Lifelong Investments

05/11/2026

Alphabet (GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), and Meta (META) are all pouring more money into the physical backbone of AI — the data centers, chips, servers, and power-hungry infrastructure needed to keep the AI boom running.

Big Tech can afford the build-out, but the question is how much cash investors are willing to see go back into the machine before the payoff becomes obvious.

05/07/2026

Small businesses play a crucial role in the United States' economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, there are 36.2 million small businesses in the United States. That accounts for 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.

That's 62.3 million employees, making up 45.9 percent of the U.S. workforce.

03/19/2026

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged in the 3.5%-3.75% range at the end of its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday.

The move follows the central bank's decision to hold rates steady in January after three successive 25-basis-point rate cuts in September, October and December to close out last year.

Economic data showing a slowdown in the labor market, inflation continuing to run hotter than the Fed's 2% target and the unrest in Iran prompted policymakers to continue to pause rate cuts.

03/09/2026

U.S. crude oil prices rose 36 percent—the biggest weekly gain since 1983. The conflict has brought tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for energy supplies, to a near standstill. Around 20 million barrels per day of oil, or one-fifth of the world’s seaborne crude oil, passes through the strait. This chart is a reminder that volatility in oil markets isn’t an exception — it’s the historical pattern.

03/04/2026

Did you know that Fed Chair Nominee Kevin Warsh was a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011—a period marked by the Global Financial Crisis? His Senate confirmation process will start soon, so it’s time to start to recognize the name!

01/02/2026

The old adage says: "If Santa Claus should fail to call, bears may come to Broad and Wall"

This refers to the seasonal effect known as the "Santa Claus Rally" which is defined as the final 5 trading days of the year plus the first 2 trading days of the new year. This has been a commonly followed pattern over the years; but it's not a rule...just an indicator.

Santa has "failed to call" 7 times this century; yet the S&P 500 has mixed results over the subsequent year.

12/31/2025

Wishing everyone a safe, happy and prosperous new year!

12/25/2025

12/11/2025

A Federal Reserve split over where its priorities should lie cut its key interest rate Wednesday in a 9-3 vote, but signaled a tougher road ahead for further reductions.

11/19/2025

A Social Security cost-of-living adjustment of 2.8% will go into effect in 2026, increasing retirement benefits by $56 per month on average, according to the Social Security Administration. With many older Americans struggling to keep up with rising prices, the moderate adjustment is reigniting a long-standing debate on the calculations that go into the COLA.

The size of the latest cost-of-living adjustment is about average. Out of 51 COLAs that have been put into effect since 1975, the 2026 adjustment ranks at No. 29, according to The Senior Citizens League.