The Grind Continues: A Review of the First Half of 2026 for the Economy and Markets

Another day, another “A”. That was the motto in our household growing up. Despite the cheeky and easy-going feel of the phrase, getting to that result was anything but simple. Getting good grades, even for those who make it seem effortless, requires a lot of hard work behind the scenes. This sentiment is relayed by all those who achieve success from invention: “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it” – Thomas Jefferson; to sport – “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” – coach Tim Notke; and even to country music “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap” – Dolly Parton.

Weekly Market Insights – Monday, June 8, 2026

U.S. stocks declined last week, pressured by rising oil prices that stoked inflation fears and a stronger-than-expected May jobs report that reignited concerns over Federal Reserve interest rate policy.

Excluding Food and Energy (Maybe Not Energy)

The April 2026 Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) reached 3.8%, the highest since May 2023. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure, Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index reached 3.3%, the highest since November 2023. While these readings are certainly lower than the inflation seen during the post-pandemic easy money flood, for Core PCE, they are higher than most readings going back to the first Gulf War.

Weekly Market Insights – Monday, June 1, 2026

May closed on a high note as markets posted record gains during a shortened post-Memorial Day trading week. Easing inflation, falling oil prices, and growing optimism over a potential Middle East peace deal all combined to push stocks to new heights — capping the month with a strong finish across all major indexes.