Weekly Market Insights | Investors React to Tariff News

Stocks moved lower last week as investors swung from exuberance to disappointment on news over tariffs and inflation.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.53 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index retreated 2.59 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.96 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, declined 1.29 percent.1,2

An Up and Down Week
Stocks started the week with a sharp rally after the White House said it may “give a lot of countries breaks” on reciprocal tariffs. The positive momentum continued into Tuesday, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 outpacing the Dow.3

Then, midweek, news that the White House was planning additional tariffs on all cars made outside the U.S. rattled markets.4,5

On Friday, investors reacted to a warmer-than-expected inflation report and lower consumer sentiment, putting further pressure on stocks as the week closed.6

Noise vs Signal

There can be a lot of noise in the market from time to time. This can make it hard for investors to interpret information as they search for the actual signal.

Last week, investors were trying to interpret the White House decision to impose tariffs on all cars and some car parts made outside of the U.S. While some automakers are domestic and others are foreign-based, the question is whether companies will absorb the additional costs, pass them on to consumers, or look to build factories in the United States.7

Separating the noise from the signal may take time, which can be more challenging when the markets react to new tariff updates as they are announced.

This Week: Key Economic Data

Tuesday: ISM Manufacturing Index. PMI Manufacturing. Construction Spending. Job Openings.

Wednesday: ADP Employment Report. Motor Vehicle Sales. Factory Orders. Fed Official Adriana Kugler speaks.

Thursday: Jobless Claims. ISM Services Index. Fed Balance Sheet. International Trade in Goods & Services. Fed Officials Philip Jefferson and Lisa Cook speak.

Friday: Employment Situation. Fed Officials Michael Barr and Christopher Waller speak.

Source: Investors Business Daily – Econoday economic calendar; March 28, 2025
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

No major companies are reporting this week.

Source: Zacks, March 28, 2025. Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. 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. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.

“The greatest danger to our future is apathy.”

– Jane Goodall

Things You Can Do on the IRS Website

While the IRS website might not be in your top bookmarks, the website is helpful for a lot of things regarding taxes. Here are just a few things you can do on the site:

  • Use Free File to access brand-name tax software and online fillable forms. 
  • Use the IRS e-file system: a safe, easy, and common way to file your tax return.
  • Check the status of your tax refund.
  • Find out how to make payments electronically to pay your federal taxes. You can use a credit or debit card or enroll in the US Treasury’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System to pay your taxes.
  • Get tax forms and publications, including helpful tips for frequently asked questions.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional. 

Tip adapted from IRS8

Improve Your Swimming with Masters Swim

Swimming is a fantastic full-body, low-impact workout for people of all ages. Check out US Masters Swimming for a club near you as the weather warms up! USMS is an organized swimming club for swimmers of all levels. Swimming with a Masters club is a great way to build camaraderie, meet new friends, get better at swimming, and enjoy a great workout. There are clubs all over the country, likely at a pool near you, which you can find through the Club Finder tool on the USMS website. The coaches will help you start (and stick with) a swimming routine, improve your stroke, and learn more about the sport.

Tip adapted from US Masters Swimming9

It can only be broken with force, yet it can be dulled by contact with a piece of paper. What is it?

 

Last week’s riddle: Out of the 100 years in the 20th century, there is only one that reads the same upside down as it does right side up. What year is it?
Answer: 1961.

Llama Guanaco
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Footnotes and Sources

1. The Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2025

2. Investing.com, March 28, 2025

3. CNBC.com, March 25, 2025

4. CNBC.com, March 26, 2025

5. CNBC.com, March 27, 2025

6. The Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2025

7. MarketWatch.com, March 27, 2025

8. IRS.gov, August 22, 2024

9. US Masters Swimming, October 3, 2024

Weekly Market Commentary

The Markets

The market whisperer…

Last week, the Federal Reserve (Fed) left the federal funds rate unchanged, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell soothed markets. He explained that conditions in the labor market were broadly in balance and inflation had eased significantly over the past two years. Overall, the possibility of recession, while rising, remained low.

