You’ll need at least $1 million to retire comfortably in these 10 U.S. States...

Monday, April 15, 2024

You’ve heard the expression, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” The same can be true for the financial markets. “A market rally creates wealth (and may help manage debt, too).” As you can see in the first chart, U.S. households have...

Monday, March 25, 2024

Last week, I was shocked to read about a change to the real estate industry that may have far-reaching implications for future home buyers. The National Association of Realtors, representing over 1.5 million real estate agents, has...

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Economists describe a Goldilocks economy as one that’s not too hot and not too cold; it’s just right. And 2024 is starting to feel just right. When the Fed started to raise short-term interest rates in early 2022 to rein...

Thursday, March 14, 2024

As we continue through 2024, I wanted to share some data that many may find positive. Fidelity Investments just announced that 440,000 retirement savers reached an incredible milestone in 2023: $1 million in their 401(k).1 That's...

Monday, March 11, 2024

When does the phrase “no hurry” turn into “not in 2024?” During a recent testimony to Congress, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated that he expects short-term interest rates to trend lower in 2024....

Monday, February 19, 2024

Over the years, I've come to believe that learning to navigate financial discussions and events in a relationship is a "must" that transcends generations. However, recent data shows that Gen Z and Millennial couples are forging their...

Monday, February 5, 2024

As Valentine's Day approaches and Spring draws ever nearer, I thought it might be fun to look at the financial side of February 14. Shockingly, the day many consider the most romantic is also a sweet boost to our nation's economy....

Friday, January 26, 2024

Time's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift, is shaking off economic downturns and hitting high notes not just on stage but in the U.S. economy, too. The pop sensation's impressive impact extends beyond her record-breaking music, reaching...

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Stocks posted a slight gain last week amid a shortage of news and light holiday trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.76%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 0.49%. The Nasdaq Composite index advanced 0.32% for...

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

LPL Research recently unveiled Outlook 2024: A Turning Point, which recaps where markets have been over the last half of 2023 to help position your portfolio through midyear of 2024. It’s with pleasure that we bring you a few of...

Friday, December 22, 2023

First Community Financial Services, operating within First Community Bank, proudly announces the appointment of Eric Rownd as vice president, financial advisor. Based at the 11 Prospect Court office in Cabot, Arkansas, Rownd will...

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Season's Greetings! With the holidays nearly here, I recently checked that my gifting was squared away. Luckily, I didn't forget anyone (this year), but as I reviewed my list (and checked it twice), it made me curious how others...

Monday, November 13, 2023

A powerful Friday rally left stocks higher last week, extending the market’s early November gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.65%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.31%. The Nasdaq Composite index...

Friday, November 3, 2023

Investors know that the stock market moves in cycles, but few are comfortable when the cycle takes stock prices lower. And since late August, the cycle has been decidedly lower. If you’re looking for reasons to worry, you...

Monday, October 30, 2023

You may have heard the saying, “inflation hurts savers and benefits borrowers.”  The expression suggests that borrowers benefit from inflation because they pay back lenders with dollars worth less than when the money...

Thursday, October 12, 2023

How long has it been since you’ve reviewed your Medicare policy? With open enrollment beginning soon, there are a few questions you may want to ask before you renew, add, drop, or switch coverage. Have you changed or added...

Monday, September 25, 2023

Sometimes, a picture tells a thousand words, and this chart of the M1 money supply certainly does just that. M1 rose rapidly during the pandemic due to an effort to provide stimulus packages to those who suffered financial loss during...

Friday, September 15, 2023

It's been a rough year for many Americans, with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) chalking up more than 20 “billion-dollar” natural disasters and counting.1 Costly incidents have struck...

Monday, August 28, 2023

Stocks fluctuated last week, jostled by fitful bond yields and headline news, before ending strongly following Fed Chair Powell’s comments on the monetary outlook. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.45%, while the...

Monday, August 14, 2023

Are you already planning for the end of the year? Where did the time go? In this edition, we’ll be looking into navigating Medicare for the first time, particularly if you are under the age of 65. Don’t forget Medicare...

Monday, August 7, 2023

Stocks retreated last week as bond yields increased following the Treasury's announcement indicating “a larger-than-expected funding need” and a downgrade in the federal government’s debt rating. The Dow Jones...