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Harnessing AI for the DC Plan Participant Experience

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Technology offers plan sponsors powerful retirement planning and engagement tools.

June CPI Confirms Inflation is Creeping Back

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The June Consumer Price Index (CPI) report offers clear confirmation that inflation is quietly reasserting itself.

Top 10 Questions Advisors Should Ask Before Going Independent

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The decision to transition from a traditional wealth management environment to an independent RIA model represents one of the most significant career moves today’s Advisors can make.

Gold & Silver Top YTD Returns vs Other Assets

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Versus other assets, gold and silver have been dominating year-to-date returns with the first half of 2025 in the books. With more market uncertainty ahead and as growth factors abound for alternative energy, the duo looks set for continued upside.

US Aluminum Poised for a Comeback – Century’s Bond Is a Signal, Not Just a Deal

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Century Aluminum is considering development of the first new US aluminum smelter in nearly 50 years — a move that could revitalize the domestic industrial metals landscape.

S&P 500 Snapshot: A Week of Record Highs

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The S&P 500 notched a new record high every day this week, ultimately finishing the week up 1.5%.

Treasury Yields Snapshot: July 25, 2025

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The yield on the 10-year note ended July 25, 2025 at 4.40%. Meanwhile, the 2-year note ended at 3.91% and the 30-year note ended at 4.92%.

Markets Move Higher Despite Negative Headlines

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Last week, I returned to the small Maine town I mentioned in my Independence Day post.

S&P 500’s Humming Profit Engine Can Keep Powering Stocks Rally

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A solid earnings season shows Corporate America’s profit engine is humming along, potentially easing worries that the record-setting rally in US stocks is starting to overheat.

DeepSeek, Trump’s Plan Steer Agenda at China’s Top AI Forum

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Star founders, Beijing officials and deep-pocketed financiers converge on Shanghai by the thousands this weekend to attend China’s most important AI summit. At the top of the agenda: how to propel Beijing’s ambitions to leapfrog the US in artificial intelligence — and profit off that drive.

Unpacking Tariff Uncertainty

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The second quarter of 2025 was defined by an optimism that the global economy will find a path forward, where the initial shock of aggressive tariff announcements was replaced by a period of cautious uncertainty as the resilient and resourceful U.S. consumer provided encouragement for domestic equities.

Wall Street is Challenging the Low-Cost-Investing Revolution

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Ordinary investors have won the battle of fees. The challenge will be holding on to that victory as Wall Street mounts a counteroffensive.

From Tesla to Microsoft, Companies are Going Vertical Again

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Much of the history of the modern corporation could be written in terms of two slogans: Ford’s “from mine to finished car: one organization,” and Apple’s “designed in California, assembled in China.”

Skydance’s Merger With Paramount Global Wins FCC’s Approval

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Paramount Global’s merger with Skydance Media was approved by the US Federal Communications Commission, which backed the deal after the Trump administration extracted concessions on the news and entertainment company’s political coverage and diversity practices.

ETF 360: Aram Babikian of DWS Xtrackers Wealth

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On the latest ETF 360, VettaFi Senior Industry Analyst Kirsten Chang was joined by Head of Xtrackers Wealth, Aram Babikian. The two discussed geopolitical de-risking, currency hedging, AI, and more.

Durable Goods Orders Down 9.3% in June, Less Than Expected

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New orders for manufactured durable goods fell 9.3% to $311.85 in June, the largest monthly decline since 2020. The latest reading was just above the projected 10.4% monthly decline.

Are You Going to Eat That?

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In the chain reaction that is our economy, when the cost of an input rises, the impact ripples downstream.

Why a Financial Plan Should Include Asset Protection

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Establishing an asset protection plan is an important part of a comprehensive financial plan and can help safeguard property and savings, according to our Bill Cass.

Hot Seat

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Trade-dependent Asia-Pacific (APAC) economies are at great risk from the U.S. reciprocal tariff plan. After a three-month deferral, a new series of letters from the White House suggests that the levies will go into force on August 1.

Q2 Tech Earnings Preview: Strength Seen Continuing

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Tech earnings strength has lifted S&P 500 earnings growth in recent quarters and could again as major firms like Apple, Microsoft, and Intel gear up to report in coming weeks.

Why Financial Advisors Are More Essential Than Ever in the Age of Fintech

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As AI and financial tech evolve rapidly, some question if AI will replace human advisors. In this exclusive Q&A, founding partner John Alexander answers with a resounding “no,” emphasizing that now is a breakthrough moment for financial advisors, not a breaking point.

A Weaker Dollar? It May Be Time to Get Used to It

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Policy shifts may create an incentive to diversify.

Gold Outperformed Every Major Asset Class in H1

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Gold was up nearly 26 percent through the first six months of 2025, ranking as the top-performing asset class.

Gold and Bitcoin Shining in 2025 as ETFs Drive Diversification

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Bitcoin and gold share the same year-to-date return, both up 28% through July 16. So far, 2025 has been the year of diversification, thanks to hefty gains in international stocks, a positive (though rocky) return in the bond market, and tailwinds in the alternative asset space.

Quarterly Recap Q2 2025: Business as Usual

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While the market has successfully looked through concerns over tariffs, it is important to note that this is still a dynamic situation.

