Investing

The ongoing conflict in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have pushed oil prices sharply higher. Both Brent crude and WTI have jumped from around $70 per barrel to around $100 in just a few days, approaching levels last seen in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

As you have seen in the news, the U.S. and Israel have launched military strikes against Iran, targeting its leadership, military assets, and nuclear infrastructure. Iran's Supreme Leader is confirmed to have been killed, and Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East.

After nearly a year of trade policy uncertainty, the Supreme Court's ruling that recent tariffs are unconstitutional has reset the policy landscape. Yet, as is often the case in Washington, when one chapter closes, another opens.

Fifteen years ago, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen famously wrote that "software is eating the world." What he meant was that any service that could be written and automated as software, would be.

As the corporate earnings season ramps up, markets are shifting their focus from geopolitical concerns to tangible evidence of how businesses are performing. With the stock market hovering near all-time highs, questions around valuations and the sustainability of recent profitability trends have become increasingly important.

Gold, silver, and other precious metals have rallied over the past two years, capturing investor attention. Gold recently surpassed $4,700 per ounce while silver now trades above $90 per ounce, marking historic milestones for both metals.

The strong stock market performance of the past several years has been positive for investors and their financial plans. At the same time, these recent successes can lead to unrealistic expectations when it comes to long-term financial goals.

For the sixth time in the last seven years, the stock market is on track to deliver double-digit returns. This remarkable streak, interrupted only by the 2022 inflation-driven downturn, has left many investors in a positive financial position. It's often said that the anticipation of something is greater than the thing itself.

As the holiday season begins, it’s the perfect time to pause and appreciate what we have, both in our personal and financial lives. This is particularly important since investors tend to focus on what could go wrong rather than what has gone right.

As many asset classes have reached new peaks, gold has also climbed over 60% this year to above $4,300 per ounce. This rally has captured headlines and prompted many investors to wonder if it is different from past episodes.

For long-term investors, a growing challenge today is how to manage cash as short-term interest rates fall. What appears safe actually comes with real costs beneath the surface, since holding too much cash can quietly undermine long-term financial goals.

The famous investing principle "don't fight the Fed" was coined in the 1970s but has only grown in significance. The idea is simple: the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions can have important effects on markets and the economy, so investors should consider them carefully.