With all the fun and activity of summer, it can be hard for investors to maintain their concentration. The stock market, though, has been picking up that slack for some time now. Peaking under the hood of the U.S. stock markets, we see them attaining a degree of concentration not seen for many years. This “concentration” refers to the outsized influence that a few stocks have on stock market indices, because of how the indices are put together. Fundamentally, you can think of concentration as the opposite of diversification. While an index may appear diversified on the surface, in reality it may be substantially skewed toward a handful of companies or a particular sector. So how does market concentration work? Learn more.

As the U.S. stock market hits new highs in 2024, it begs the question, “Should I diversify some of my stock market risk into non-traditional assets like alternatives?” While the answer varies from person to person, the concept is one worth exploring for many investors.

Alternative investments are financial assets that fall outside the traditional categories of stocks, bonds, and cash. They are often used in investment allocations to diversify portfolios, hedge against risks, and seek higher returns. Learn more about the common types of alternative investments and their characteristics.

Protecting your personal information is more important now than ever before. With the increasing number of data breaches and identity theft cases, it's crucial to take proactive steps to safeguard your credit. One effective way to do this is by freezing your credit. Let's dive deeper into what credit freezing is, how to freeze your credit, and the benefits of taking this precautionary measure.