Retirement investment perspectives
Fueling curiosity,
feeding opportunity
In an ever-shifting economic landscape, informed perspective matters. We partnered with seasoned financial journalist Dave Kansas to create a timely series of investment articles designed to help you guide client conversations with confidence.
From navigating political shifts to interpreting market signals, each piece explores how economic trends, policy changes and behavioral finance intersect to impact investor decisions. Use these insights to spark dialogue, temper emotion-driven choices and strengthen long-term planning strategies with clients.
Q3: Market momentum, market unease (PDF)
Date: 10/30/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 28 mins
Summary: Record highs in 2025 hide activity investors and clients should monitor.
- Has the promise of AI translated into ROI?
- The Fed sticks to its strategy
- A trickle of tariffs and the shutdown showdown
What retail’s mixed signals say about the economy (PDF)
Date: 9/23/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 8 mins
Summary: Explore how mixed retail signals reflect broader economic uncertainty and shifting consumer behavior.
- Retail tug-of-war: Solid spending and rising online sales contrast with store closures and uneven stock performance.
- Digital shift grows: Online retail continues to expand, but brick-and-mortar stores still show resilience amid change.
Q2: Calm shouldn't mean complacent (PDF)
Date: 9/22/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 18 mins
Summary: The urge for investors to not let calmer markets lull them into ignoring key financial signals.
- Stay alert: Lower volatility and rising confidence don’t mean risks have vanished.
- Watch the fundamentals: Earnings, rates and inflation still demand close attention.
Consistency and clarity in tariffs and taxes (PDF)
Date: 7/23/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 8 mins
Summary: Explore how emotion shapes decisions and how planning reduces anxiety to reveal opportunity.
- Playing defense isn’t usually a cost-free approach, but it may be more effective than getting out of the markets.
- Prudent choices can calm nerves and maintain opportunity.
Q1: More questions than answers (PDF)
Date: 6/13/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 21 mins
Summary: One tough quarter shouldn’t distract investors from broader, longer-term economic context overall.
- Q1 wraps with a mixed bag of market volatility, political tumult and consumer worries.
- Pockets of strength in the economy are offset by continued recession fears, slowing growth.
- It may feel similar to The Great Recession, but there are differences to consider.
Don’t let the distractions derail your clients (PDF)
Date: 4/1/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 11 mins
Summary: Keep calm with a clear plan amid volatility and inconsistent domestic and foreign policies.
- The flurry of activity in Washington can add to stress and confusion for investors.
- Fundamentals are more important than ever, coupled with long-term thinking and planning.
The opportunities and challenges of a new year (PDF)
Date: 3/24/2025
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 15 mins
Summary: Changes and market shifts prompt investors to reassess opportunities, challenges and plans.
- The pieces are coming together, but there’s no quick fix for inflation or eroding consumer sentiment.
- Focusing on fundamentals can help ground investment decisions in today’s complex environment.
- Five things to watch in 2025.
The thrill of headline moments vs. the reality of lasting change (PDF)
Date: 12/13/2024
Topics: Market & Economic Insights | Investment Strategy | Client Education
Estimated reading time: 13 mins
Summary: Markets move beyond elections as investors assess impacts of a new administration ahead.
- As anticipated policy changes take center stage, emotion-driven decisions can get the better of investors.
- What’s in store for inflation, crypto commodities and the dollar?
Meet Dave Kansas
Dave Kansas offers an independent and impartial expert perspective to help clients and financial professionals learn how the markets, world events and emotions intertwine. With a distinguished journalism career that includes The Wall Street Journal and TheStreet.com, he focuses on how long-term trends and investor behavior may affect investment success.
Neither Symetra Life Insurance Company nor its employees provide investment, tax, or legal advice or endorse any particular method of investing. Individuals should seek appropriate professional advice before making savings and investing decisions.
The views and opinions expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Symetra Life Insurance Company or its affiliates. Dave Kansas is not affiliated with Symetra Life Insurance Company and/or any of its affiliates and is solely responsible for the content.
Symetra Life Insurance Company is the parent company of First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York (collectively Symetra). Symetra Life Insurance Company does not solicit business in the state of New York and is not authorized to do so. Each company is responsible for its own financial obligations.