Markets rallied following his comments.

The economic outlook for 2025
The Fed’s current median forecast for economic growth in 2025 is 1.7 percent, a bit lower than it was in December. In addition, the Fed’s current median estimate for inflation is 2.7 percent, a bit higher than in December. While he was reassuring, Powell explained there is a lot of uncertainty about the economic outlook in the United States. He stated:

“Looking ahead, the new administration is in the process of implementing significant policy changes in four distinct areas: trade, immigration, fiscal policy and regulation. It is the net effect of these policy changes that will matter for the economy and for the path of all monetary policy. While there have been recent developments in some of these areas, especially trade policy, uncertainty around the changes and their effects on the economic outlook is high. As we parse the incoming information, we are focused on separating the signal from the noise as the outlook evolves.”

Consumer spending and the wealth effect
Powell also said that it remains to be seen how consumer and business spending and investment will respond to heightened uncertainty about the economic outlook. It’s an important point because of the “wealth effect”.

The wealth effect is a theory in behavioral economics. It holds that people spend more when the stock market is rising and the value of their assets is growing. Conversely, people spend less when the stock market is falling and the value of their assets is declining. It’s difficult to quantify the effect as Mike Bird of The Economist explained:

“Estimates of the ‘wealth effect’ – the amount that rising or falling stocks can support or hurt consumer activity – vary wildly. One academic study in 2019 suggested that a dollar increase in stock market wealth boosted American spending by about three cents. [A large financial-services firm] suggests that the pass-through has risen significantly in recent years, coming up with an extraordinary figure of 24 cents. Whatever the true number, a declining stock market matters for the broader economy.”

Last week, major U.S. stock indices finished higher,  while yields on most maturities of U.S. Treasuries moved lower.

IF YOU LOSE YOUR WALLET, DO YOU EXPECT IT TO BE RETURNED? Here’s some good news from the 2025 World Happiness Report: “People are too pessimistic about the kindness of their communities.”

 As usual, the 2025 World Happiness Report offered insights to the countries where citizens are happiest. Once again, Nordic nations dominated. The United States landed in 24th place. The countries where the happiest people live are:

  1. Finland,
  2. Denmark,
  3. Iceland,
  4. Sweden, and
  5.  

 Where are people most benevolent?
The 2025 report also tracked a trend that surprised researchers during the Covid-19 years. In 2020, there was an upsurge in benevolent acts – people doing kind things for one another. Researchers theorized that helping others may have “…offset the negative effects felt by many of those whose lives were changed, endangered, and sometimes harmed during the pandemic.”

For the 2025 report, researchers asked how often people performed acts of kindness, specifically donating, volunteering, and helping strangers. The most benevolent countries varied, depending on the type of kindness.

  • For donations, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Ukraine ranked first, second, and third.
  • For volunteering, Indonesia, Liberia, and Kenya took top honors.
  • For helping strangers, Jamaica, Liberia, and Trinidad & Tobago were the leaders.

The United States was 12th for donations, 15th for volunteering, and 12th for helping a stranger.

What about lost wallets?
The study also asked participants how likely it was that a lost wallet would be returned. They compared the data to studies where researchers “lose” wallets to see how often they are returned. Overall, expectations that wallets would be returned were far lower than actual returns.

For example, the actual return rate for lost wallets was 1.8 times higher – almost double – the average estimated return rate. In addition, wallets were more likely to be returned if they contained money.

By the way, the best place to lose your wallet is in a Nordic nation. These countries had both the highest expected and the highest actual rate of return for lost wallets.

Weekly Focus – Think About It
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
–Aesop, Storyteller

Weekly Market Insights | Fed Happy Talk Breaks Bad News Streak

Stocks notched a solid gain last week as upbeat comments from the Fed helped stocks snap their four-week losing streak.  

