Investments
Charts of the Week: Feb. 2-6
Thanks for reading this week’s Charts of the Week. This week’s charts focus on early-year market signals, AI’s familiar boom-bust rhythm, and subtle signs of consumer strain, with a few seasonality and Super Bowl quirks mixed in for fun. We’ll keep publishing Charts of the Week every Monday (Even though today is Tuesday!). To view …
Carson Research
February 10, 2026
Tech Wreck
By Blake Anderson, CFA®, Associate Portfolio Manager Software-focused technology firms are among the weakest stocks so far this year. The pace and magnitude of this drawdown rival other notable bear markets and might have some investors calling 2026 a ‘tech wreck.’ Yet this weak price action – largely fueled by fear of AI disruption – …
Blake Anderson
February 6, 2026
McLarens and Minivans
Both a McLaren and a minivan are automobiles. Both provide transportation. Both have value. But what they are designed to do, and what they are optimized for, differs dramatically. A McLaren is built for speed, agility, and performance in environments where immediacy, visibility, and optionality matter. A minivan is built for reliability, capacity, and predictability, …
Kevin Bruce
February 5, 2026
Do Stocks Want the Seahawks or Patriots To Win?
“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vince Lombardi, Hall of Fame coach of the Green Bay Packers This Sunday is the big game! The Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60. First things first, don’t ever invest based on who wins the Super Bowl. Or what …
Ryan Detrick
February 4, 2026
12 Ways Politics Has Confounded and Confused Investors
As my colleague Ryan likes to always remind us, politics and investing don’t mix — it’s not about red or blue, it’s about green. Markets have gone up (and down) during Democratic and Republican administrations. Stocks have bull markets and bear markets under both parties. As Ryan wrote recently, many investors said they didn’t like …
Sonu Varghese
February 3, 2026
Charts of the Week: Jan. 26-30
Thanks for reading this week’s Charts of the Week This week’s set focuses on a market that’s pricing easier Fed policy while long rates stay stubbornly high, plus the uncomfortable reality that inflation progress is still sticky in services (and could even get a policy-driven nudge from tariffs/energy). We also hit the consumer angle: spending …
Carson Research
February 2, 2026
So Goes January, So Goes the Year
“An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest, unless acted upon by an external force.” Sir Issac Newton First off, happy Groundhog Day! And as Bill Murray taught us many years ago, don’t drive angry! Now, let’s get to it. An effect widely known …
Ryan Detrick
February 2, 2026
New Year, Same Principal: Diversification
2026 is off and running, with an action-packed January and a further reminder that the oldest trick in the investing book still applies. That “trick” is, of course, diversification, which proved resilient in 2025 as we reminded investors in our 2026 Market Outlook. Now is an ideal time to consider the makeup and risk profile …
Grant Engelbart
January 30, 2026
Fed Chair Race: The Game Is Afoot, and Gold Benefits
The Fed left policy rates unchanged in the 3.50-3.75% range at their January meeting, as expected. This is the first pause in four meetings, as they cut 0.75%-points over their last three meetings in 2025. The official statement nodded to an improved labor market with lower downside risk to employment. That may seem like a …
Sonu Varghese
January 29, 2026
Rate Expectations Update: How Inflation Uncertainty May Impact Your Bond Portfolio
The 10-year Treasury yield has been climbing since bottoming at 3.95% on October 22 last year. While it’s not currently at its peak since then, it’s not far off with a close of 4.22% as of yesterday. We said in our Outlook 2026: Riding the Wave that we don’t think that lower short-term rates will …
Barry Gilbert
January 28, 2026
Rieder or Not, Gold Shines, & Shutdown Looms (Ep. 172)
After a powerful run in metals, renewed inflation pressure, and a shifting Federal Reserve backdrop, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, step back to connect the dots between markets, policy, and positioning. Fresh off being named one of the Top 23 podcasts for financial advisors for …
Ryan Detrick
January 28, 2026
A Busy (and Snowy) Day
“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” John Lenon Boy, it is cold out there! 🥶🧊 We are pretty much snowed in in Cincinnati on Monday, but at least we have power. I hope everyone is safe and warm this week! In today’s blog, I wanted to go over my busy …
Ryan Detrick
January 27, 2026