Additional content provided by Dr. Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist.

As we enter the second half of 2025, investors face a complex and evolving landscape shaped by shifting trade policies, inflationary pressures, and geopolitical uncertainty.

Economy Showing Some Signs of Strain

The U.S. economy is showing signs of strain from delayed trade policy impacts, with softening labor demand and a modest reacceleration in inflation. While the Federal Reserve (Fed) remains cautious, the path forward is clouded by policy ambiguity and global economic crosscurrents. Despite these headwinds, LPL Research maintains a cautiousl

Gold has climbed nearly 80% over the past three years, with most observers crediting central bank accumulation as the primary driver — and they're not wrong. For three consecutive years, global central banks have added over 1,000 metric tons of gold to their reserves. That's a huge jump when you consider annual central bank gold demand averaged just 473 metric tons from 2010 to 2021.

While central bank buying is evident, the more intriguing question is why they’re purchasing gold at such an accelerated pace. From 2009 to 2020, gold’s price generally tracked real interest rates — falling rates fuele

Parenting is hard. How do you explain to your upset child why you took your other child for ice cream to celebrate their “B” in math when you simply said “congrats” on their own “A” in math? There may be a perfectly defensible reason for your actions. Let’s suppose one of your children is a math whiz and the other is gifted in Language Arts. You expect an “A” from each of them in the subjects in which they naturally excel. Yet you also recognize the sacrifices, struggles, and long hours they endure to raise their typical “C” to a “B” in subjects that don’t com

Last week, the Federal Reserve (Fed), led by Chair Jerome Powell, announced its decision to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at 4.25–4.5%, marking the fourth consecutive meeting without a rate adjustment. Powell emphasized a cautious, data-driven approach, citing uncertainty over inflation, labor market trends, and the economic impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Despite recent cooling in inflation, with core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) at 2.5% in April, the Fed remains wary of persistent price pressures and is in no rush to cut rates, projecting only two potential reductions in 2025. 

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