A Government Shutdown Doesn’t Mean a Market Meltdown
This past week, funding for the US government expired at midnight on September 30. With Republicans and Democrats dug in, no deal was reached to pass a temporary spending bill and avert a shutdown. As a result, the government was suspended for the 15th time since 1981, halting scientific research, financial oversight, environmental cleanup, and a wide range of other services. About 750,000 federal workers were ordered to stay home, while others – including the armed forces and Border Patrol agents – continued working without pay (they’ll be paid retroactively once operations resume). A shutdown usually doesn’t send markets into free fall, but it does tend to stir up volatility on both sides of the border. So, let’s take a look at what a US government shutdown actually is and what it means for us investors.
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Weekly Update for the week ending September 19, 2025
Decisions, Decisions
This week, all eyes were on the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Bank of Canada (BoC) as both central banks faced the same question: should they finally ease up on high interest rates? With inflation cooling, jobless claims ticking higher, and consumers growing cautious, markets were betting heavily on cuts – and both banks delivered. For the Fed, it was the first cut since December 2024, while the BoC hadn’t lowered its benchmark rate since March 2025.
What Happens When Central Banks Cut Rates?
When central banks cut rates, it’s like turning down the interest on your credit card or mortgage – borrowing gets cheaper, and spending gets easier. But depending on whether it’s the BoC, the Fed, or both, the ripple effects for us investors can look a little different.
Weekly Update for the week ending September 12, 2025
How Jobs and Prices Drive Rate Cuts
Recently the US labour market has been flashing signs of weakness, and this week’s revisions pushed job numbers even lower. That matters because the strength of the labour market often sets the tone for the economy – more jobs usually mean more spending, while slower job growth suggests things may be cooling. Against that backdrop, attention this past week turned to two key inflation reports: the Producer Price Index (PPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Weekly Update for the week ending September 5, 2025
September Slump: Will This Year Be Different?
September has a bit of a bad reputation on Wall Street. Historically, it’s the weakest month for stocks – a pattern often called the “September Effect.” Unlike other market drops tied to clear events, this is more of a seasonal trend. Some say investors pull back after the summer rally to lock in profits. Others point to mutual funds and big institutions rebalancing portfolios ahead of year-end, which adds selling pressure. Add in traders returning from summer holidays with a cautious outlook, and September has often leaned negative.
History has delivered some painful reminders. In 2008, during the financial crisis, the S&P 500 plunged nearly 9% in a single September. In 2001, the 9/11 attacks triggered a steep selloff. More recently, in 2022, the index slid almost 10% as rising interest rates rattled investors.
So, what could make this September another challenging month?
Weekly Update for the week ending August 29, 2025
Small Caps, Big Potential: How Tiny Stocks Can Supercharge Your Portfolio
Small-cap stocks have been making waves recently, catching the attention of investors looking for the next big opportunity. So, what exactly are small caps?
Weekly Update for the week ending August 22, 2025
Bigger Slices of the Pie: Understanding Share Buybacks
While going through the latest batch of quarterly reports, I noticed quite a few companies announcing share buyback programs. If you’re new to investing, that might not sound like much, but buybacks can actually be a very shareholder-friendly move. So this week, let’s talk about what they are and how they can benefit us as investors.