Village Private Wealth

10/08/2026

Stocks finished the third quarter mixed. The S&P 500 gained 2.03%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.47%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 2.70%. Halloween is next on the calendar, with U.S. consumers expected to spend \$13.5 billion USD this year and 6.26 million Canadian children in their trick-or-treating years.

Stocks were mixed in the third quarter as economic, geopolitical, and corporate earnings news pushed the broad market higher while weighing on the Dow Industrials.

09/21/2026

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates last week, which naturally brings up questions about what that could mean for the stock market.

Historically, the answer has been mixed.

Since 1958, the S&P 500 has averaged a 1.4% return in the 12 months following the start of a Fed rate-hiking cycle. Some periods produced solid gains, while others experienced meaningful losses.

Rate hikes matter, but they are only one piece of the picture. Economic growth, corporate earnings, inflation, and investor expectations all help determine where the market goes next.

09/08/2026

September hasn’t historically been a great month for the stock market.

Since 1950, the S&P 500 has averaged a -0.61% return in September, making it the worst-performing month of the year.

Though short-term market patterns are interesting to watch, they’re not a reason to change a long-term investment plan.

09/07/2026

Markets pushed higher in August as AI-driven optimism helped investors look past softer economic data. The S&P 500 gained 2.62% and the S&P/TSX Composite rose 2.96%, even as softening retail sales kept consumer spending in focus. Back-to-school season adds another data point to that story, with spending expected to reach \$146.8 billion in the U.S. and \$4.5 billion in Canada this year.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 2.62 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 3.93 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged, adding 1.34 percent. The S&P/TSX rose 2.96 percent.1,2

09/02/2026

Back-to-school season is bringing higher costs for many families.

A new analysis found that a typical basket of school items, including notebooks, lunch boxes, and index cards, is up nearly 8% compared with last year.

School lunches are also more expensive, with the cost of a typical packed lunch up 11%.

The analysis estimates families may spend roughly $4,000 per student on school supplies and lunches this year, including about $175 on school items and $3,800 on packed lunches.

Some items have seen especially sharp increases. Lunch boxes are up 27%, one-subject notebooks are up 23%, and index cards are up 22%.

Higher tariffs, imported school supplies, food prices, and energy costs are all contributing to the increase.

For families, back-to-school shopping is a reminder that seasonal expenses can add up quickly, especially when everyday costs are already stretching household budgets.

Source:

U.S. households will spend roughly $4,000 per student on school supplies and lunches this year, a new analysis found.

09/01/2026

Something interesting we came across this week.

We hear a lot about how much debt has increased in the U.S., especially government debt. But I thought this chart gave a little different perspective.

When you look at debt across the entire economy relative to GDP, we’re actually well below where we were around the Financial Crisis and the spike during COVID.

Part of that is simply because the economy has grown faster than debt since those peaks.

Obviously that doesn’t mean rising government debt isn’t a concern, but we thought it was an interesting reminder that looking at the total dollar amount of debt doesn’t always tell the whole story.

08/27/2026

If you’ve been investing over the last 15 years, the market has taught you a pretty simple lesson: Buy the dip. And honestly, it’s been a pretty good strategy. COVID sent the S&P 500 down more than 30%, and the market recovered...

08/19/2026

For a lot of people in their 20s and 30s, myself included, the housing market can be pretty frustrating right now. Home prices are high. Mortgage rates are nowhere near what we saw a few years ago and...

08/12/2026

The S&P 500 hit new all time highs again last week.

That headline tends to make people nervous. "It's at a high, I should wait, right?"

History says otherwise. Since 1950, returns after the market hits an all time high look basically identical to returns on any other day (9.4% 1yr, 27.9% 3yr, 51.5% 5yr average forward returns).

New highs aren't a warning sign. They're just what a market that goes up over time looks like.

08/12/2026

Markets navigated mixed signals in July. Inflation eased, tech faced pressure, and energy surged. Meanwhile, Americans are planning record travel spending in 2026: \$1.37 trillion. What's shaping your household budget this summer?

Stocks were mixed in July as investors navigated a cross-current of news on the outlook for AI spending and Q2 corporate reports.