Hello friends!

We hope everyone is heading into the Fourth of July weekend with fun and relaxation on the schedule. Our office will be closed on July 5, the federal holiday in observance of Independence Day.

This week, we’ll talk about how the market is up and why that might be. We’ll also hear from two of our staff members about what they’ve been doing lately.

First, the stock market has been rallying lately, with a bit of a shakeup this week. Overall, though, many industries are trending in the right direction. Gene editing stocks, in particular, are soaring right now, with potential breakthroughs in technology on the immediate horizon. Plus, the big tech bull run shows no signs of slowing down, despite concerns earlier this year around that sector lagging.

When we consider that housing and car prices are through the roof right now (remember–don’t buy a house or a car unless you absolutely have to!), it seems that we have a few good indicators that the economy is doing well.

Speaking of doing well, let’s check in with two of our team members. First, we’ll hear from financial planning assistant Michael Ambrogio:

What did you take away from the whole 2020 experience?

One thing I noticed in 2020 is that technology made a huge leap forward, especially in that most of us were able to work from home, which was never even a thought before the pandemic for most companies. The downside is the toll it has taken on families and the people who lost their lives and on the children who can’t go to school and learn the way they are used to. I know for me personally, I got outside a lot more and enjoyed hiking and will continue to do so.

What are you looking forward to now that things are getting back to normal?

I am looking forward to sitting down and eating in a restaurant this summer and attempting to travel on a plane in late summer. I have my plane ticket to go back home to Michigan in September, where I can finally see my parents after almost two and a half years. At the end of the day, I think normal will never look the way it used to be, but who knows? Only time will tell.

Next, we caught up with executive assistant Amy Holt:

What did you take away from the whole 2020 experience?

I learned two things during 2020: First, I learned my experience as an introvert from Generation X (both categories thrive on time alone) translated into a good experience for stay-at-home and social distancing requirements. I didn’t suffer as much from the social isolation as others. Second, always have an escape plan! I was living in the UK for a year when the pandemic started. When Europe started locking down, I had to scramble to get back to the States. Thanks to a friend at American Air, I was on a flight from Manchester when the president announced the U.S. was banning flights from the UK and Ireland.

What are you looking forward to now that things are getting back to normal?

Travel! It will be fantastic to continue checking off my wish list of destinations. Next stop: island hopping in Greece!

That’ll do it for us this week. Have a wonderful Fourth of July!

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.  Securities offered through Triad Advisors, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, LLC. Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, LLC, and Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, Inc, are not affiliated with Triad Advisors.