FactSet finds core clients still favor cheap funds, while active ETF buyers pay a premium for performance, a trade-off advisors should watch.
Industrial production grew 0.2% in July after June's 0.3% growth. This was lower than the expected 0.3% growth and marks a 1.1% increase compared to one year ago.
Consumer sentiment falls in August after two previous months of improvement. The preliminary August reading for the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index came in at 51. This marks a 7.6% (4.2 points) decrease from July and below the forecast of 54.7.
The yield on the 10-year note finished August 14, 2026 at 4.68% while the 2-year note ended at 4.17%.
Nominal retail sales were down 0.58% month-over-month and up 5.01% year-over-year in July. However, after adjusting for inflation, real retail sales were down 0.66% month-over-month and up 1.65% year-over-year.
U.S. headline retail sales fell unexpectedly in July, down 0.6% to $763.6B in July, while core retail sales fell unexpectedly by 0.3%.
The Producer Price Index (PPI) was essentially flat month-over-month in July, at its lowest level in four months.
There are routes towards adding innovation exposure in portfolios without going overboard on the biggest names. The ETF ecosystem has provided for significant innovation in investment strategies in recent years.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), providing forecasts for energy markets. This article presents the annual production outlooks for crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs), comparing the August 2026 projections against the previous month's estimates.
Inflation affects everything from grocery bills to rent, making the Consumer Price Index (CPI) one of the most closely watched economic indicators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks this by categorizing spending into eight categories, each weighted by its relative importance.
Inflation moderated for a second straight month, coming in at 3.4% year-over-year in July. The headline figure for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was in line with economist estimates.
Seven of the nine indexes on our world markets watch list posted year-to-date gains through August 10, 2026.
Here are three tips for young investors setting out to build wealth but not sure where to start.
Here is a summary of the four market valuation indicators we update on a monthly basis.
The Q Ratio is the total price of the market divided by the replacement cost of all its companies. As of July 2026, the latest Q-ratio is at 1.83.
Based on July's S&P 500 average of daily closes, the Crestmont P/E of 43.8 is 184% above its arithmetic mean, 212% above its geometric mean, and is in the 100th percentile of this 14-plus-decade series.
The inflation-adjusted S&P Composite Index was 211% above its long-term trend at the end of July.
Official recession calls are the responsibility of the NBER Business Cycle Dating Committee, which is understandably vague about the specific indicators on which they base their decisions. There is, however, a general belief that there are four big indicators that the committee weighs heavily in their cycle identification process.
The S&P 500 capped off its best week since April with a record close, ultimately finishing with a gain of 3.6%.
There is a general belief that there are four big indicators that the NBER Business Cycle Dating Committee weighs heavily in their cycle identification process. This commentary focuses on one of these indicators: nonfarm employment. In July, total nonfarm payrolls decreased by 23,000 while the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1%.
The latest employment report showed that 23,000 jobs were shed in July, compared to June's 20,000 gain. This figure was significantly lower than the projected addition of 85,000 jobs. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1%.
Discover why higher Treasury yields, strong ETF demand, and active management are creating new opportunities in muni bonds for advisors.
Given the current state of inflation and interest rates, it’s probable that many advisors and investors are considering alternative ways of fostering income within their portfolios.
Bitcoin's closing price was roughly flat this week, up around 0.3%. BTC is currently down approximately 27% year-to-date and sits about 49% below its October 2025 record high.
High-net-worth investors and institutional managers continue to allocate heavily to muni bond ETFs to lock in attractive yields.
State Street's July Flash Flows report highlights record ETF inflows, and a major rotation into value and dividend strategies.
Valid until the market close on August 31, 2026
This article provides an update on the monthly moving averages we track for the S&P 500 and the Ivy Portfolio after the close of the last business day of the month.
Learn what Trump Accounts for advisors mean for financial planning, including contribution rules, employer funding, 529comparisons, and ETFs.
Inflation remains a hot topic, directly impacting everything from your grocery bill to interest rates. As of the latest data, two key inflation gauges — the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — show that prices are still above the Federal Reserve's 2% target, with the core PCE at 3.3% and core CPI at 2.6%.
Personal income (excluding transfer receipts) was up 0.13% in June and was up 3.81% year-over-year. However, when adjusted for inflation using the BEA's PCE Price Index, real personal income (excluding transfer receipts) was up 0.24% month-over-month and up 0.14% year-over-year.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the core PCE price index, climbed 3.3% year-over-year in June. This marks a slight decrease from May's 3.4% reading. On a monthly basis, core prices rose 0.1%.
In the week ending July 25th, initial jobless claims were at a seasonally adjusted level of 197,000. This represents an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's figure and was lower than the forecast of 201,000.
U.S. economic growth rebounded at the beginning of 2026, according to the BEA’s latest estimate. Real GDP rose at a 1.5% annual rate in Q2, falling below the 2.1% forecast, but marking an acceleration from the 0.5% final estimate seen in Q4 of last year.
The Federal Reserve concluded its fifth meeting of the year by holding the federal funds rate (FFR) steady in the 3.50%-3.75% range.
Gasoline prices jumped for a third straight week, reaching their highest level in almost two months.
Fifth district manufacturing activity was mostly flat in July, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The composite manufacturing index inched up one point to 5, marking the fourth consecutive positive reading.
The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index® unexpectedly inched lower in July, falling 1.4 points to 90.8. The index was below the forecast of 92.4.
Home prices fell for a third straight month in May according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller index, as the housing slowdown continues. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the national index was essentially flat month-over-month and was up 1.1% year-over-year.
Discover Aberdeen’s closed-end funds (CEFs) for high yields, illiquid assets, long-term investments, and resilient income for 2026.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI) rose more than expected in May, reaching a new record high.
As advisors face outflows to client income and one-time distributions, organic growth via client pickups can prove a useful asset, according to a recent report.
A wave of new active ETFs is reshaping the fund landscape, and advisors now need extra care when screening funds for their models.
The Dallas Fed released its Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey (TMOS) for July. The general business activity index rose 1.3 points to 1.3, indicating accelerated growth of manufacturing activity and improved business conditions perceptions.
New orders for manufactured durable goods rose 0.3% in June to $334.77B, less than the projected 1.6% monthly growth.
Research Affiliates and PIMCO leadership analyze key 2026 midyear market shifts, warning of elevated U.S. and AI equity valuations.
New home sales unexpectedly rose in June while the median price fell to its lowest level in almost a year.
The Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Survey revealed regional activity remained steady in June. The composite index came in at 9 this month, down slightly from 11 in June but still indicating continued expansion.
The Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) rose to -0.02 in June from -0.19 in May. One of the four broad categories of indicators used to construct the index decreased from May, and two categories made negative contributions.
A Roland Berger study finds family offices moving capital into infrastructure and private equity while retreating from riskier bets abroad.
Margin debt rose for a third straight month in June, reaching a new record high of $1.53 trillion. This marked a 7.9% increase from May and a 51.5% rise compared to the previous year.
