As we welcome October and patiently wait for the cooler temperatures that come with the fall season, it’s a good time to pause, reflect and look ahead.

The past several weeks brought plenty for investors to digest - from shifting expectations around interest rates and inflation to continued questions about the strength of the economy and what they could mean for markets and portfolios.

While headlines can change quickly, our focus remains steady: keeping perspective, staying aligned with your long-term goals, and making thoughtful decisions rather than reacting to short-term noise.

Looking ahead, we will be watching several important developments, including the Federal Reserve’s next steps on interest rates, inflation and employment data, the health of the economy, and what the upcoming earnings season may tell us about businesses and consumers. Another topic on everyone’s mind right now is the evolving political landscape as the 2026 midterm elections draw closer. While elections can create periods of uncertainty and market volatility, history reminds us that long-term investment decisions are best grounded in fundamentals and financial goals—not headlines or election-year noise.

As always, please feel free to reach out to the Purus team with any questions or concerns. We would love to hear from you!

"If you told me a year ago that the United States would be waging an intractable war in the Middle East, oil prices would rise to more than $100 a barrel, interest rates would be moving sharply higher, and inflation would be running well above 3%, my forecast for the U.S. economy would be gloomy to say  the least."

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"The U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to raise interests rates by a quarter percentage point this week marks a significant shift in monetary policy as the central bank seeks to dampen war-induced inflationary pressures. Although its the first time the Fed has hiked rates since July 2023, in some respects it represents a return to normal after many years of artificially low borrowing costs. To put the Fed's move into perspective, three Capital Group investment professionals offer their assessment of the current rate environment and its potential impact on the economy and markets."

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"It wasn’t that long ago that Kevin Warsh’s leading critics were saying his biggest problem was that he wasn’t 'independent' from President Trump, that if Trump told him to “jump” he’d ask 'how high?' Or, in this particular situation, “how low should interest rates go?'"

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October is National Financial Planning Month, serving as an annual reminder to review your budget, maximize retirement accounts, and map out your year-end financial goals.

One of the ways we can help prepare for whatever the future might hold is by utilizing our comprehensive CLEAR Advice Loop financial planning process.  We feel very strongly that a well-built and regularly reviewed plan is one of the best investments of time you can make. This process takes you and your Purus team through both the financial and non-financial factors that play a role throughout your life. It has been our experience that our clients who have taken the time to go through this process seem to approach big transitions in life (new babies, new employment, moving, retirement, etc.) with more confidence than those who don’t. We believe this is because a good financial plan can convert what is traditionally a very uncertain future into a map for a more foreseeable road to success.

Check out the CLEAR Advice Loop educational piece in the link below for an in-depth description of our Purus financial planning experience. If you want more information on the process, or if you have any other questions, please reach out to your Purus Advisor.

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As the year comes to a close, it's the perfect time to ensure you're still on track toward achieving your financial goals. It's amazing how quickly the year can fly by, but there is still plenty of time to make meaningful progress. To help you stay on course, click the link below to access your Purus 2026 Year-End Checklist.