Bond markets have sold off sharply in recent weeks as investors react to rising oil prices, renewed inflation concerns and growing global fiscal pressures. The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield recently moved above 5.1%, reaching levels not seen in more than two decades and reigniting concerns about the impact of higher rates on both stocks and bonds.

For many families, 529 plans have had a simple role: saving for college in a tax-advantaged account. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed on July 4, 2025, expands that role at the federal level by broadening how 529 assets may be used for K-12 education and certain post-secondary credentialing programs.

Jason Norris, CFA, was interviewed on Boise Public Radio about the U.S. economy and recent market activity.

Over the last seven weeks, the historic upward trajectory of semiconductor stock prices has given some investors flashbacks to the “bubble peak” of 2000. While these comparisons make dramatic news headlines, they largely neglect the backdrop that fueled the events of nearly 30 years ago.

The numbers coming out of the first quarter earnings season were, by any historical standard, staggering. Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta, the four largest cloud and technology platforms, accounted for $650 to $700 billion in capital expenditures (capex) for 2026. That is nearly double what the same group spent in 2025, and larger than the GDP of most countries. The AI infrastructure buildout is no longer a promise; it is a fact inscribed in balance sheets.

In this quarter’s Wealth Management Insights video, "Impediments and Benefits of a Current Estate Plan," Mary Lago, CFP®, CTFA, explains that although people often delay estate planning due to common psychological and practical barriers, creating a thoughtful, up-to-date plan provides significant benefits.

The 152nd Kentucky Derby is being run this Saturday, and earnings reports are coming in like Secretariat in 1973. Roughly 60% of the S&P 500 companies have reported to date and results so far have been strong.

In this quarter’s investment strategy video, "Assessing the Shocks," George Hosfield, CFA, explores how the market has developed in 2026 due to factors such as interest rates and inflation.

Aside from the three-week extension of a brittle ceasefire in the Middle East, the news this week was focused on SpaceX’s pre-IPO filings, Kevin Warsh’s Congressional testimony, and blowout earnings among semiconductor companies.

Fifty years is a long time for a company to stay in business. For those in the technology industry, it’s an eternity. Entire categories have been born, scaled, and rendered obsolete in less than a decade.