C. A. Heart School of Financial Literacy & Legacy Engineering

C. A. Heart School of Financial Literacy & Legacy Engineering Financial Education! Teaching individuals how to select, analyze & purchase individual stocks & ETFs.

09/19/2026

This week, the S&P 500 was down 0.1% as the market adjusted to a 0.25% interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve. Year to date, the index is up 11%.
Today in my regular investment account, I started a new position in EPOL.
In my Roth IRA today, I started a new position in OKTA.
Here is the Schwab weekly portfolio report. Regular investment account:
ILMN +16.07%
ARKG +13.35%
VICOR +12.54%
AIR -10.13%
AEIS -8.72%
SANM -7.61%
Roth IRA account:
SNDK +9.70%
AMD +8.46%
MUU +7.29%
AGX -5.77%
MYRG -4.11%
NTR -2.77%
It is interesting that this week, the regular account experienced higher highs and lower lows than the Roth IRA, making it more volatile overall.

09/17/2026

In a unanimous decision today, the Federal Reserve voted to raise interest rates by 0.25%. When the decision was first announced, the stock market went up, but it soon started selling off and continued to drop. The Federal Reserve rarely raises or cuts rates just once. It is very likely we will see another interest rate increase before the end of the year, followed by another one early next year.
It is hard to see the logic behind raising interest rates to slow down inflation when rising prices are being driven by oil shortages caused by conflict in the Middle East. The Fed can raise interest rates as much as it wants, but higher rates will not produce more oil. Because of this, the prices of gasoline, diesel fuel, and everyday groceries will likely keep going up.

09/15/2026

The market went down today, again because the price of oil went up. That was due to Saudi Arabia having to shut down its pipeline, which was damaged because of the Iranian conflict.
Our 10-year bond interest rate hit 5.014% today before pulling back slightly. That is the highest level since October 2023. Everyone, including myself, is watching it closely because if the yield moves beyond 5.02%, that will be the highest since July 2007, which was just before the global financial crisis of 2008 to 2009.
The odds that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates by a quarter percentage point at its upcoming policy meeting now stand at 92.3%, according to the CME Group FedWatch tool.
Today, in my regular investment account, I added to my position in SOXY.

09/13/2026

So far this month, the S&P 500 is down 0.4%, but it is up almost 12% for the year. The Energy sector climbed 2%, and the Health Care sector had the largest percentage drop of the week, falling 3.6%.
The following are the results of the Schwab Weekly portfolio report:
Regular investment account:
CIEN: +8.89%
SANM: +8.83%
IECS: +7.17%
VRT: -8.37%
ILMN: -5.39%
CAH: -5.10%
Roth IRA account:
COHR: +8.34%
DELL: +8.23%
AMD: +8.07%
LABU: -13.92%
MUU: -8.23%
SNDK: -6.13%

09/12/2026

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4% for the month, putting the 12-month increase at 3.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both readings were in line with the Dow Jones consensus. Stripping out volatile food and energy prices, core CPI posted a 0.3% monthly gain, or 0.1 percentage point higher than the forecast. The core annual rate came in at 2.4%, in line with the estimate. The report is the final major inflation indicator the Fed will see before it holds its policy meeting next week, concluding Wednesday with a vote on its key interest rate.
I find it interesting that the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ went up 0.86% and 0.96% respectively today, considering that this data combined with yesterday's PPI report increased the odds of a rate hike from 70% to 90%. Interest rate hikes normally make the stock market go down because higher interest rates make borrowing money more expensive for corporations. When money is more expensive, corporations tend to cut back and stop expanding; they also don't start new projects. They don't hire more employees because employees cost money.
Today in my regular investment account, I sold all of the following positions: PWR & STRL. I also sold 66% of VICR.

