Can investors breathe a sigh of relief?  The third quarter of 2024 has proven to be both eventful and rewarding for investors across various asset classes. While the first half of the year saw a steady rally in equity markets, fixed-income markets were less fortunate, navigating through a maze of volatility. However, relief came in Q3 as bond markets gained momentum alongside equities, helped by the Federal Reserve's decisive move to cut interest rates by 50 basis points.*  Download the full Market Recap to get insights into these major areas:   the equity market’s resilience;  a resurgent fixed-income market;  geopolitical influences and safe havens; and  the Fed’s interest rate cuts.  The road ahead  Looking forward, investors remain cautious yet optimistic. While the prospect of additional rate cuts presents opportunities, geopolitical uncertainties continue to loom large. Download our comprehensive Market Recap for an in-depth analysis and in...

Investors flock to thematic investing to stay afloat  In the second quarter, investors saw unexpected volatility and high-performance dispersion across equity sectors and capitalization sizes, despite a strong Q1 for equities. Struggling to combat the back and forth, investors turned to thematic investing for stability amongst the hard-to-predict market — making the second half of 2024 anything but boring.   With the unexpected choppy waters for Q3, you’ll want to read the full Q2 2024 Retirement Market Recap for insights on:   Equity market performance: Narrow market leadership driven by a small number of outperformers and sector-specific trends like artificial intelligence and GLP-1 semaglutide drugs.  Federal Reserve and interest rates: Uncertainty regarding the Fed's future actions and a “higher for longer" narrative are creating uncertainty in bond markets.  Geopolitical tensions: Growing concerns over the NATO alliance and international stability. ...

Is 2023’s market rally here to stay?   Moving into 2024, investors were cautiously optimistic about the financial market’s soft landing in the fourth quarter of 2023. Specifically, market strategists were uncertain if 2023’s rally was here to stay with inflation above the Federal Reserve’s target, a longer than expected terminal rate and concerns over earnings.   As Q1 2024 ends, our latest Retirement Market Recap examines Q1’s unique market cycle, documenting the financial markets’ strong start. Our professionals cover key economic trends, including:   the resilience of the equity market;  U.S. equities’ strong performance;  the disconnect between equity prices and underlying fundamentals; and  fixed income’s first quarter struggles.  Download our report today to get the first glimpse of 2024’s market performance . Contact us with any questions about this Market Recap or how TruePlan can help enhance your organization's retirement off...

With 2023 in the rearview mirror, many investors can breathe a sigh of relief. From a potential looming recession to unexpected market surprises and inflation, there were many twists and turns to navigate. In our latest Retirement Market Recap , we’ve documented the biggest economic trends across sectors in 2023 and discussed how they’re shaping 2024, including: what sectors had a strong performance in 2023; where the labor market is headed in 2024; the status of high-yield bonds; how the Federal Reserve is fighting off inflation; and why investors are still uncertain about the future. Don’t lose out on valuable market insights that can help you get the economic pulse for this year and beyond . Contact us with any questions about this Market Recap or how TruePlan can help enhance your organization's retirement offerings . HANYS Benefit Services is a marketing name of Healthcare Community Securities Corp., member FINRA/SIPC, and an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. This material ...

In spite of investors’ concerns over a possible recession entering 2023, capital markets and the U.S. economy have been resilient in the first and second quarter, with significantly less volatility. The U.S. equity market’s strong performance in the second quarter was propped up by the unexpected growth boom in artificial intelligence technologies. Overall, the S&P 500 gained 8.74% in Q2, resulting in a year-to-date gain of 16.89%. However, the fight against inflation is ongoing. Compared to the strong headline equity market performance and stock gains we’ve had so far this year, fixed-income markets remain uncertain. The Federal Reserve has a long way to go to get back to its target of 2% inflation, causing fixed-income markets to keep a close eye on further rate hikes. The coming months will be of vital importance to better quantify the unique dynamics of this market and determine whether a true “Goldilocks scenario” can be achieved.  Read the  Retirement Market Recap ...

