Market Performance - Major U.S. indexes showed mixed performance last week, with the Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average declining by 2.7%, 1.4%, and 0.5% respectively [1] - Investors are shifting focus from high-valuation technology and AI stocks to more defensive sectors due to market volatility [1] Federal Reserve and Economic Data - The end of a 43-day government standoff has reduced political risks, but delays in key economic data releases have created uncertainty for the Federal Reserve and investors [2] - The Fed is balancing economic growth and inflation, with inflation remaining above the 2% target and a resilient labor market casting doubt on December rate cut expectations [2] Zacks Research Performance - Zacks Research has provided guidance that led to significant stock performance, with Macy's shares increasing by 14.9% since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 on September 18, outperforming the S&P 500's 2.2% increase [3][4] - Fresnillo plc also saw a 7.2% return since its upgrade to Zacks Rank 1 on September 19, compared to the S&P 500's 1.8% increase [4] Zacks Model Portfolio Returns - A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank 1 stocks returned +8.64% in 2025 through September 1, outperforming the S&P 500's +7.60% [4] - The Zacks Model Portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500 index by over 12 percentage points since 1988, with an annualized average return of +23.8% compared to +11.3% for the S&P 500 [5] Specific Stock Performances - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) shares increased by 32.4% after its Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform [7] - Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) gained 35.9% over the past 12 weeks, while CACI International Inc. (CACI) returned 20.1% during the same period [10] Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP) - The ECAP returned -1.30% in Q3 2025, underperforming the S&P 500's +8.1% gain, and +2.72% year-to-date compared to the S&P 500's +14.84% [15] - The portfolio aims to minimize capital loss by holding shares of companies with a proven track record of earnings stability [16] Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) returned 10.9% over the past 12 weeks, while UnitedHealth Group (UNH) increased by 5.9% [18] - The ECDP returned -0.01% in Q3 2025, underperforming the S&P 500's +8.1% gain [20] Top 10 Stock Portfolio - MasTec, Inc. (MTZ) has jumped 41.2% year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500's 14.7% increase [22] - The Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +2,553.1% since 2012, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's +545.2% [24]

Economic Outlook & Inflation - The discussion revolves around the perception of affordability and the impact of inflation on the US economy [2] - Inflation averaged over 5% during the Biden administration's four years [2] - Current inflation is at 3%, considered still too high [2][5] - Real average weekly wages fell during the Biden years due to inflation [5] - Real wages have increased by approximately $1,200 this year, partially offsetting a $3,000 "hole" created by previous policies [7] Government Policies & Spending - The previous administration's policies are blamed for creating a "big hole" that people are still trying to recover from [3] - Increased government spending is cited as a cause of runaway inflation [4] - Obamacare subsidies are criticized for disproportionately benefiting insurance companies and driving up insurance policy prices [9][10] - The fastest inflation in the economy is attributed to government subsidies for Obamacare insurance [10] Cost of Living - The typical monthly mortgage payment has approximately doubled [3] - The cost of a typical bag of groceries increased from around $400 to $512 during a certain period, with minimal increase since then [3]

Actuarial firm Milliman is attempting something financial markets have yet to pull off: turning one of America’s fastest-rising costs, health-care inflation, into something investors can hedge with a single trade https://t.co/H2NTaZ8HgT ...

Canada inflation cooled by less than expected last month, supporting the Bank of Canada's move to the sidelines after back-to-back rate cuts. https://t.co/CFnyGIs4ta ...

Nigeria’s annual inflation slowed to a more than three-year low in October, strengthening the case for another interest-rate cut when policymakers meet next week https://t.co/r1cx6VLw2n ...

Find out which banks are offering the top rates. Money market accounts (MMAs) can be a great place to store your cash if you're looking for a relatively high interest rate along with liquidity and flexibility. Unlike traditional savings accounts, MMAs typically offer better returns, and they may also provide check-writing privileges and debit card access. This makes these accounts ideal for holding long-term savings that you want to grow over time, but can still access when needed for certain purchases or ...

Pedestrians walk along Wall Street, near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York. Bond traders are bracing for a deluge of data that will solidify expectations for how quickly the Federal Reserve will continue the interest-rate cuts that have driven US Treasuries to the biggest gains since 2020. Most Read from Bloomberg The end of the government shutdown means that agencies will start releasing key reports that were held back since the start of October, including the September employment report on ...

The government shutdown in the US was lifted, but US inflation data had not been published yet, so there was not enough bullish sentiment to continue driving markets higher. Markets were rattled on Thursday as investor sentiment abruptly shifted toward caution, sparking a sharp pullback in many of the year’s strongest stocks and intensifying the ongoing decline in cryptocurrencies. The S&P 500 dropped 1.7%, and the Nasdaq 100, dominated by tech names, fell by 2%. Bitcoin had slid below $97, and the senti ...

European stocks are seen opening mostly lower on Monday as investors await more economic data in the coming days for fresh insights into the U.S. economic and rate outlook. Ahead of the Federal Reserve's next rate decision in December, Minneapolis Fed president Neel Kashkari flagged "resilience" in the U.S. and continued concerns over inflation.Traders now see less than 50 percent odds of a quarter-point rate cut next month, down from about 95 percent a month ago. U.S. stock futures ticked higher as Warren ...

A wave of African central banks is set to cut interest rates at their final meetings of the year as inflation cools — a shift that could revive growth across the continent https://t.co/NaD8bPtd0j ...