U.S. equities managed to eke out small gains last week despite some mid-week turbulence as expectations for near-term economic growth have moderated a bit, in part due to continued labor shortages and supply chain bottlenecks, alongside concerns on new Covid-19 variants.

The market has recorded a strong run in 2021, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq up 14.41%, 12.73%, and 12.54% year to date (as of 6/30/21) respectfully. The S&P 500 registered its fifth straight month of gains. The Nasdaq posted its seventh positive month in the last eight, and while the Dow was red for June, it had previously notched a four-month high.

What do you feel when you hear the word retirement — joy or panic? Your reaction may depend on several factors such as how close you are to retirement, how well you’ve prepared and what you plan on doing during retirement.

The S&P 500 closed the week at another record, posting its best weekly performance since February, as investors believe that higher inflation will be temporary as the economy continues to move out of the pandemic. Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell, eased concerns about rate tightening anytime soon, but the shallow breadth of this week's stock market rally has some observers worrying that the run higher is looking a bit tired.

Equity gives you the power to tap into the sizable investment you made when buying your home and the thousands of dollars you’ve put toward mortgage payments. If you’re a homeowner in need of cash, borrowing against your home equity certainly offers a variety of lending options. But how do you know which one to choose?