Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Investment-grade credit spreads, the extra yield you get from investment-grade corporate bonds compared to similarly dated US Treasuries, have already tightened to a level you usually only see during the middle of the economic...
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Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Even with all of your savvy college shopping and research about financial aid, college costs may still be prohibitive. At these prices, you expect you'll need to make substantial financial sacrifices to send your child to college. Or...
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Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Treasury yields hit two key levels the first week of 2021. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, the 10-year Treasury yield moved above 1% for the first time since March 2020, and the 10-year breakeven inflation rate, a measure of...
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Tuesday, January 12, 2021
New Year's is traditionally the time to review your life and make resolutions for change. In addition to thinking about working out, eating healthy, and meeting personal and professional goals, you should also think about your finances...
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Thursday, January 7, 2021
Happy New Year! A new year offers a welcomed turn of the calendar and a fresh start. However, it’s difficult to put 2020 completely behind us just yet because the COVID-19 pandemic still presents a significant threat. Healthcare...
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Tuesday, January 5, 2021
US investment-grade bonds had a solid 2020 despite a tumultuous year overall. The broad Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index had a total return of 7.5%—not as strong as 2019’s 8.7% but its fifth-best year in the last...
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Tuesday, December 29, 2020
2020 was an extraordinary year for the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed responded swiftly and decisively to the rapidly accelerating financial and economic uncertainty brought on by efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The current...
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Wednesday, December 23, 2020
As days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, it may feel like there is little time to catch up on all of your financial responsibilities. Sometimes it may be easier to simply toss ATM receipts, credit card bills, and bank...
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Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Brexit, the United Kingdom’s (UK) withdrawal from the European Union (EU), is making news again as it stumbles toward its apparent conclusion on December 31, 2020. The major sticking point now: fish. The UK officially left the EU...
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Friday, December 18, 2020
Last year, the average American spent nearly $1,000 per person on holiday gifts, up from about $885 per person in 2018.1 Though the COVID-19 pandemic continues to weigh on the retail sector (and many Americans' bank accounts), some...
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Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Back in July, we wrote in our July 23 LPL Research blog that dollar weakness may continue, highlighting a short-term bearish technical case for the US dollar. Since then, the Bloomberg US Dollar Index and the US Dollar Index (DXY) are...
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Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Linda and Peter are worried about their financial future. "We want our one-year-old son, Raymond, to go to college, but we're concerned that in 17 years, the cost might be more than we can afford," says Peter. "We also need to save for...
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Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Want to be your own boss? Ready to turn your hobby into a career? Got a great idea and thinking about launching a business? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you are ready to become an entrepreneur. This can be an...
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Tuesday, December 8, 2020
2020 has been a tumultuous year, and as we near its close, we are pleased to present Outlook 2021: Powering Forward, which outlines our views on markets, the economy, and policy into 2021 and beyond. Policy changes should be relatively...
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Tuesday, December 8, 2020
2020 has been a tumultuous year, and as we near its close, we are pleased to present Outlook 2021: Powering Forward, which outlines our views on markets, the economy, and policy into 2021 and beyond. Click Here to Download the PDF
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Thursday, December 3, 2020
Dear Valued Investor: As 2020 comes to a close, we are already looking forward to a new year—and to a world very different from the one we’re leaving behind. Areas of the economy have been damaged and may never fully...
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Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Not surprisingly, corporate credit spreads widened dramatically back in March 2020, making corporate bonds cheap relative to historical averages. (Credit spreads are the extra yield corporate bonds offer versus similarly dated...
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Tuesday, November 24, 2020
It may be a year or more before the end of the recession is officially called, but gauging from the growth we’ve seen since April, it may already be over. If that’s true, it’s a good time to take a look at what US...
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Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Thanksgiving is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in both the U.S. and Canada with the purpose of celebrating the blessings of the past year. It is known as one of the busiest travel holidays of the year and in the U.S is most...
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Thursday, November 19, 2020
With COVID rocking the employment landscape for job-seekers, some women have taken this opportunity to reinvent themselves and take charge of their own financial futures by launching a business. Entrepreneurship is one of the most...
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Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Fixed income investors aren’t used to having to deal with the volatility of stocks, but in the year that is 2020, that is exactly what has happened thus far. Unfortunately, while we don’t see the volatility of Q1 2020...
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Thursday, November 12, 2020
By the last third of the calendar year, you're likely to have a pretty good idea of what your annual income will be and whether any major expenses or big life changes await you. This can allow you to engage in more robust tax planning,...
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Tuesday, November 10, 2020
November 9, 2020 Dear Valued Investor: Former Vice President Joe Biden has been elected the 46th President of the United States, defeating President Donald Trump in a tight race and bringing an end to the highly contested 2020 election...
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Friday, November 6, 2020
When one door closes, another opens—and entrepreneurs who keep this mantra in mind are more likely to remain on top once the world has moved beyond the novel COVID-19 pandemic. What can business owners and other entrepreneurs do...
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Wednesday, November 4, 2020
November 4, 2020 Dear Valued Investor: The American people have voted, casting a record number of ballots under extraordinary circumstances, which is a testament to the enduring resilience of our democracy. Determining the outcome of...
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Thursday, October 29, 2020
Halloween is full of fun, scares, and a little bit of mystery. But what few people may realize is that the holiday that is now represented by candy, costumes, and the occasional mischief, has evolved drastically over time with multiple...
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Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Market Blog With the election only eight days away and earnings season in full swing, stocks have bucked the usual October weakness during election years so far in 2020 (Monday’s losses notwithstanding). The good news is this...
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Tuesday, October 20, 2020
The 10-year US Treasury yield, at 0.77% as of October 19, is still near historical lows set earlier this year. Historically, 10-year Treasury performance for the next 10 years has tended to track the Treasury yield at the start of the...
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Tuesday, October 13, 2020
The 10-year Treasury yield has stayed in a narrow range since April 2020, helped by a supportive Federal Reserve and ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. As shown in LPL’s Chart of the Day, the 10-year Treasury yield...
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