• The Trend in Wage Growth and Spending - The country’s unemployment rate has leveled off and Americans have shown remarkable resilience in the face of high unemployment numbers.

• Mortgage Rates are the Lowest in Years - For individuals and families who are looking to buy a new home, interest rates are low and expected to potentially go lower.

• Where are Oil Prices Headed? - Decades ago no American would have believed that the price of a barrel of oil would drive a wedge between OPEC oil producing nations.

• Payroll Protection Program Gets Necessary Adjustments - Businesses that have secured a Payroll Protection Program loan from Uncle Sam may be looking at legislation to ease the requirements for loan forgiveness.

• What’s Ahead for Treatment or Cure of Coronavirus? - Americans are eager for one of the many drug companies to develop a vaccine for the Coronavirus.

• The Fed’s Latest Cash Infusion - The future of the US Economy has been bolstered by the efforts of the Federal Reserve Bank to smooth-out the disruptions caused by the Coronavirus.

• Here are Important Social Security Changes for 2020 - For today’s retired Americans, it frequently represents a healthy amount of their monthly income.

• Did the SECURE Act Kill the Stretch IRA? - Individuals who have successfully used IRA’s as an estate tax planning tool may be trying to find new ways to leave assets to named beneficiaries in a way that minimizes the long-term effects of the estate tax.

• Warren Buffett has Sold Berkshire Hathaway’s Position in Airline Stocks - The Oracle of Omaha doesn’t always get it right (but so far his track record has been mighty impressive!)

• The Real Estate Front - The Coronavirus pandemic has dramatically affected the housing market.

• Understanding the Impact of Inflation - When governments, for whatever reasons, inject huge sums of currency into an economy, repercussions will be felt at some point in the future.

• The UK is Recognizing the Benefits of Trading with the US - With the world currently reeling from the economic slowdown essentially caused by Covid-19, our friends in the UK are seeking to step up trade talks.

• Potential Rate Cuts Coming - In response to the coronavirus scare, there’s a chance that the Fed could take policy back to where it was during the financial crisis of 2008.

• Britain’s Mandate for Trade Talks - Britain unveiled its mandate for trade talks with the U.S., with Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowing to drive a hard bargain in negotiations.

• Stock Market Plummets - U.S. stocks fell as fears escalated over the fast-spreading coronavirus, with Wall Street capping its worst week since the global financial crisis of 2008.

• Continued Gains in Consumer Spending - The U.S. economy grew 2.1% in Q4 of 2019, closing out a year in which GDP decelerated to its slowest pace in three years.

• Chinese Shares Drop amid Coronavirus - Stock markets in China fell as traders rushed to sell amid continued fears about the impact on the global economy of the coronavirus epidemic.

• Oil Prices Fall - Oil prices fell because of the concern over demand in China after the coronavirus epidemic.

At the end of March, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the Fed's low interest rate policy is likely to remain in place a while longer to combat lingering problems in the labor market. The jobs market has been strengthening in recent months, but the unemployment rate is still high and may not fall much lower without stronger, sustainable economic growth.

Large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks enjoyed a robust quarter with returns in excess of 12%, and growth stocks outperformed value stocks across all market capitalizations. In the large-cap universe, as measured by the S&P 500, all sectors, save utilities, advanced, led by financials and information technology with returns higher than 20%.

Stocks moved higher as good earnings reports prevailed over investors' persistent worries about the European debt crisis, as well as some data suggesting a slowdown in the U.S. economic recovery. Markets started the week on a down note in reaction to a steep drop in European stocks...

The S&P 500 Index turned in its best quarterly performance since the third quarter of 2009 as the eurozone backed away from the point of collapse, the U.S. economy showed continued signs of life, and central banks pledged to step in and support global economic growth. Investors diverted assets from relatively safe but low-yielding bonds into riskier investments following last year's turmoil. Strong corporate earnings reports also bolstered U.S. equity returns.

At the end of March, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the Fed's low interest rate policy is likely to remain in place a while longer to combat lingering problems in the labor market. The jobs market has been strengthening in recent months, but the unemployment rate is still high, and it may not fall much lower without stronger, sustainable economic growth.

Despite stumbling near the end of the month, major U.S. stock indexes rose in March, adding to the gains of the first two months of 2012. The S&P 500 Index reached the 1,400 mark for the first time since May 2008, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed to its best level since the beginning of the financial crisis.