by Ben Hockema, CFP® | Sep 10, 2026 | Market Updates
Key Observations August was a constructive but uneven month as investors balanced resilient equity returns against renewed pressure in the Treasury market, a more hawkish Federal Reserve tone, and lingering questions around inflation’s path. The Federal Reserve’s...
by Ben Hockema, CFP® | Jul 9, 2026 | Market Updates
Key Observations June offered a constructive test of portfolio diversification. Large cap U.S. stocks and emerging markets softened while small caps, developed market equities, and fixed income produced positive returns. The SpaceX IPO was a pivotal moment for private...
by Ben Hockema, CFP® | Jun 8, 2026 | Market Updates
Key Observations Global equities continued to push higher in May, bolstered by strong Q1 corporate earnings and an acceleration in enthusiasm surrounding AI. Emerging markets led the way, on the back of strong gains in Korea and Taiwan. Equity markets appear...
by Ben Hockema, CFP® | May 13, 2026 | Market Updates
Key Observations Global equities rebounded sharply in April. Strong Q1 corporate earnings, led by mega-cap technology, restored investor confidence after a turbulent start to the year shaped by the conflict with Iran. Diversification beyond U.S. large cap continued to...
by Ben Hockema, CFP® | Apr 17, 2026 | Investing, Market Updates
Transcript Hello, welcome to our April 2026 investment review and outlook. I’m Ben Hockema, founder and lead advisor here at Illuminate. We are recording this on the afternoon of April 16, 2026, so much of this data is based on the first quarter ending March 31. There...
