In today\u2019s Steady Investor, we look at key factors that we believe are currently impacting the market and what could be next for the markets such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Travel is More Expensive, But U.S. Consumers are Doing it Anyway \u2013 <\/strong>Airline tickets experienced a price surge earlier in the spring, on the heels of rising oil and jet fuel prices. That saw ticket prices jump by 25% from the beginning of the year through May, far outpacing broad inflation. But then came June and July, with airline prices falling back just as consumers were eager to travel for the summer season. Ticket prices are still elevated, but that did not stop U.S. consumers from going forward with travel plans. This Labor Day, travel volume for a holiday weekend exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time, with the TSA reporting that 8.76 million travelers went through checkpoints over the holiday weekend. For Labor Day 2019, there were 8.62 million travelers. Consumers\u2019 enthusiasm for travel comes even amidst increasing stories of flight delays, cancellations, and lost luggage. Fortunately, airlines had a smoother weekend \u2013 data showed that only 0.6% of flights over the weekend were cancelled, and just 16.6% were delayed.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n ______________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are You Protecting Your Retirement Investments?<\/a><\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n Making sure your retirement investments are protected is top of mind for many investors today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine working hard to build up your retirement, just to have events cause a stock market suddenly plunge and wipe out half of your portfolio. This is why it\u2019s important to have an effective strategy in place to account for the market\u2019s ups and downs. Our free guide, How Solid Is Your Retirement Strategy? can <\/em>help you build a retirement strategy that takes the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This guide also offers our views on some key retirement investment strategies that may help you preserve your financial security in retirement, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have $500,000 or more to invest, get our free guide by clicking on the link below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get our FREE guide: How Solid Is Your Retirement Strategy?<\/u><\/a><\/strong>2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n __________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n A New Buzzword in U.S. Labor Markets: \u201cQuiet Quitters\u201d \u2013 <\/strong>The U.S. jobs market is historically strong, with about two open jobs for every unemployed American and wages steadily on the rise. But that doesn\u2019t mean U.S. workers are happy about it. Research by Gallup shows that a historically high number of U.S. workers are either actively disengaged from work or doing the minimum amount required to stay employed, a trend referred to as \u201cquiet quitting.\u201d According to Gallup\u2019s research, about 50% of the U.S. workforce is made up of quiet quitters, with people who are \u201cpsychologically detached\u201d from their work and simply collecting paychecks and perhaps pondering a different career. Only about one-third of respondents in Gallup\u2019s poll said they were engaged in their work and enjoyed what they do, which should alert bosses around America \u2013 especially those desperate to keep workers.3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Is the U.S. Services Sector Expanding or Contracting? Depends on Who You Ask \u2013 <\/strong>The services sector in the U.S. makes up a lion\u2019s share of the economy, far more so than manufacturing. It follows that activity in the services sector is key to monitor, as it often determines whether the broad economy is in expansion or contraction mode. That\u2019s why the conflicting readings for the U.S. services sector in August has not only been a head-scratcher, it\u2019s also emblematic of how difficult it is to get a clear read on the U.S. economy. According to the Institute for Supply Management, the services sector grew at a faster pace in August compared to July, with a reading of 56.9 versus 56.7, respectively. The data firm S&P Global offered a different take, stating that the services sector actually contracted in August due to falling demand. Their Services PMI Business Activity Index showed a 43.7 print for August, down from 47.3 in July and marking the fastest deceleration since May 2020. The two surveys use different methodologies and survey different businesses, so there is not necessarily one print that should be emphasized over the other. The takeaway here may ultimately be that the U.S. economy is stalling, not necessarily fully in contraction or expansion mode.4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n How to Protect Your Retirement from Market Volatility?<\/strong> While there is no way to prevent market volatility, there is a way to protect your retirement assets through market ups and downs. We recommend finding a retirement strategy that takes the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d into account. Our free guide can help you to prepare for what\u2019s to come as you plan your ultimate retirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n