While the stock market narrative may sound familiar—U.S. equities navigating waves of volatility on the way to new highs—the environment certainly was not. We examine four catalysts that held sway over performance and what lies ahead for investors.

The longstanding inverse relationship between gold and real interest rates seems to have broken down, suggesting new forces—central bank buying, geopolitical uncertainty, and portfolio diversification—have a larger role in driving demand.

Worried about outliving your savings? Learn how annuities can provide guaranteed income and stability in your wealth plan

Lifetime gifting can be a useful wealth transfer strategy to mitigate taxes and help heirs.

Inflation remains calm in 2025, but tariff-related price hike concerns have kept the Fed sidelined. We look at the Fed’s commentary, the impact of market forces and political pressure on yields, and the probability of rate cuts before year’s end.