Equities posted strong gains in the month of August. This reflected investor enthusiasm around artificial intelligence. The “Magnificent Seven” demonstrated growth as it gained 4.4% while the Nasdaq -100 equal weight index rose 4.1% suggesting that gains were not limited to just the largest companies.1 If you zoom out, to look at the broader economy, the picture looked mixed. Market growth was effectively offset by persistent inflation and uncertain monetary policy.
The Federal Reserve held the federal funds target range at 3.50% – 2.75%.2 Inflation Data showed CPI at 3.5% and core CPI at 2.6% year-over-year, reinforcing the view that price pressures remain above target.3 As for fixed income markets, they remained under pressure in the month of August.
Source: Symmetry Markets and Factors Report August 2026. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
1The Market Intelligence Desk Team. (2026). Nasdaq. Nasdaq. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/august-2026-review-and-outlook
2Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement. (2026). Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20260729a.htm?utm
3Consumer Price Index News Release – 2026 M07 Results. (2026). Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/cpi_08122026.htm?utm
Articles of Interest
Personalized Direct Investing
Many high-net-worth individuals, and their families, have specific requirements, tax considerations, and investment preferences, that cannot always be addressed by conventional investment options. Click the link below and learn more about personalized investing.
Planning for the Upcoming Holiday Season
The “-ber months” have finally arrived. That can mean only one thing – the onset of the holiday season. As you well know, these months come with steep financial expense. Please do not despair. We’ve provided this helpful guide, courtesy of Northwest Mutual®, to help establish a budget for your upcoming festivities. Here are 6 Tips to Stay on Budget and Avoid Financial Stress.
Advisory services offered through KCPAG Financial Advisors LLC and insurance services offered through KCPAG Insurance Services LLC, subsidiaries of Kemper Capital Management LLC. Tax services offered through Kemper CPA Group LLP.
Symmetry Partners, LLC is an investment advisory firm registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, excluded, or exempt from registration requirements. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the SEC.
No one should assume that future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, product, or non-investment-related content made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. You should not assume any discussion or information contained in this email serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice. Symmetry does not provide tax or legal advice and nothing either stated or implied here should be inferred as providing such advice. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions.
Diversification seeks to improve performance by spreading your investment dollars into various asset classes to add balance to your portfolio. Using this methodology, however, does not guarantee a profit or protection from loss in a declining market. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