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.51 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index picked up 0.17 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led, gaining 1.20 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 0.75 percent.1,2

A Solid Week
Stocks opened the week higher despite weaker-than-expected retail sales. On Tuesday, stocks pulled back on disappointing economic data and renewed Middle East tensions.3,4

Stocks roared higher Wednesday as investors looked forward to the Federal Reserve’s meeting. As widely expected, the Fed kept rates steady, but Fed Chair Powell’s comments buoyed investors’ spirits.5

Stocks dipped Thursday and opened lower Friday, but investors showed some confidence by pushing prices higher into Friday’s close.6

The Fed Stays Positive

Amid all the market turbulence of late, the Fed was a steadying influence.

At his post-meeting press conference, Fed Chair Powell stressed that the economy remained strong and suggested that any impact from tariffs on inflation would be short-term.

But the primary reason investors cheered came down to this: most Fed officials still penciled in two interest rate cuts for this year. In late January, Powell said the central bank was in no hurry to adjust its policy stance, which unsettled the markets.7

This Week: Key Economic Data

Monday: PMI Composite—Services and Manufacturing.

Tuesday: Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Consumer Confidence. New Home Sales.

Wednesday: Durable Goods Orders. St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem speaks.

Thursday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Trade Balance in Goods. Weekly Jobless Claims. Retail & Wholesale Inventories. Pending Home Sales. Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin speaks.

Friday: Personal Consumption & Expenditures (PCE) Index. Consumer Sentiment.

Source: Investors Business Daily – Econoday economic calendar; March 21, 2025
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

Tuesday: McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC, MKC.V), GameStop Corp. (GME)

Wednesday: Cintas Corporation (CTAS), Paychex, Inc. (PAYX)

Thursday: Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU)

Source: Zacks, March 21, 2025. Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. 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. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.

“There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”

– Aldous Huxley

A Checklist of Common Errors When Preparing Your Tax Return

Properly preparing your tax return can be tricky, but here are some tips to help you avoid common errors:

  • Submitting your tax return online ensures greater accuracy than mailing it in. The e-file system can detect common errors and send your filing back to you for you to correct, saving you a ton of time in processing and delays.
  • Print or type your full name, taxpayer identification number (SSN), and address (including zip code) clearly.
  • Choose only one correct filing status.
  • Enter your income on the correct lines and include a Form 1040 to declare additional income and adjustments as needed.
  • Put brackets around negative amounts.
  • Keep a copy of the signed return and schedules for your records.

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional. 

Tip adapted from IRS8

What is Mindfulness?

You may have heard various definitions of mindfulness here and there or have your own ideas about what it is. Do you completely clear your mind? Is there more to it?

Interestingly, mindfulness is as simple as it sounds. It refers to being fully present in where and what you’re doing. You can practice mindfulness while driving, walking your dog, or playing with your children. It’s practicing being in the here and now and not letting your mind take you out of the present moment. These obsessive thoughts can lead to anxiety and stress. 

To practice mindfulness, take a simple activity, like drinking your cup of coffee, and think about every sensation you’re experiencing. It takes practice, but is worth it to improve your mental strength!

Tip adapted from Mindful9

Out of the 100 years in the 20th century, there is only one that reads the same upside down as it does right side up. What year is it?

 

Last week’s riddle: I twist, I turn, but I don’t have curves. You can twist me to fix me, but you may throw me into disarray in the process. Hours later, you may cast me away. What am I?
Answer: A Rubik’s cube.

Morning mists over the Tarn
Millau, France

 

Footnotes and Sources

1. The Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2025

2. Investing.com, March 21, 2025

3. The Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2025

4. CNBC.com, March 18, 2025

5. The Wall Street Journal, March 19, 2025

6. The Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2025

7. CNBC.com, March 18, 2025

8. IRS.gov, May 16, 2024

9. Mindful, October 3, 2024

Weekly Market Commentary

The Markets

A correction and a bounce.

Last week, the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index moved into correction territory. The Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq) was already in a correction, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) was close, reported Paul R. LaMonica of Barron’s.

A correction occurs when the value of an index drops 10 percent below its most recent peak. The S&P 500 correction occurred remarkably quickly. Just three weeks ago, the index was at a record high amid easing inflation pressures and solid earnings growth.

