http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick? The Retired Investor/@theMarket Thu, 07 May 2026 10:18:11 EDT en-us http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4640 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4640 Fri, 01 May 2026 14:11:00 EDT It seems you can't keep a good market down. Oh, the bears tried, but equities managed another up week of record highs even as oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel.   The market's gains were helped by some mega-cap stocks that blew out earnings expectations (two exceptions:... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4639 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4639 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:10:00 EDT Tariff refunds started this week. The first tranche totals $166 billion — the largest repayment program in history. Large corporations and thousands of small businesses will receive some of the money they shelled out in unconstitutional tariffs. However, American consumers will once again... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4638 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4638 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:47:00 EDT Stocks held firm this week. That was quite a feat, given the conflict and shaky ceasefire. Headlines will continue to drive markets, but strong earnings should provide some support.   First-quarter earnings are running at an 80 percent "beat" rate, but guidance matters... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4637 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4637 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:04:00 EDT "In the meantime, our great military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK."  — President Donald Trump, posted on Truth Social, April 8, 2026   America, as the president posted, is back. But the... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4636 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4636 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:05:00 EDT The bulls had their day in the sun this week. In a historic move, equity indexes roared back on a 13-day run that has wiped out all this year's losses and then climbed to new highs.   The move has been straight up since the lows of March 31. It was one of the fastest V-shaped... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4635 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4635 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:20:00 EDT In April, the White House asked Congress for $1.5 trillion more in defense spending for 2027. This is a 40 percent increase over the Pentagon's spending in fiscal year 2026. Half the funding will come from cuts to education, housing, and health programs. Welcome to the war... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4634 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4634 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:59:00 EDT Markets are betting that a ceasefire will hold between the U.S., Iran, and maybe even Israel. They are also gambling that the outcome of this weekend's negotiations between those parties will end with the opening of the Straits of Hormuz.   Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen,... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4633 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4633 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:26:00 EDT By now, everyone understands rising beef prices are a never-ending story. Fewer consumers complain about seafood prices. That may change as sticker shock hits the fish counter.   The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that fish and seafood prices increased by 3.89 percent so... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4632 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4632 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:36:00 EDT Trump's Iran war speech on Wednesday night was not the hit that he hoped it would be. It only lasted 19 minutes, but it was more than enough to send investors' hopes crashing and the price of oil higher by 11 percent. Yet hours later, on Thursday morning, Iran hinted at some progress... http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4631 http://www.iberkshires.com/blogs/Bill_Schmick?bid=4631 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:20:00 EDT Airlines and passengers alike are buffeted by everything from weather to war. Long lines at the security gates, cancelled or delayed flights, war, weather, and the stock market have hurt both commercial carriers and their human cargoes.   March had not been good for either airline...