Staying ahead in today’s market starts with clear, focused insights. In this week’s Steady Investor, we highlight three key themes shaping the investment landscape to help you make more informed decisions with confidence:
Rate Setting at the Fed is Getting More Complicated – As widely expected, the Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate steady this week at 3.5% to 3.75%. But there was more to the story than the decision not to cut. Indeed, the more important takeaway was how constrained policymakers appeared to be. In updated projections, 12 of 19 officials still penciled in at least one rate cut this year, the same as in December, but several lowered the amount of easing they expect, and one participant projected a rate hike next year. That’s the first signal we’ve seen in the hawkish direction in months.Inflation has been sticky over the past few months, but market participants and Fed officials have largely (and correctly, in our view) not viewed it as a nuisance. That was, of course, before the Iran war added a wrinkle to the story with rapidly rising oil prices. The pass-through effects of higher energy costs will register in March’s inflation print, which will almost certainly point to upward pressure on the consumer price index. Chairman Powell has also pointed to continued firmness in services inflation excluding housing, a sign that the Fed is drifting back towards a stance of holding rates steady for the foreseeable future.Some might argue that the jobs market should take priority in rate setting, given that the U.S. lost 92,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate edged up to 4.4%. But we think the labor market has softened gradually rather than cracked outright.In our view, the issue is no longer simply when the Fed cuts, but whether it can do so comfortably at all if inflation remains stuck above target and geopolitical risks continue to pressure energy markets.It would take more serious deterioration in the jobs market to move the needle at this stage, in our view.1
Tax Planning for 2026: Get Our Clear, Practical Guide
Tax planning might not be exciting—but the moves you make now can have a real impact on what you keep.
Our free 2026 Tax Planning Guide2 reveals practical strategies that could help you keep more of your money and avoid common (and costly) mistakes before year-end.
Inside, you’ll uncover the key moves and tax opportunities you need to know right now, including:
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As the War Broadens, So Does Its Impact on Energy Markets – With the war in the Middle East about to enter its fourth week, we’re now seeing increased attacks on major oil-and-gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf. Most notably, Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, which is the largest in the world and produces roughly 730 million cubic meters of gas per day. That’s nearly the average daily demand of the entire European Union. Iran then retaliated by striking Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas hub, one of the world’s most important liquefied natural gas export facilities, while also launching missiles toward Saudi Arabia. As many readers know, the conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supply, and some analysts now expect supply disruptions to approach 12 million barrels per day by the end of the week. Even with all this disruption, however, oil prices around $100 to $110 per barrel remain below the inflation-adjusted peaks seen during prior major energy shocks, partly because global inventories entered the conflict at relatively high levels and governments have begun releasing strategic reserves (and also removing sanctions on countries like Russia). That has helped keep the market from pricing in a worst-case scenario at this stage.3
Are Quarterly Earnings Reports About to be a Thing of the Past? The SEC is reportedly preparing a proposal that would make quarterly earnings reporting optional, allowing public companies to report results semiannually instead. The proposal could be released as soon as next month, after which it would enter a public comment period before any final vote.
If adopted, the change would mark a notable shift, as publicly traded companies have reported earnings every three months for more than 50 years. Regular quarterly disclosures have long been viewed as one of the defining features of public-market transparency, and many managers and analysts rely on them to make investment decisions (including Zacks Investment Management, of course). While this may seem like a troubling development that might introduce more opacity to corporate balance sheets, the practical impact may be more limited than it first appears. The proposal would make quarterly reporting optional, not prohibit it, and many companies would likely continue reporting every three months to meet investor expectations. Markets in Europe and the U.K. have already moved away from mandatory quarterly reporting, yet many firms there still provide frequent updates. In our view, this looks more like an incremental policy debate than a major market turning point. While proponents argue it could reduce short-term thinking and encourage more listings, it is far from clear that reporting frequency is the primary reason fewer firms choose to go public, or that changing it would meaningfully reshape investor behavior.4
Your Guide to This Tax Season – Tax season is more than a deadline—it’s an opportunity to review your strategy and identify ways to be more efficient with your finances.
Our free Tax Planning Guide5 breaks down practical, easy-to-follow strategies to help you better understand your options, stay organized, and make informed decisions during tax season. . It also covers a range of key tax issues, such as:
If you have $500,000 or more to invest and want to learn more, click on the link below:
Disclosure