In fact, from December 15 through March 6, the number of companies mentioning the word “recession” on earnings calls was the lowest it had been in more than five years, reported John Butters of FactSet. There is another word that was mentioned frequently on earnings calls though: tariffs.

Tariffs on tariffs on tariffs

The tariff war escalated last week as the European Union (EU) and Canada introduced retaliatory tariffs in response to those of the United States, reported Joe Light of Barron’s. Brendan Murray and Alex Newman of Bloomberg have been tracking the tariffs. Through the end of last week, the United States government has imposed the following tariffs:

  • 10% on all goods imported from China (February 4)
  • An additional 10% on all goods imported from China (March 4)
  • 25% on some Canadian imports (March 4)
  • 25% on some Mexican imports. (March 4)
  • 10% on Canadian energy and potash (March 4)
  • 25% on steel and aluminum from major exporting countries (March 12)

“As Americans debate the wisdom of the administration’s on-again, off-again trade barriers…a few broad points are worth bearing in mind,” wrote The Editorial Board at Bloomberg. “One is that these measures are a tax on Americans. Foreign countries don’t simply pay up; US companies do when they import a product. This means that the costs are ultimately borne by consumers and by companies that use imported inputs. The effect of those higher prices is to eat into household budgets, push down real wages and reduce economic growth.”

Consumers are feeling salty

The trade war has raised questions about the path of the U.S. economy, and some economists have lowered their forecasts for economic growth in 2025, reported Brian Swint of Barron’s.

The primary driver of U.S. economic growth is consumer spending and consumers – anyone and everyone who buys things – are feeling less optimistic. Last week, the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers reported that sentiment fell 10.5 percent from February to March. Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu wrote:

“Sentiment has now fallen for three consecutive months and is currently down 22 [percent] from December 2024. While current economic conditions were little changed, expectations for the future deteriorated across multiple facets of the economy, including personal finances, labor markets, inflation, business conditions, and stock markets. Many consumers cited the high level of uncertainty around policy and other economic factors; frequent gyrations in economic policies make it very difficult for consumers to plan for the future.”

Major U.S. stock indices fell over much of last week before recovering some losses on Friday. The S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow all finished the week more than two percent lower. U.S. Treasury yields bobbed lower before finishing the week close to where they were the previous Friday.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR FINANCIALS GOALS. While it is never comfortable to watch the value of savings and investments fall, as they do during a market correction, it’s important to remember that the decisions you make today can have a significant effect on the value of your portfolio over the long-term. During market downturns, investors generally have three choices. They can:

  1. Sell and take a loss. The thinking behind selling is usually something like this: If I sell, I will cut my losses and preserve what I have. Investors who do this realize a loss of principal. “A lesson many investors have learned is that if they sit tight and wait for the upturn to come, they won’t realize a loss. In fact, they may even see their portfolios gain more value than they had before the downturn,” wrote Richard Bet of Investopedia.
  2. Sit tight. Investors who stay invested recognize that a market decline is not the same as a loss of principal. These investors understand that staying invested through market ups and downs can help them reach their long-term financial goals. The odds of a positive return increase with the amount of time an investor holds a stock or stock portfolio, explained Trevor Jennewine via Nasdaq. Historically, the chance of the S&P 500 Index delivering a positive return were:
  • 59 percent over a month period.
  • 69 percent over a year.
  • 79 percent over five years.
  • 88 percent over 10 years.
  • 100 percent over 20 years.
  1. Look for opportunities. A lot of investors recognize that market downturns create opportunities to purchase shares of attractive companies at lower prices. These investors work with their advisors to identify opportunities that may benefit their portfolios should the market recover. The goal of investing, after all, is to buy low and sell high.

 

If you’re feeling fearful, remember that corrections are a normal part of investing. The S&P 500 Index has experienced 56 corrections since 1929, reported Saqib Iqbal Ahmed of Reuters. Corrections tend to occur when share prices become overvalued. They wring out the excess and often create opportunities for investors.

