Talbot Financial Designs

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Talbot Financial Designs

Eliminate the confusion in your financial world and create your own Finanacial Journey

Robert Talbot is a Registered Investment Advisor and Fiduciary registered in the state of Iowa.

10/14/2026

U.S. stock markets remain near record highs as investors monitor corporate earnings, inflation, and interest rates. While many companies continue to report solid financial results, concerns about rising energy prices and persistent inflation are creating some market uncertainty.

The Federal Reserve is currently holding its benchmark interest rate at 3.75%–4.00%, with upcoming inflation reports expected to influence future decisions. Higher borrowing costs continue to affect mortgages, consumer spending, and businesses.

What This Means for Investors: Despite short-term market fluctuations, maintaining a diversified portfolio and focusing on long-term financial goals remain important strategies for navigating changing economic conditions.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

10/07/2026

U.S. markets are showing continued strength, with the S&P 500 reaching a new record high this week as investors remain optimistic about corporate earnings and continued investment in artificial intelligence. The Dow and Nasdaq also advanced, although elevated interest rates and energy prices remain important risks for investors.

Meanwhile, recent labor data showed U.S. employers added fewer jobs than expected in September, reducing expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates again at its October meeting. Investors will be watching upcoming Fed communications, inflation trends, and corporate earnings for clues about the direction of markets through the remainder of 2026.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

09/24/2026

Market Outlook:

It was another mixed week for US equities. The Nasdaq led to the upside, gaining 0.73%, while the Dow Jones declined 1.65%. The S&P 500 ended the week relatively flat, dropping 0.06%.US Small-cap stocks (Russell 2000) continued to struggle, falling another 1.47% last week.

Growth stocks outperformed value stocks by a wide margin. The Russell 1000 Growth Index gained 0.94%, while the Russell 1000 Value Index declined 1.09%.

Treasury yields moved higher across the curve last week following the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate hike. The two-year Treasury yield rose to 4.76%, up from 4.63% the previous week, while the 10-year Treasury yield edged higher to 5.01%. Higher yields weighed slightly on bonds, with the US Aggregate Bond Index (AGG) declining 0.03% for the week.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Robert C. Talbot, MA

06/10/2026

Trump Accounts app launches in the US; parents and guardians of US children born between 2025 and 2028 can register their kids for the 530A, tax-preferred investment accounts seeded with $1K each (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-accounts-app-launch-today-savings/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c9625d78644b3ac70a65)

How to register (https://finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/investing/article/trump-accounts-app-is-live-how-to-sign-up-and-get-started-160529269.html?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c9625d78644b3ac70a65)

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

05/21/2026

Exciting Family News from Talbot Financial Designs

Many of you have had the opportunity to work with Holly over the years. I wanted to share some exciting personal news with you: Holly had her baby last week, May 13th!

For those who may not already know, Holly is my daughter, and this will be her and Kevin’s first baby. Mom and Dad had chosen to be surprised, so we were all excited to learn that it was a baby girl, Kenna Joelle.

We appreciate your patience, prayers, and understanding during this very special time for our family.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

05/06/2026

Tech Stocks In The News:

AMZN (Amazon-owned in the G33 & Core Select) delivered a strong beat, with AWS growing 28% — its fastest pace in over three years. Shares rose 2.73% for the week.

AAPL (Apple-owned in the G33 & Core Select) also exceeded expectations,driven by solid iPhone demand and continued strength in China. The company recently announced a CEO transition from Tim Cook to John Ternus in September 2026. Shares gained 4.68%.

META (Meta-owned in the G33 & Core Select) reported better-than-expected
earnings, but reported their first user decline and raised Capex estimates by
another $10B (now $125–$145B), sending shares 10.30% lower.

MSFT (Microsoft-owned in the G50, G33 & Core Select) posted strong results led by Azure growth, but softer guidance on revenue and margins, alongside higher capex, weighed on sentiment. Shares fell 2.44% for the week.

GOOG (Google-owned in the G50, G33 & Core Select) stood out as the top
performer, with revenue up 22%, Google Cloud surging 63%, and backlog
nearly doubling. Shares gained 9.96%.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

04/21/2026

The Week in Review:

Major US indexes extended their rally for another week, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching new all-time-highs. The Nasdaq surged 6.84%, followed by the S&P 500, up 4.55%, and the Dow Jones, which gained 3.19%. Small cap stocks also surged, with the Russell 2000 up 5.57% — also reaching a new all-time-high. Growth stocks (Russell 1000 Growth) outperformed value stocks (Russell 1000 Value), gaining 6.72% and 2.41% respectively.

In fixed income, bond yields fell, pushing prices higher. The US Aggregate Bond index yield fell to 4.45%, resulting in a 0.55% gain for the week.

Meanwhile, oil prices pulled back notably last week as shipping disruptions eased in the Middle East. US crude traded at around $83 per barrel on Friday, down from $96 a week earlier.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

04/14/2026

Market Outlook:

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in higher-than-expected, with headline inflation rising 0.9% month-over-month, marking the largest increase in four years, driven largely by a 21% increase in gas prices. This pushed year-over-year CPI to 3.3%. Economists expect further inflationary pressures in the near future, as higher energy costs begin to filter into a broader range of goods and services beyond gasoline.

Elevated inflation also weighed on US consumer sentiment. The University of
Michigan's consumer sentiment survey, released Friday, showed the weakest
reading in its more than 70 year history, with consumers increasingly concerned about rising energy costs.

Looking ahead, first-quarter earnings season kicks off this week, led by major
banks. Analysts are expecting S&P 500 companies to report double-digit earnings growth for the sixth consecutive quarter, although growth expectations have moderated slightly. As of Friday, analysts surveyed by FactSet were forecasting an average earnings growth rate of around 12.6%. Just a couple of weeks earlier, earnings were expected to rise 13.2%.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

04/07/2026

The Week in Review:

Major US indexes rebounded during last week's holiday-shortened trading week, snapping a five week losing streak. The Nasdaq led gains with 4.46%, followed by the S&P 500, which rose 3.38%, while the Dow Jones was up 2.98%. International markets also showed signs of recovery, with international developed equities posting a gain of 3.08% and emerging markets rising a more modest 0.34%.

Despite last week’s rebound, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq declined for a second consecutive month. For the first quarter of 2026, all three major US indexes recorded their largest quarterly losses in nearly four years.

Meanwhile, oil prices spiked again as the ongoing Middle East conflict refueled concerns about a prolonged interruption of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. US crude oil prices traded around $112 per barrel last week — the highest since mid-2022.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

03/31/2026

The Week in Review:

It was another challenging week for US equity markets, as ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment. The Nasdaq declined 3.22%, followed by the S&P 500, which fell 2.10%, while the Dow Jones was down 0.90%. Both the Nasdaq and the Dow Jones entered correction territory last week, each falling more than 10% from their most recent record highs. International markets were mixed, with international developed equities posted a modest gain of 0.09%, while emerging markets declined 1.73%.

With the first quarter of 2026 now behind us, market behavior closely resembled the volatility experienced in the first quarter of 2025, characterized by sharp price swings. This year, geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has been the primary driver of uncertainty, whereas tariff-related concerns fueled volatility during the same period last year. Despite different catalysts, both environments raised similar concerns around potential inflationary pressures and slowing economic growth.

Looking ahead, US and most international markets will be closed on Friday, April 3 in observance of Good Friday.

You can use this link to set up a meeting (https://calendly.com/talbotfd/60min) or text me (515-575-9282) to set up a time to talk.

Rob

Address

35 S Tennessee Avenue
Mason City, IA
50401

Website

http://WWW.TalbotFD.com/

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