Justine D. Hughes, CFP, Chfc, CPFA

11/03/2026

This Monthly Recap summarizes market performance, major events, and news from October 2026. Read more here:

October was volatile for equities. Both the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 reached new all-time highs but closing the month well below their…

11/03/2026

💳 Carrying a credit card balance is becoming more common among Gen Z, even as other generations are moving in the opposite direction.

A Deloitte and ConsumerSignals survey found that the share of adults ages 18 to 29 carrying a balance from month to month rose more than 19% between late 2023 and mid-2026. Over that same period, the share declined among every other adult generation.

And with average credit card interest rates around 21% in August, those balances can become expensive.

For younger adults juggling housing costs, student loans, and everyday expenses, there's another challenge: deciding how to balance paying off debt with saving for the future.

High-interest debt can make it harder to build emergency savings or contribute toward long-term goals. But factors such as interest rates, available savings, and workplace retirement benefits can all influence which financial priorities deserve attention.

The important takeaway? A credit card balance isn't just about what you owe today. It's also about how interest may affect what you have available tomorrow.



Source:

Deloitte finds the share of Gen Z borrowers carrying credit card balances rose nearly 20% from Q3 2023 to Q2 2026.

11/02/2026

Last week’s sell-off raised new questions about the market outlook. This week on , Brian Klimke breaks down what drove the weakness in tech stocks, why investors are focused on earnings guidance over headline results, and how key economic data, geopolitics, and the midterm elections could shape markets in the days ahead.

“Cetera Financial Group” refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. All firms...

11/02/2026

Caring for someone you love is one of the most generous things a person can do.

It's also one of the most financially complex.

Caregivers often have to manage out-of-pocket costs and long stretches away from the workforce. In some cases, that can lead to reduced income. Those gaps can add up over time and add stress to an already difficult situation.

If you or someone close to you is in a caregiver role, it's never too late to create a strategy.

10/30/2026

🛍️ What if you and another shopper paid different prices for the exact same groceries?

AI could make that scenario more common.

Retailers are exploring personalized pricing, which may use data such as browsing habits, ZIP codes, and purchasing behavior to determine what individual shoppers are willing to pay.

In one Instacart pricing experiment, researchers found that identical grocery baskets cost some shoppers up to 23% more than others. Instacart disputed aspects of those findings and later ended the experiment.

As AI becomes more involved in retail, it raises an interesting question: Will the price you see depend on who's shopping? 🤖



Source:

Retailers want to harness the power of artificial intelligence to set personalized prices for shoppers, a consumer protection expert says.

10/29/2026

Why So Bearish?

10/28/2026

The Big Mac Index turns forty this year. Forty years old and still fun to explain at parties. Check out what this classic burger can tell us about the purchasing power of our dollar.

10/27/2026

🤖 An AI assistant that handles your emails and pays your bills? That sounds pretty convenient.

But how much access are you comfortable giving it?

Personal AI agents are designed to handle tasks on your behalf, sometimes using sensitive information like banking details and email accounts. And while they may save time, some cybersecurity professionals warn that granting them too much access carries risks.

One concern is something called prompt injection, where malicious instructions hidden in a website or email could trick an AI agent into doing something you never authorized.

🔐 A couple of questions worth asking before giving an AI agent access to sensitive information:
▪️What information does it need? Researching products doesn’t necessarily require access to your accounts.
▪️Can it make purchases? There’s a difference between comparing prices and authorizing transactions.

Convenience and privacy don’t always go hand in hand. Reviewing what an agent has done on your behalf may help spot actions you never intended.



Source:

The more access you give personal AI agents, the more capable they can be. But should you trust them?

10/26/2026

Who you gonna call? This week, CIO Gene Goldman is joined by two very special guests as he suits up for Halloween with his baby twins in a Ghostbusters-inspired edition of .
Beyond the costumes, Gene breaks down the biggest event on investors’ radar: the upcoming Fed meeting. Will policymakers hold rates steady, signal a December hike, or surprise markets? Tune in as he explores inflation trends, Fed messaging, and the key signals investors should be watching this week.

“Cetera Financial Group” refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), and Cetera Financial Specialists LLC. All firms...

10/26/2026

🎃 Filling the candy bowl is costing more this year.

Candy and chewing gum prices have climbed 8.1% over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chocolate prices are up, too, though estimates vary by source. 🍫

But higher prices aren’t necessarily keeping Americans out of the candy aisle.

The National Retail Federation expects Halloween spending to reach $13.5 billion this year, with 96% of Halloween shoppers expecting to buy sweets.

For many households, the holiday is one of those small traditions worth making room for, even when everyday expenses are taking a bigger bite out of their budgets.

Whether you’re picking up candy for trick-or-treaters or sneaking a few pieces for yourself, what’s the one Halloween candy you can’t resist? 🍬👻



Source:

Average prices for chewing gum and candy have soared 8.1% over the last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.