Following a disappointing 2022, where both equity and fixed-income markets struggled, investors looked forward to a more stable 2023 with diminished recession fears. While asset prices have partially recovered from 2022 losses, worries about an impending recession persist. January was a particularly strong month for U.S. equity markets, with the S&P 500 gaining 6.18%, but volatility through February and March gave back some of January’s gains. In Q1, fixed income continued to face restrained returns offering indications of the economy's path. Instability within the banking sector has been the focus of financial headlines, spearheaded by the collapse of three financial institutions, all within the span of five days. Even though these collapses have been contained and are primarily due to individual factors, a renewed public fear and distrust of financial institutions appears to be on the rise. Markets outside the U.S. were mixed in Q1. Investors are hoping for a return to n...

Asset prices faced substantial pressure in the second quarter as investors began to feel the pain of high inflation and hawkish monetary policy. Within the US, the S&P 500 fell 16.60% in Q2 and finished down 19.96% year to date. Inflation, which was previously expected to peak in the spring, unexpectedly rose in May. The Federal Reserve appears to be dedicated to its plan to lower inflation and restore price stability by raising interest rates to levels not seen in almost 30 years. Inflation continues to pressure global economies, leading to declines in asset prices worldwide. While the second quarter was undoubtedly difficult, investors must remember the importance of long-term investing and avoid making rash decisions, even amid extreme market volatility. Read the  Retirement Market Recap  to learn more about the Q2 market performance. If you have questions about  retirement plan services or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in to...

In mid-June as the end of the second quarter approached, the S&P 500 entered a bear market -- a decline of 20% or more from a recent peak. The latest catalyst for the equity market's decline was a higher-than-expected inflation figure, released June 10, showing an 8.6% increase in the consumer price index from May 2021 to May 2022.  Simultaneously, the bond market declined by approximately 11.5% year-to-date through June 17. The rare, simultaneous declines in equity and bond markets have created a challenging environment for investors. Read the  Retirement Market Recap  to learn more about the mid-year market states. If you have any questions about  retirement plan services , or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963. HANYS Benefit Services is a marketing name of Healthcare Community Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC, and an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. This mat...

The U.S. equity markets delivered exceptional performance again in the second quarter of 2021. The U.S. economy is rebounding from the pandemic more powerfully than expected--growing at a rate not seen since the early 1980s. Read the Q2 Market Recap to learn more about the drivers of the Q2 record-breaking market performance, including a chart on the three- and five-year annualized performance differentials between the equity and fixed income indices. If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963.

In 2020, we struggled through the worse pandemic in more than 100 years, causing the greatest turbulence in the global economy and financial markets since 1945. U.S. policymakers swiftly countered the economic aspects of the crisis with the most aggressive fiscal and monetary stimulus on record. The technology sector fast-tracked new digital and communication solutions, and the pharmaceutical and biotech industries created scientific solutions with unprecedented speed. In the final months of 2020, we witnessed the emergence of new market trends. Read the Q4 Market Recap to learn the emerging market trends in Q4 2020 and preview the market indicators at the start of 2021. Also included is the feature article, Volatility and risk: Are they the same and why does it matter? If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963.

In 2020, we struggled through the worse pandemic in more than 100 years, causing the greatest turbulence in the global economy and financial markets since 1945. U.S. policymakers swiftly countered the economic aspects of the crisis with the most aggressive fiscal and monetary stimulus on record. The technology sector fast-tracked new digital and communication solutions, and the pharmaceutical and biotech industries created scientific solutions with unprecedented speed. In the final months of 2020, we witnessed the emergence of new market trends. Read the Q4 Market Recap to learn the emerging market trends in Q4 2020 and preview the market indicators at the start of 2021. Also included is the feature article, Volatility and risk: Are they the same and why does it matter? If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963.

HANYS Benefit Services does not believe there is a single definition or statistic that appropriately defines risk for investors, especially when it comes to the nuances of investing for retirement. Instead, we focus on both the art and the science of evaluating risk, and how both approaches can help investors make informed decisions. Statistical measures (the science) primarily focus on an investment’s historical price movement, which can shed light on the predictability, or lack thereof, of an investment’s returns. Understanding one’s own circumstances (the art) can be a great complement to the science in deciding what risks an investor should take on as they prepare for retirement. What is volatility? A popular interpretation of risk is a statistical measure called standard deviation, which measures how wide an investment moves around its average price; or said differently, the dispersion of its returns. Lower standard deviation percentages indicate that the majority of the returns i...

