Insights
Investment Markets
Market commentary, periodic reviews and Perspective Moments, plus the investing principles behind MCF portfolios.
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Investment Markets, for whoever you are
Five topics run across everything MCF publishes: Company News, Investment Markets, Financial Planning, Tax Planning and Estate Planning. Narrow by who you are or by format, or search.
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Showing Investment Markets for everyone, all formats, newest first.
Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
August 2026 Market Commentary
Markets mostly advanced in August as strong corporate earnings, continued artificial-intelligence investment, and resilient business activity outweighed softer labor and consumer data. The S&P 500 gained 2.7%, International Developed equities gained 2.5%, and Emerging Market…
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
July 2026 Monthly Market Commentary
Markets finished July with mixed results as strong corporate earnings and continued investment in artificial intelligence were offset by slower economic growth, renewed energy-price pressure, and a more divided Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 was approximately flat for the month…
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
2026 Mid-Year Review & Outlook
The first half of 2026 was a good reminder that successful investing requires distinguishing between sensational headlines and the long-term forces that drive portfolio returns. At the beginning of the year, investors questioned whether the U.S. economy could avoid recession…
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ParticipantsInvestment Markets
The Importance of Staying Invested Through Volatility
Learn how to navigate market volatility with confidence. Discover why staying invested during market downturns and maintaining a long-term investment strategy can help support your financial future.
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
Geopolitical Update: United States, Israel, and Iran
Tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran have escalated following coordinated U.S.–Israel military strikes on Iranian strategic infrastructure, military compounds, and political leaders. While the situation remains fluid, the primary market implications center on…
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
Scanning the Horizon – Capital Markets
I am not surprised with the three-year 80%+ gain of the US equity market (SP 500)! Corporate profits and labor productivity gains were fairly well forecasted in our outlook from early June of 2022: we stated that inflation was transitory rather than structural (CPI hit a 9%…
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ParticipantsInvestment Markets
When is Risk Too Much?
Knowing when risk is too much is crucial to maintaining a healthy investment strategy. Asset allocation helps strike the right balance between growth and stability, ensuring your portfolio aligns with your goals and tolerance for risk.
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
MCF Perspective Moment: Tariffs & Market Volatility
In case anyone hasn’t noticed, tariffs are back in the news and so far, wreaked havoc on capital markets. If the first Trump term took a chisel to trade policy in 2018, primarily on China, then the second term has picked up the sledgehammer. Mexico, Canada, China, and Europe…
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
Waiting for the Bottom to Fall? How the Stock Market Reacts to Presidential Elections
Presidential elections in the U.S. can elicit strong emotions and anxiety for investors and often bring significant attention to the stock market, as investors anticipate how political outcomes might influence economic policies. Historically, market behavior around election…
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ParticipantsInvestment Markets
How Much Do You Know About Target Date Funds
The average person is likely unfamiliar with the term “TDF” however it is the most utilized and fastest-growing investment option in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. As a plan participant, it is essential to know what you are investing in. Follow along below to educate…
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ParticipantsInvestment Markets
The Power of Staying Invested
Some investors try to “time” the market, or buy and sell based on their guess about which direction the market will move next. By doing so, these investors often miss out on the best days. The graph below shows the difference between investors who stayed in the market during…
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Plan SponsorsInvestment Markets
How to Help Participants Avoid These Target Date Fund Missteps
Target date funds (TDF) are in high demand these days. According to a recent Sway Research study, total TDF assets reached $3.5 trillion in 2023 — a record level. Moreover, mutual fund target dates began 2024 slightly ahead of collective investment trusts, holding $1.76…
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ParticipantsInvestment Markets
Weathering a Market Downturn - Near or During Retirement
When you are decades away from retirement, down markets may not feel like a big deal. After all, you can keep saving, buy when stocks are cheap, and position yourself for an eventual recovery. However, a significant loss in the years preceding or just after retirement is more…
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Plan SponsorsInvestment Markets
What Is a Recession and What Does That Mean for the Markets?
As the seasons change and the days start to get chillier, market trends are calling for doom and gloom in the economy. Some argue that a recession is inevitable if not already here. What exactly does this mean and what should Americans do if in fact we are in a recession?
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ParticipantsInvestment Markets
10 Financial Terms Every Investor Should Know
This is an introduction to some of the more common investing terms that you may encounter and a brief definition of each
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
Using Investments to Mitigate Risks & Fuel Your Goals
By Jacob B. Hensley, CPA, Financial Advisor The world of investments can be highly intimidating. With seemingly infinite options paired with the unpredictability of the world today, it is easy to become overwhelmed trying to navigate it alone. Having a team taking charge of…
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
MCF Insights: Our Bias Shapes our Decisions vs. Reality
By Dave Harris, CEO I decided to take a minute to write about how I see repeated evidence of our own beliefs / biases formulating our opinions and thereafter our decisions versus what is the actual real data or empirical evidence. Almost daily when talking with clients, friends…
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Individuals & FamiliesInvestment Markets
MCF Insights: Market Corrections Can Be Healthy and Beneficial
Why is a market correction healthy and beneficial? Because it prevents another bubble from forming. Bubbles occur when stock prices get clearly out of line with the earnings potential of the underlying companies.
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Investment Insights
Preparation, not prediction.
Commentary on what moved the markets and what it means for a long-term plan, alongside the guides on investing that hold up in any cycle. Videos and downloadable pieces are marked on the card.
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Older pieces kept in the library because the lesson does not date.
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