Kansas City Fed Manufacturing: Highest Level Since 2022

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The Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Survey revealed regional activity edged up slightly in July, with the composite index at 1. This is the highest level for the index since September 2022. Meanwhile, future expectations inched lower, falling from 9 in June to 8 in July.

New Home Sales Inch Up 0.6% in June

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New home sales inched up in June but still came in lower than expected. Meanwhile the median price for a new home remained above $400,000 for a seventh straight month.

Alphabet Boosted by AI, Cloud Demand as Spending Needs Jump

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Alphabet Inc. said demand for artificial intelligence products boosted quarterly sales, and now requires an extreme increase in capital spending — heightening pressure on the company to justify the cost of keeping up in the AI race.

Blackstone Profit Jumps 25% on Retail, Evergreen Fees

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Blackstone Inc. reported a 25% jump in distributable earnings for the second quarter, buoyed by profits from its retail and evergreen funds.

College Grads Are Pursuing a New Career Path: Training AI Models

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Ever since he picked up a trombone in middle school, Jackson Spellman has wanted to pursue a career in music.

The Fed Needs to Tread Carefully With This Strange Dollar

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The US economy hasn’t seen tariffs like these in around 80 years.

Gas Prices Inch Down This Week

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Gas prices inched down this week, remaining near their lowest level in over a month. As of July 21st, the price of regular and premium gas were each down 1 cent from the previous week.

How Financial Advice Can Reduce Stress and Save Time

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Vanguard's Investment Strategy Group explores the emotional and time-saving benefits that investors can derive from professional financial advice. In general, advised clients report getting emotional value as well as spending less time thinking about and dealing with their finances.

Avoiding the Phantom Tax Trap in Complex Private Investments

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Phantom income refers to tax liabilities that arise from investment gains allocated to an investor but never received in cash. It is a recurring challenge for ultra-high-net-worth families.

World Markets Watchlist: July 21, 2025

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Eight of the nine indexes on our world markets watch list have posted gains through July 21, 2025.

High Earnings Growth Won’t Forestall Stock Losses — Boomers Should Beware

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Baby boomers in TDFs should consider getting out and moving to safety. Stock investors should consider less expensive stock markets, and safer asset classes like TIPS and Treasury bills.

Is Wall Street Still Too Bearish on the Impact of Tariffs?

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“Liberation Day” feels like a long time ago.

Nvidia’s Breakneck Rally Shows Signs of Overheating

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Nvidia Corp. traders keep getting reasons to buy the stock, but the breakneck rally is showing signs of overheating.

Activist Investors Target $30 Billion Tied Up in Biotech Stocks

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Every so often, activist investors swarm around underperforming companies in a certain industry and pressure them to change strategy. Right now, it’s biotech startups that are flush with cash but still years from successful drug approvals that are in the crosshairs.

US Stocks Flirt With Fresh Record Ahead of Earnings-Heavy Week

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US equities advanced on Monday as traders prepared for a busy week of earnings, with big names such as Tesla Inc. and Alphabet Inc. set to report.

Private Equity Cuts Leveraged Loan Banks Out of M&A — and Fees

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What do one of the largest private-school operators in the UK, a Spanish waste management company and a European fast food franchise of Burger King have in common? Their private equity owners are readying sales that don’t need debt underwriters.

The Magnificent Seven Are Mediocre: Exploring a Change in Leadership?

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In 2023, the "Magnificent Seven" (NVDA, META, TSLA, AAPL, MSFT, AMZN, and GOOG) became a popular nickname for the seven largest stocks by market capitalization.

Smart Roth, Dumb Roth

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We love Roth accounts - really, we do. As long as we don't have to pay too high an entrance fee. Which would be dumb.

China’s Economic Demise and its Impact on the U.S.

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Few are as candid and historically accurate as hedge fund manager Kyle Bass when identifying structural breaks in the global economy. In a recent interview, Bass painted a grim but telling picture of China’s economic condition, warning.

Inflationary Confusion

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Historically low rates were the landscape for most of the last 15 years, and anyone who borrowed money enjoyed it. Savers, not so much, but the idea of going back to low mortgage rates, bank loans, etc. is attractive to many folks.

Holding Steady Amid Whipsawing Markets

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Investors enjoyed broad gains across major asset classes in the first half of this year, but they endured considerable market swings to earn those returns.

Stayin’ Alive: Strong Earnings Extend Market Run

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On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Global Chief Investment Strategist Paul Eitelman discussed key drivers behind the stock market rally.

Threats to the Fed’s Independence Undermine Its Credibility

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Will he or won’t he? That’s the question on investors’ minds as tensions rise between President Trump and Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Hedge Fund Strategy Outlook: Third Quarter 2025

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While uncertainty gradually eased in the second quarter, the sustained decline in the US dollar and the ongoing changes in the geopolitical order indicate that markets may continue to be dynamic and offer opportunities for a variety of hedge fund strategies, as well as heightened risks.

Weekly Economic Snapshot: Consumer Spending Rebounds Despite Rising Inflation

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Last week's economic data presented a picture of consumer resilience emerging alongside the continued challenge of rising inflation.