Hello,  

It’s been hard to miss the wave of attention-grabbing headlines lately. News cycles have been dominated by concerns over Big Tech’s earnings, trade tensions, and a potential economic slowdown in 2025. Even seasoned investors can feel uneasy when faced with headlines like these.

Tesla, Apple, and Amazon (companies that have long driven market trends) have all seen their earnings expectations fall this quarter.¹ Meanwhile, the presidential administration’s increasing focus on tariffs over tax cuts could affect costs for businesses and consumers.²

When uncertainty piles up, it’s natural to ask: Should I be doing something different?

The truth is that uncertainty is part of investing. While past performance is not indicative of future results, there are practical steps you can take to avoid letting anxiety dictate your financial decisions:

1. Take a Step Back from the Headlines – News outlets thrive on drama, but short-term market movements often don’t reflect long-term trends. Avoid making investment decisions based on fear-driven news cycles.

2. Focus on Your Personal Plan – Your portfolio is built around your financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon - not today’s headlines. If your strategy was solid last month, it’s likely still solid today.

3. See Volatility as a Natural Part of Investing – History has shown that markets fluctuate, with periods of volatility often followed by recovery over time (however, future outcomes are not guaranteed). Selling out of fear may lock in losses, while patient investors tend to benefit over time.

4. Check Your Emotions Before Making Moves – If you’re feeling anxious, resist the urge to react impulsively. Instead, talk to us (that’s what we’re here for!) before making any major decisions.

5. Ask Questions & Stay Engaged – If you’re concerned about how market conditions impact your investments, let’s discuss it. Stay informed but don’t act out of fear.

2025 will bring economic shifts, evolving government policies, and global uncertainty. But these are not new challenges. Markets have weathered far worse, and long-term investors are usually rewarded for staying patient. (Over the last 97 years, 94% of 10-year periods in the U.S. stock market were positive.³)

Let's connect if you have specific concerns or life changes that could impact your financial strategy. Your investment plan should give you confidence, not stress.

Reply to this email if you have any questions for us.

Sincerely,

Your Eagle Wealth Team
 
P.S. Market commentary reflects broad trends, but individual portfolios perform differently based on factors like risk tolerance, asset allocation, and investment objectives. If your results don’t mirror the headlines, that’s okay—it doesn’t mean your plan isn’t working as intended.

P.P.S. Super Bowl LIX made history in a way few expected—rookie Cooper DeJean of the Philadelphia Eagles became the first player to score a touchdown on his birthday during the Super Bowl! Talk about a birthday to remember!⁴

Easy Herbs to Grow Inside

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, these herbs are easy to grow inside. Herbs add a little greenery to your home and are healthy and delicious. A win-win!

Here are some of the easiest herbs to grow inside:

• Basil

• Bay leaves

• Chives

• Mint

• Oregano

• Parsley

• Rosemary

• Thyme

When planning your indoor herb garden, you may need to separate the herbs into individual containers because each has different watering schedules and sunlight requirements. For example, thyme, rosemary, and oregano enjoy much less water than basil. Once you know a bit about the care of each herb, your garden will thank you.

Tip adapted from Gardeners.com⁵

Strength of the U.S. Dollar

Understanding how currencies move is key because it impacts a lot—like your investment returns, inflation, and even economic growth. Here are a few important things to keep in mind:

• Recent changes in trade policies and tariffs have strengthened the dollar. While things are still shifting, fewer imports mean there's less need to sell dollars to buy foreign currencies.

• The Federal Reserve's interest rate remains high at 4.25-4.50% as of February 2025. This makes U.S. dollar-based investments more appealing to global investors looking for better returns.

• The U.S. economy is proving to be pretty strong, with GDP growth of 2.3% in Q4 2024 and a low unemployment rate of just 4.0%, which is well below the historical average.

• Inflation has dropped to 2.9%, signaling better price stability compared to other major economies. This helps keep the U.S. dollar reliable as a safe place to store value.

Below, you can see how the U.S. dollar has held up against major global currencies over the past several years, showing its role as a key reserve currency and a safe haven during uncertain times.

Even though currency markets can be unpredictable in the short run, sticking to a diversified, long-term investment strategy is usually the best move for most investors, no matter what’s happening with currencies.

<sup>1. Yahoo Finance, 2025 [URL: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-tech-grip-market-shows-175717723.html]

2. Bloomberg, 2025 [URL: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-10/prioritizing-trade-wars-over-tax-cuts-creates-risk-for-us-economy]

3. Capital Group, 2023 [URL: https://www.capitalgroup.com/individual/planning/investing-fundamentals/time-not-timing-is-what-matters.html]

4. TalkSport, 2025 [URL: https://talksport.com/nfl/2881393/cooper-dejean-eagles-caitlin-clark-patrick-mahomes-super-bowl.com]

5. Gardeners.com, October 3, 2024</sup>

^{Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost.}

^{The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, may not materialize, and are subject to revision without notice.}

^{The market indexes discussed are unmanaged, and generally, considered representative of their respective markets. Index performance is not indicative of the past performance of a particular investment. Indexes do not incur management fees, costs, and expenses. Individuals cannot directly invest in unmanaged indexes. Past performance does not guarantee future results.}

^{The Dow Jones Industrial Average is an unmanaged index that is generally considered representative of large-capitalization companies on the U.S. stock market. Nasdaq Composite is an index of the common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market and is considered a broad indicator of the performance of technology and growth companies. The MSCI EAFE Index was created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) and serves as a benchmark of the performance of major international equity markets, as represented by 21 major MSCI indexes from Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia. The S&P 500 Composite Index is an unmanaged group of securities that are considered to be representative of the stock market in general.}

^{U.S. Treasury Notes are guaranteed by the federal government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. However, if you sell a Treasury Note prior to maturity, it may be worth more or less than the original price paid. Fixed income investments are subject to various risks including changes in interest rates, credit quality, inflation risk, market valuations, prepayments, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors.}

^{International investments carry additional risks, which include differences in financial reporting standards, currency exchange rates, political risks unique to a specific country, foreign taxes and regulations, and the potential for illiquid markets. These factors may result in greater share price volatility.}

^{Please consult your financial professional for additional information.}

^{This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG is not affiliated with the named representative, financial professional, Registered Investment Advisor, Broker-Dealer, nor state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and they should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.  Copyright 2025 FMG Suite.}

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