What a month May turned out to be! After a rocky start to the year, Wall Street delivered its strongest monthly rally in a year and a half, with the S&P 500 posting its best May since 1990—a gain of more than 6%. The Dow Jones Industrials climbed 4%, and the Nasdaq soared, up 10% for the month, driven by a tech resurgence led by the artificial intelligence industry. Nvidia was the standout, jumping over 23% in May after a blockbuster earnings report and continued optimism around AI.

Last week, global equity markets faced renewed volatility and a distinct shift in sentiment. U.S. stocks led the retreat, with the S&P 500 down 2.6%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average off 2.5%, and the Nasdaq falling 2.5%. Small- and mid-cap stocks fared even worse, reflecting broad-based risk aversion. Yet, the S&P 500 now sits just 5.6% below its all-time high set only three months ago. Are we going higher from here? Will you be on board if we do? Tune as Charles Brown, III, Portfolio Manager with CB3 Financial will give you some comfort in these emotional times as an investor.

Last week, U.S. S&P 500 stocks surged 5%, even as Moody’s downgraded U.S. debt. The market shrugged off the news, the same news which had raised questions about market resilience and fiscal stability. We break down the rally, update the inflation trends, and preview this week’s crucial economic data that could shape market direction. Tune in for this timely insight with Charles Brown on CB3's Market Update.

Charles Brown (CB3) provides a clear, investor-focused explanation of how tariffs work and their impact on markets and portfolios. According to CB3, tariffs are government-imposed taxes on imported goods, which are intended to make foreign products more expensive and thereby encourage consumers to buy domestic alternatives. However, CB3 emphasizes that the real-world effects are more complex. When tariffs are introduced-such as those recently enacted by the Trump administration-they can trigger sharp volatility in the stock market, as seen in early 2025. You will understand this better after listening!

The week ending May 10, 2025, was marked by cautious trading, tariff headlines, and central bank watchfulness. Investors weighed fresh trade developments and awaited additional key economic data. The major U.S. equity indices ended the week slightly lower, except for the Russell 2000, which broke recent winning streaks and reflected a market searching for direction amid persistent policy and geopolitical uncertainty. What is ahead for our -- and your -- portfolios? Will the tariff negotiations in Europe give some underpinning to the markets? Listen as CB3 Financial Portfolio Manager leads you through last week's highlights and assesses the opportunities in the week ahead.

In this APR/MAY Monthly update, Charles Brown (aka CB3) recaps the sharp volatility triggered by sweeping US tariffs, with the S&P 500 and Dow posting their third straight monthly declines, despite a late-month recovery, as the Nasdaq eked out a small gain. We break down the key drivers: trade policy uncertainty, a surprise GDP contraction, and S&P 500 sector swings. Then CB3 previews the challenges ahead for May, including persistent inflation, cautious Fed policy, and ongoing global trade tensions. All these are likely to keep markets on edge. Tune in for insights on navigating heightened volatility and what to watch as investors brace for another unpredictable month.

I’m traveling between Baltimore, Virginia and New York City today, but I wanted to give you an update on what I’m seeing from early strength in the S&P turning to midday weakness in all the market indices. I’ll have more of an update later this week.

With the S&P 500 continuing to roll on China Tariffs, CG & GI are holding their own, with GI actually beating the S&P 500 by more than 4%.

I'll tell you what I see for the week ahead with all the upcoming earnings. This a time to hold on while the markets awaits US/China tariff resolution.