Ventura Wealth Management

10/26/2026

Equity markets delivered mixed results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.41%, while the S&P 500 declined 0.47%, marking its second consecutive weekly loss and leaving the index below its closely watched 50-day moving average. The Nasdaq Composite fared worse, falling 0.71%. More notably, the technology-heavy index has declined 5.2% over the past two weeks, a significant development as several major AI hyperscalers prepare to report earnings this week. The FOMC is scheduled to announce its next interest rate decision on Wednesday. While markets anticipate that the Fed will hold rates steady at this meeting, expectations favor a rate hike in December. Find out more in this week’s edition of The Profit Margin.

Statistic of the Week The toy industry is no longer just for kids. Adults buying for their own enjoyment are an increasingly important source of demand in the roughly $46 billion U.S. market. Households without children accounted for 55% of toy sales in the first half of 2026. The trend extends beyo...

10/20/2026

10 Things you need to know this week:

Key data releases this week include: NAHB Housing Market Index (Mon), housing starts (Tue), pending home sales (Tue), leading economic indicators (Thu), and consumer sentiment (Fri). Bloomberg October 13, 2026 The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index declined 0.8 point in September to 97.9. Higher die...

10/14/2026

10 Things You Need to Know This Week:

Key data releases this week include: NFIB Small Business Optimism (Tue), existing home sales (Tue), CPI (Wed), Beige Book (Wed), retail sales (Thu), PPI (Thu), import prices (Fri), and industrial production (Fri). DJ October 5, 2026 The Institute for Supply Management’s purchasing managers’ inde...

10/12/2026

U.S. equities advanced last week, with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching all-time highs before finishing below their peaks. All three major indices posted weekly gains, while Treasury yields eased by week’s end. The S&P 500 led the advance, rising 1.15%, followed by the DJIA with a gain of 0.93%. The technology-heavy Nasdaq added 0.64%, extending its winning streak to four consecutive weeks. Major banks will usher in the third-quarter earnings season this week. With persistent inflation and higher borrowing costs weighing on the economic outlook, investors are looking to corporate profits to support equity valuations. Find out more in this week’s edition of The Profit Margin.

Statistic of the Week Median U.S. family net worth rose 2% from 2022 to 2025 after adjusting for inflation, reaching approximately $216,000, according to the Federal Reserve. Beneath that gain, results varied considerably by income and age. Median net worth increased 31% among families in the top 10...

10/06/2026

10 Things You Need to Know This Week:

Key data releases this week include: ISM Services (Mon), trade balance (Tue), FOMC meeting minutes (Wed), consumer credit (Wed), and consumer sentiment (Fri). Bloomberg September 29, 2026 According to the FHFA House Price Index, US house prices rose 0.3% month-over-month in July, beating the consens...

10/05/2026

A softer-than-expected inflation reading and a weaker-than-expected employment report complicated matters for investors and the Federal Reserve. Major U.S. equity indices finished with mixed results. The Nasdaq posted its fifth gain in six weeks, reached a fresh intraday record on Friday, and closed the week up 0.45%. The S&P 500 slipped 0.27%, marking its fourth decline in five weeks, while the DJIA lagged with a 1.26% loss. This week’s release of the September FOMC meeting minutes should provide further insight into policymakers’ deliberations and the factors shaping the interest-rate outlook. Find out more in this week’s edition of The Profit Margin.

09/29/2026

10 Things You Need to Know This Week:

Key data releases this week include: FHFA House Price Index (Tue), JOLTS Job Openings (Tue), consumer confidence (Tue), personal income and spending (Wed), PCE Price Index (Wed), Q2 GDP revision (Wed), ISM Manufacturing (Thu), factory orders (Fri), and nonfarm payrolls (Fri). Haver September 24, 202...

09/28/2026

Rising bond yields failed to derail the equity rally last week, as all three major U.S. indices finished higher. The Nasdaq led with a 2.06% gain, followed by the S&P 500 at 1.21%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recovered from an interim three-month low to edge up 0.28%. Persistent inflation and expectations for further Fed tightening have been key drivers of rising bond yields. This week’s August PCE inflation report and September employment report will provide important tests of that outlook, helping shape expectations through year-end. Find out more in this week’s edition of The Profit Margin.

09/22/2026

10 Things You Need to Know This Week:

Key data releases this week include: new home sales (Thu), durable goods orders (Fri), and consumer sentiment (Fri). Haver September 16, 2026 Total retail sales rose a larger-than-expected 1.2% m/m (6.0% y/y) to $773.9 billion in August, the sixth monthly gain in seven months. Sales in the retail co...

09/21/2026

Despite a significant amount of headline volatility last week, major domestic equity indices and the fixed income markets finished the week close to unchanged. The Nasdaq gained 0.72%, while the S&P 500 edged down 0.08%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged, falling 1.69% - near a three-month low. The week’s central development, however, was the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 3.75%–4.00%. The increase was widely expected, but the accompanying statement and press conference reinforced a hawkish message. Updated projections showed that 16 Fed officials anticipated at least one additional increase by year-end. Find out more in this week’s edition of The Profit Margin.