Praxis Financial Group with Robert Powalski

Wall Street experienced a mixed July as investors navigated corporate earnings, inflation data, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding interest rates.

Markets finished the month on a stronger note after solid earnings from several major technology companies helped improve investor confidence.

For the month, the market’s three major indices performed as follows:

S&P 500: −0.4%
Dow: +0.3%
Nasdaq Composite: −3.7%

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Sources:
h𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴/𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘲-100-𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴-𝘶𝘴-𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴-𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳-𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘰𝘯-𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦-𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴-𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘦-𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦
h𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦/𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬-𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵-𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺

🗓️ With almost 60% of the year in the books, it's time to get organized, get focused, and put your investments and finances in a position to finish the year on a high note. 📈

As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or for a comprehensive review.✏️

June brought encouraging news on inflation, as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis - the largest monthly decline since April 2020. On an annual basis, inflation slowed to 3.5%, down from 4.2% in May and below economists' expectations of 3.8%. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, was unchanged during the month, lowering the 12-month core inflation rate to 2.6%, also better than forecasts.

The decline was driven primarily by a 5.7% drop in energy prices, including more than 9% declines in gasoline and fuel oil, although energy costs remain 15.7% higher than a year ago. Food prices increased a modest 0.2% during the month and are up 3.0% over the past year, while shelter costs rose just 0.1%, signaling some moderation in one of inflation's most persistent categories.

While the report offers welcome evidence that inflation pressures may be easing, Federal Reserve officials continue to emphasize that additional months of favorable data will be needed before considering any change in monetary policy. Markets viewed the report positively, but uncertainty remains, particularly as geopolitical events could push energy prices higher again and reignite inflationary pressures.
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Sources:
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/14/consumer-price-index-inflation-report-june-2026.html
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm

Building the business was the hard part.

Protecting it takes a plan.

If succession isn't mapped out yet, let's start that conversation.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁—𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲.

John Bogle's quote is a powerful reminder that successful investing isn't about predicting every twist and turn in the market. It's about having the courage and conviction to stick with a well-thought-out plan when headlines are positive and when uncertainty creates anxiety.

History has shown that some of the best long-term opportunities often emerge during periods of volatility. Yet those are also the moments when emotions can tempt investors to make short-term decisions that may derail long-term goals.

The investors who tend to achieve the greatest success aren't necessarily the smartest or the most sophisticated—they're often the ones who remain patient, stay focused on their objectives, and continue moving forward regardless of market conditions.

Calm seas don't build experienced sailors, and smooth markets don't build disciplined investors.

One of the biggest mistakes investors make is assuming that what happened recently will continue indefinitely.

When markets are soaring, it's tempting to jump in. When markets decline, fear can make selling feel like the safest choice. Unfortunately, that's often the opposite of what disciplined investing requires.

Long-term investing is built on strategy, diversification, and staying focused on your financial goals—not reacting to today's headlines.

A thoughtful plan can help you avoid emotional decisions and stay on track through changing market conditions.

In this video, Robert Powalski, CFP® talks about what you expect in your initial discovery meeting with him and his firm.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

What you can expect in your initial discovery meeting. In this video, Robert Powalski, CFP® talks about what you expect in...

Many people spend years preparing for retirement but underestimate one of its biggest potential expenses: healthcare.

Planning ahead for healthcare costs—including Medicare, supplemental coverage, and the possibility of long-term care—can play an important role in protecting your retirement savings and preserving financial flexibility.

The earlier these conversations begin, the more options you may have.

A comprehensive retirement plan isn't just about growing assets—it's about preparing for the expenses that matter most.

Robert J. Powalski, CFP®
💼 Managing Partner | Praxis Financial Group
🩺 Financial Adviser to the Medical Society of Erie County
📧 [email protected]
📲 716.817.7117
💻 praxisfinancialgroup.com

The U.S. labor market showed signs of cooling in June, with employers adding 57,000 nonfarm jobs, well below May's downwardly revised 129,000 increase and below economists' expectations. Despite the slower pace of hiring, the unemployment rate held relatively steady at 4.2%, while the labor force participation rate declined to 61.5%, its lowest level since March 2021.

Job gains were led by professional and business services (+36,000), social assistance (+25,000), and health care (+22,000). Meanwhile, the leisure and hospitality sector lost 61,000 jobs, reflecting weaker-than-usual seasonal hiring. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% in June and were up 3.5% from a year earlier, suggesting wage growth remains stable even as overall hiring has slowed.

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Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/02/jobs-report-june-2026-.html

Strong financial plans aren’t built from the top down—they’re built from the foundation up.

Before focusing on wealth accumulation, legacy planning, or business succession, it’s important to establish a solid base: protecting your income, assets, family, and future goals.

Each level of planning builds on the one below it, creating a framework that can adapt as life changes.

W𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺?