How does the most recent economic data impact you?

• This week’s inflation data showed that overall price increases remain firmly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to put upward pressure on energy prices. With labor remaining resilient and inflation elevated, the case for a rate hike at the upcoming meeting has strengthened as the Fed looks to bring inflation back toward its target.
• Consumer sentiment has trended lower over the past two months as the conflict in the Middle East shows few signs of easing. Energy prices have surged, with oil climbing above $100 per barrel, adding pressure on consumers and contributing to inflation concerns. The combination of higher energy costs and greater uncertainty about future business conditions is weighing on consumers’ economic outlook.

A LOOK FORWARD¹

• All eyes will be on the Federal Reserve this week, as investors await the central bank’s interest rate decision. We will also get an updated look at consumer health with the release of retail sales data.

How does this week’s slate of economic data impact you?

• The Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision directly impacts borrowing costs across the economy. A potential rate hike would raise financing costs for businesses, which could weigh on investment and potentially slow some of the economic momentum and business activity we have seen so far this year.

BY THE NUMBERS

Remembering 9/11, 25 Years Later: The United States marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks with ceremonies honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed and the first responders who risked their lives. Commemorations were held at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight 93 National Memorial, where families gathered to remember those lost. In New York, relatives read victims’ names, while younger generations honored family members they never had the chance to meet. At the Flight 93 Memorial, visitors also reflected on the courage of the 40 passengers and crew members who fought back against the hijackers. Twenty-five years later, the anniversary served as both a remembrance of the lives lost and a reflection on the courage, sacrifice, and national unity that emerged in the aftermath of the attacks. ³

American Tennis Wait Continues at the U.S. Open: Ben Shelton’s historic run at the U.S. Open came to an end in the final, falling to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in four sets, 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2. Shelton entered the match looking to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick captured the U.S. Open in 2003, after an impressive run that included victories over Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe. Despite battling back to take the third set, Shelton was unable to overcome Zverev, who won 92% of his first-serve points through the opening two sets and captured his second Grand Slam title of 2026. While the loss extends the American men’s major drought to at least 24 years, Shelton’s first Grand Slam final marked another major step forward for the 23-year-old and strengthened his position among the top young players in men’s tennis.⁴

    Matthew J. Lawler, Financial Advisor

matt.lawler@osaicwealth.com  402-412-5008

Securities offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC Advisory Services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. Matthew J. Lawler Representative  F&M Wealth Management and F&M Bank are not affiliated with Osaic Wealth, Inc.

 May Lose Value - Not FDIC-Insured - No Bank Guarantee - Not a Deposit - Not Insured by any Government Agency

Economic Definitions

CPI (headline and core): Consumer prices (CPI) are a measure of prices paid by consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. The yearly (or monthly) growth rates represent the inflation rate.

Existing Home Sales: This concept tracks the sales of previously owned homes during the reference period. Total existing home sales include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops. All sales are based on closings from Multiple Listing Services. Foreclosed homes are only counted in the inventory if the bank is working with a realtor. Foreclosed homes that sell via auction (or other closings outside of the Multiple Listing Services) are not included.

Federal Reserve (Fed): The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States of America.

Producer Prices - PPI (headline and core): Producer prices (output) are a measure of the change in the price of goods as they leave their place of production (i.e. prices received by domestic producers for their outputs either on the domestic or foreign market).

University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index: Consumer confidence tracks sentiment among households or consumers. The results are based on surveys conducted among a random sample of households. Target Audience: representative sample of US households (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Surveys of Consumers collects data on consumer attitudes and expectations summarized in the Consumer Sentiment, in order to determine the changes in consumers' willingness to buy and to predict their subsequent discretionary expenditures. This Index is comprised of measures of attitudes toward personal finances, general business conditions, and market conditions or prices. Components of the Index of Consumer Sentiment are included in the Leading Indicator Composite Index. Unit: Index (Q1 1966=100).

Retail Sales: Retail sales (also referred to as retail trade) tracks the resale of new and used goods to the general public, for personal or household consumption. This concept is based on the value of goods sold. 

Index Definitions

S&P 500: The S&P 500® is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities and serves as the foundation for a wide range of investment products. The index includes 500 leading companies and captures approximately 80% coverage of available market capitalization.

NASDAQ: The NASDAQ Composite Index is a broad-based capitalization-weighted index of stocks in all three NASDAQ tiers: Global Select, Global Market and Capital Market. The index was developed with a base level of 100 as of February 5, 1971.

Dow Jones Industrial Average: The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 blue-chip stocks that are generally the leaders in their industry. It has been a widely followed indicator of the stock market since October 1, 1928.

Russell Mid-Cap: Russell Midcap Index measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000 Index, which represent approximately 25% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 1000 Index.

Russell 2000: The Russell 2000 Index is comprised of the smallest 2000 companies in the Russell 3000 Index, representing approximately 8% of the Russell 3000 total market capitalization. The real-time value is calculated with a base value of 135.00 as of December 31, 1986. The end-of-day value is calculated with a base value of 100.00 as of December 29, 1978.

MSCI EAFE: The MSCI EAFE Index is a free-float weighted equity index. The index was developed with a base value of 100 as of December 31, 1969. The MSCI EAFE region covers DM countries in Europe, Australasia, Israel, and the Far East.

MSCI EM: The MSCI EM (Emerging Markets) Index is a free-float weighted equity index that captures large and mid-cap representation across Emerging Markets (EM) countries. The index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.

Bloomberg Barclays US Agg Bond: The Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based flagship benchmark that measures the investment grade, US dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market. The index includes Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate pass-throughs), ABS and CMBS (agency and non-agency).

Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Corp: The Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Bond Index measures the USD-denominated, high yield, fixed-rate corporate bond market. Securities are classified as high yield if the middle rating of Moody's, Fitch and S&P is Ba1/BB+/BB+ or below. Bonds from issuers with an emerging markets country of risk, based on Barclays EM country definition, are excluded.

Moody's, Fitch and S&P is Ba1/BB+/BB+ or below. Bonds from issuers with an emerging markets country of risk, based on Barclays EM country definition,

are excluded.

Bloomberg Barclays Global Agg: The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index is a flagship measure of global investment grade debt from twenty-four local currency markets. This multi-currency benchmark includes treasury, government-related, corporate and securitized fixed-rate bonds from both developed and emerging markets issuers.

Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index: The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Municipal Index covers the USD-denominated long-term tax-exempt bond market. The index has four main sectors: state and local general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, insured bonds and prerefunded bonds.

Disclosures

The statements provided herein are based solely on the opinions of the Osaic Research Team and are being provided for general information purposes only. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed constitutes an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments. Any opinions provided herein should not be relied upon for investment decisions and may differ from those of other departments or divisions of Osaic Wealth, Inc. (“Osaic”) or its affiliates.

Certain information may be based on information received from sources the Osaic Research Team considers reliable; however, the accuracy and completeness of such information cannot be guaranteed. Certain statements contained herein may constitute “projections,” “forecasts” and other “forward-looking statements” which do not reflect actual results and are based primarily upon applying retroactively a hypothetical set of assumptions to certain historical financial information. Any opinions, projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements presented herein reflect the judgment of the Osaic Research Team only as of the date of this document and are subject to change without notice. Osaic has no obligation to provide updates or changes to these opinions, projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements. Osaic is not soliciting or recommending any action based on any information in this document.

Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss. In general, the bond market is volatile; bond prices rise when interest rates fall and vice versa. This effect is usually pronounced for longer-term securities. Any fixed-income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to a substantial gain or loss. Vehicles that invest in lower-rated debt securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds or high-yield bonds) involve additional risks because of the lower credit quality of the securities in the portfolio. International investing involves special risks not present with U.S. investments due to factors such as increased volatility, currency fluctuation, and differences in auditing and other financial standards. These risks can be accentuated in emerging markets.

Index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees and expenses, and if deducted, performance would be reduced. Indexes are unmanaged and investors are not able to invest directly into any index. Past performance cannot guarantee future results.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through the firms: Osaic Wealth, Inc. and Osaic Institutions, Inc., brokerdealers, registered investment advisers, and members of FINRA and SIPC. Securities are offered through Osaic Services, Inc. and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., broker-dealers and members of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Osaic Advisory Services, LLC. and CW Advisors, LLC., registered investment advisers. Advisory programs offered by Osaic Wealth, Inc. are sponsored by VISION2020 Wealth Management Corp., an affiliated registered investment adviser. 9123357

¹ Data Obtained from Bloomberg as of 9/11/26.

² Data Obtained from Morningstar as of 9/11/26

³ A nation marks 25 years since 9/11. 'We will always remember you' 

⁴ Ben Shelton falls in the US Open final—and an American wait goes on