09/11/2026

August’s Producer Price Index (PPI), a measure of wholesale inflation, increased a seasonally adjusted 0.4% for the month, in line with the Dow Jones consensus. On an annual basis, that puts the PPI at 5.4%, still well above the Fed’s 2% inflation target and 0.1 percentage point higher than expected. Excluding food and energy, core PPI accelerated by 0.2%, against the forecast for a 0.3% increase. The release of this data coincided with U.S. crude oil prices topping $100 a barrel. Following this report, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note climbed to a new 52-week high of 4.963%, its highest level since November 2023. The 30-year mortgage interest rate also climbed to a new 52-week high of 7.07% today. This is the first time it has been above 7% since May 2025.
Tomorrow we get the closely watched Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. Both of these numbers feed into the Fed’s primary inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, which won’t be released until after the Fed’s interest rate vote on Sept. 16.
In my regular investment account today, I added to my position in SOXY.
Today in my Roth IRA I started a new position in FCX.

09/08/2026

Tomorrow Apple is having its next iPhone launch. They are expected to release a new iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a new foldable iPhone.
As earnings season winds down, companies are no longer required to be in a quiet period, so they can start hosting conferences. They use these conferences to clarify their strategic narrative, maintain analyst coverage, and manage their investor base. These conferences are attended by portfolio managers, research analysts, and sector specialists from hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and family offices.
On Thursday we get the August Producer Price Index (PPI), and on Friday we get the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation reports.
Today in my regular investment account, I started a new position in CAH.
In my Roth IRA today, I started a new position in DRH.

09/05/2026

Year-to-date, the S&P 500 has gained 11.92%, noticeably outperforming its 30-year average annual return of 10.77%. Meanwhile, Apple is scheduled to unveil its latest iPhone models this Wednesday, and it will be interesting to observe how the announcement influences the company's stock performance.
The following are the results of the Schwab portfolio report for the last two weeks.
Regular Investment account:
28 August 26:
ANET +3.57%.
AAPL +3.35%.
SANM +2.71%.
STRL -8.96%.
FIX -8.27%.
PSI -7.57%.
Roth Account IRA:
AAPL +3.35%.
SPCX +3.31%.
LITE +3.26%.
AGX -16.72%.
AAOI -14.89%.
JEDI -7.72%.

Now for last week 4 Sept 26.
Regular Investment account:
VRT +9.12%.
FIX +6.03%.
IESC +4.12%.
CIEN -15.18%.
AIR -4.99%.
AMAT -1.51%.
Roth IRA account:
MUU +17.37%.
SNDK +17.17%.
DELL +14.88%.
NWPX -3.89%.
AMZN -2.9%.
JEDI -2.73%.

09/02/2026

Today, the 10-year Treasury bond yield rose to 4.816%, marking its highest level since November 2023. As mentioned in previous posts, this yield is one of the key indicators I monitor to assess recession risks. I am re-sharing that context below for any new students.

I have been investing in individual stocks and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) for 18 years, and I track the following data points to help determine whether the economy is heading toward a recession:

Inflation Metrics: Monitoring the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI).
Labor Market: Tracking the unemployment rate via the monthly jobs report.
Energy Costs: Watching the price of oil per barrel.
Valuations: Checking whether the S&P 500 P/E ratio exceeds 25.
Market Momentum: Observing the S&P 500 and the velocity of any market declines.
Treasury Yields: Monitoring the 10-year bond interest rate to see if it crosses 5%.

Currently, the data does not indicate that the stock market is heading into a recession. While a 10% market pullback is always possible, periodic corrections are standard market behavior.
In my own portfolio today, I expanded my position in QTUM within my Roth IRA.

09/02/2026

Deutsche Bank issued a Buy rating on Arista Networks (ANET)—the stock whose chart I shared yesterday. The company has delivered three consecutive years of strong financial results, beating analyst earnings expectations by more than 5% every quarter.
Broader market pressures picked up today, with interest rates and oil prices rising while major indexes moved lower.
In response, I made a few adjustments across my accounts today:
Regular Investment Account: Added to my existing positions in PSI and SMH. I also initiated a new position in RSP to help provide downside protection if the technology selloff continues.
Roth IRA: Added to my position in SMH.
Orders & Strategy: Canceled all open limit orders for tech stocks and ETFs.
Given the recent volatility and the fact that we are heading into historically weak months for the market, I am shifting toward cash conservation to manage risk.

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