The U.S. equity market recovery that began on March 24 continued in earnest in Q3. However, the Index performance masks significant underperformance in the industries that continue to be impacted by the pandemic. Any failure of the presidential election process to determine a clear winner will likely provide fuel for near-term volatility.  Read the Q3 Market Recap for a brief review of the market performance and chart shows the average annualized return for the S&P 500 Index under the presidential terms dating back to Franklin Roosevelt. Also included is an article describing how HANYS Benefit Services has been Staying Connected to Meet Retirement Goals in spite of the pandemic. If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by email or by calling (800) 388-1963.

With the majority of Americans sheltering in place at the beginning of the second quarter, what reasonable person would have forecast that the S&P 500 Index would have appreciated 20.54%, for its best quarterly performance since its inception in 1957? The extraordinary turnaround from the February-March bear market restored most of the negative returns investors suffered in Q1. Read the Q2 Market Recap for a brief review of the market performance. Also included is a summary of IRS guidance impacting retirement plan relief under the CARES Act.  If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by email or by calling (800) 388-1963.

With the majority of Americans sheltering in place at the beginning of the second quarter, what reasonable person would have forecast that the S&P 500 Index would have appreciated 20.54%, for its best quarterly performance since its inception in 1957? The extraordinary turnaround from the February-March bear market restored most of the negative returns investors suffered in Q1. Read the Q2 Market Recap for a brief review of the market performance. Also included is a summary of IRS guidance impacting retirement plan relief under the CARES Act.  If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by email or by calling (800) 388-1963.

Investors are understandably concerned about the drop in value of their holdings as the first pandemic in many generations redefined our lives, seemingly overnight. HBS believes that investment processes, grounded in understanding the financial markets and the economy, provide the antidote for impulsive investment decisions. In The Wealth of Nations, a definitive examination of the practical and moral aspects of a market economy in the pre-industrial age, Scottish economist Adam Smith coined the term invisible hand as a guiding principle. Mr. Smith’s explanation of free-market economics in 18th century Great Britain centered on the belief that market participants always act in their own interest. A marketplace of sellers and buyers making voluntary transactions unleashes powerful economic forces — the invisible hand. In mid-February, approaching the 11th anniversary of the record-long bull market and primarily focused on maximizing returns, investors began to deal with the reality of t...

Investors are understandably concerned about the drop in value of their holdings as the first pandemic in many generations redefined our lives, seemingly overnight. HBS believes that investment processes, grounded in understanding the financial markets and the economy, provide the antidote for impulsive investment decisions. In The Wealth of Nations, a definitive examination of the practical and moral aspects of a market economy in the pre-industrial age, Scottish economist Adam Smith coined the term invisible hand as a guiding principle. Mr. Smith’s explanation of free-market economics in 18th century Great Britain centered on the belief that market participants always act in their own interest. A marketplace of sellers and buyers making voluntary transactions unleashes powerful economic forces — the invisible hand. In mid-February, approaching the 11th anniversary of the record-long bull market and primarily focused on maximizing returns, investors began to deal with the reality of t...

U.S. equities continued to roar leading into 2020. The Federal Reserve reversed course on monetary policy in 2019, stimulating both the economy and securities markets. Read the  Q4 Market Recap  for a brief review of the 2019 stock market performance and outlook for 2020. Also included is an update on important provisions in the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963.

U.S. equities continued to roar leading into 2020. The Federal Reserve reversed course on monetary policy in 2019, stimulating both the economy and securities markets. Read the  Q4 Market Recap  for a brief review of the 2019 stock market performance and outlook for 2020. Also included is an update on important provisions in the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963.

The longest bull market in history continues to run through Q3.  Investors remain focused on three key areas: trade conflict, slowing global economic growth and the Federal Reserve monetary policy. Under the successive leadership of three chairs, the Fed has fostered the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. Read the Q3 Market Recap to learn more about the recent history of bull markets, as well as the Q3 market drivers. Also included is an overview of key year-end notices plan sponsors may need to provide to employees according to IRS and DOL regulations. If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by  email  or by calling (800) 388-1963.