Financial Focus – February 25th, 2026
Tax headlines may sound simple, but the reality is often more nuanced, especially when it comes to Social Security and the latest rule changes. This week on Financial Focus, Nate Kreinbrink and Mike Steigerwald break down what the new tax laws really mean and why claiming Social Security should be a thoughtful planning decision, not just a reaction to retirement or family history.
Leading The Way
When evaluating the overall economy, it is important investors focus on the future instead of past or current conditions. David Nelson explains the Leading Economic Indicator and how the data suggests good news for risk assets.
The Highs and the Lows
OVERVIEW Markets finished the week on firmer footing, with broad participation across most asset classes. The S&P 500 gained 1.07%, the Dow Jones Industrials rose 0.25%, and the NASDAQ added 1.51%. Large-cap stocks participated as well, with the S&P 100...
Valuation Gap
Over the last decade, investing has often felt like “just own U.S. stocks and move on.” This week’s chart shows why. After the Global Financial Crisis, U.S. and international stocks were valued pretty similarly. But then large-cap tech took off. Earnings were...
Liquid Courage
Liquidity is one of those market words that gets thrown around a lot. But what does it actually mean? At its core, liquidity is simply how much money is sloshing around in the financial system. When liquidity is plentiful, there is more capital available to...
Financial Focus – February 18th, 2026
This week on Financial Focus, Nate Kreinbrink walks through key Social Security updates, including how the new senior deduction works and what to know if you’ve misplaced your 1099. He also explains why the timing of when you claim benefits should be a coordinated retirement decision, not just something you do the day you stop working.
Fun Flows
An ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) is a “basket” investment that holds many different assets, such as stocks, bonds, or commodities, commonly with a similar theme or strategy. David Nelson shares how ETF’s continue to grow in popularity primarily because it provides investors instant diversification.
Risk Premium
OVERVIEW Markets leaned more risk-off last week, with pressure concentrated in large-cap growth. The S&P 500 fell 1.39%, the Dow Jones Industrials lost 1.23%, and the NASDAQ dropped 2.10%. The damage was most visible in mega-cap names, as the S&P 100...
“Old Economy” Takes the Lead
Over the past few months, we’ve seen an interesting shift happening in markets. As this week’s chart shows, the so-called “old economy” stocks have taken the lead. Since early October, the Dow Jones Transportation Average has surged more than 20%, decisively...
Stay Home or Go Global
I like to call this week’s featured indicator the “Stay Home or Go Global” indicator. This is because it measures the relative strength of the U.S. stock market versus the global stock market. Here’s the basic idea. The top portion of the chart shows the ratio...
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