Another positive month of returns for stocks in June brought the first half of the year to a close with the S&P 500 up roughly 3.5% for the month and a very strong 14.5% year to date. (YCharts)

Throughout the year we’ve had portfolios positioned for growth and continue to believe that we’ll likely see stocks move higher over the next 9-12 months.  Of course, if our outlook changes, we’ll be ready to make adjustments.

Given that we’re at the half way point of the year we’re going to review the key areas we highlighted in our annual outlook, and what we’re watching from each of these for the back half of the year.

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The "Sandwich Generation" is composed of adults who are ‘sandwiched’ between competing financial responsibilities. Many Sandwich Gen members support their aging parents while also providing for their children (or even grandchildren) and planning for retirement.

Nearly one in four Americans over the age of 65 has a disability.¹ And when it comes to planning for retirement, taking your disability into account is vital. Disabilities may impact many things, from your healthcare options to your retirement income and estate planning needs. Here are a few key points folks with disabilities might want to consider when planning for retirement.

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After a challenging April, stocks bounced back nicely in May with the S&P 500 up almost 5% for the month, and over 10% for the year as stocks once again hit new all-time highs. Some of the catalysts last month were strong corporate earnings, better than feared inflation data, and economic data that suggested ongoing growth. (YCharts)

We continue to think the pullback we experienced in April was likely a normal and healthy part of a bull market.  That said we wouldn’t be surprised to see additional volatility in the weeks and months to come as investors continue to watch economic data, corporate earnings, and the Fed for further clarity on inflation, economic growth and Fed Policy.

Today, we’re going to revisit and highlight a couple of the big market movers from last month and what we’ll be watching from them throughout the rest of the year:

April was a more challenging month for investors as stock market volatility emerged following a very strong first quarter.  The S&P 500 closed the month down about 4%, after a pullback of roughly 5.5%; however, the index remains firmly in positive territory for the year.  There were a number of potential catalysts for the April pullback including increased geo-political tensions in the Middle East, hotter than expected inflation, and a shift in the expected start date of Fed rate cuts.

During periods such as this we are always trying to determine whether the volatility we’re experiencing is a typical, and healthy part of a bull market, or whether it’s the sign of something more significant to come. 

One of the resources that we rely on to guide us is our economic dashboard.  Currently, we believe that our dashboard is telling us that we’re seeing normal market volatility and that the chances of an imminent recession and prolonged market downturn are low.  Today, we’re going to highlight a couple of factors that support this:

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A chocolate cake. Pasta. A pancake. They're all very different, but they generally involve flour, eggs, and perhaps a liquid. Depending on how much of each ingredient you use, you can get very different outcomes. The same is true of your investments. Balancing a portfolio means combining various types of investments using a recipe that's appropriate for you.