Weekly Focus – Think About It
“The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.”
–Brené Brown, Author

Sources:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/s-p-500-correction-what-next-03225182 or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2025/03-17-25-Barrons-S&P-in-a-Correction%20-%201.pdf

https://www.bls.gov/cpi/

https://insight.factset.com/earnings-insight-infographic-q4-2024-by-the-numbers

https://insight.factset.com/lowest-number-of-sp-500-companies-citing-recession-on-earnings-calls-in-over-5-years

https://insight.factset.com/highest-number-of-sp-500-companies-citing-tariffs-on-earnings-calls-over-past-10-years

https://www.barrons.com/articles/canada-eu-tariffs-retaliation-60d1890d or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2025/03-17-25-Barrons-Canada-and-EU-Retaliate%20-%206.pdf

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-12/trump-tariff-list-here-s-a-running-tally-of-what-s-been-hit-so-far?srnd=homepage-americas or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2025/03-17-25-Bloomberg-Running-Tally-Tariff-Threats%20-%207.pdf

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-03-12/trump-s-tariffs-can-anyone-say-what-the-goal-is?srnd=phx-opinion or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2025/03-17-25-Bloomberg-Tariffs-are-Terrible-Idea%20-%208.pdf

https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-031025/card/goldman-sachs-jpmorgan-raise-europe-growth-forecasts-while-cutting-those-for-the-u-s–jeU7Q3yD2QHUzBd6ilCI or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2025/03-17-25-Barrons-Raise-Europe-Growth-Forecasts%20-%209.pdf

http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu

https://www.barrons.com/market-data?mod=BOL_TOPNAV or go to https://resources.carsongroup.com/hubfs/WMC-Source/2025/03-17-25-Barrons-DJIA-S&P-Nasdaq%20-%20%2011.pdf

https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value_month=202503

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/021116/3-reasons-not-sell-after-market-downturn.asp

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/heres-the-average-stock-market-return-in-every-month-of-the-year

https://www.reuters.com/markets/wealth/sp-500-correction-six-charts-2025-03-13

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/162578.Bren_Brown

Weekly Market Insights | Rough Week for Stocks, with Slight Friday Rally

Investors endured another volatile, whipsaw week as ongoing trade talks and White House comments about the economy unsettled investors.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 2.27 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 2.43 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.07 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 0.95 percent.1,2

Markets Stem Losses

Stocks opened the week lower as investors reacted to the president’s weekend comments about the economy. Then, U.S. and Canadian leaders traded additional tariff threats, riling up anxious investors.3,4

Stocks rebounded midweek after a cooler-than-expected Consumer Price Index (CPI) report eased growing inflation concerns.5

The broad market slide resumed Thursday, but better-than-expected February wholesale inflation data helped buffer losses. The S&P 500 ended Thursday in correction territory—10 percent below its February 19 record close.6

Markets pushed higher Friday, clawing back some losses for the week. News of progress in resolving the federal government shutdown soothed investors’ nerves.7

Sunny Side ‘Down’

Fewer CPI constituents garner more attention from consumers right now than the price of eggs. Avian bird flu—and the subsequent culling of millions of chickens—was primarily to blame for prices rising 15 percent in January and another 10 percent in February. While recent evidence suggests prices have dropped, the cost of eggs remains a sticky issue—even though prices of many other items have risen just as much, if not more.8,9

So why do consumers appear to be overly uneasy?

One theory is that eggs symbolize something more significant. Not only are eggs a critical, inexpensive source of protein and nutrients for millions of consumers, but they are also a core part of many other foods made at home or mass-produced. For that reason, eggs are a mental proxy for how consumers believe the broader economy is doing.10

This Week: Key Economic Data

Monday: Retail Sales. Business Inventories. Homebuilder Confidence Index.

Tuesday:  Housing Starts and Permits. Import & Export Prices. Industrial Production. Capacity Utilization. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting—Day 1.

Wednesday:  FOMC meeting—Day 2. Fed Announcement/ Fed Chair Press Conference.

Thursday:  Existing Home Sales. Weekly Jobless Claims. Leading Indicators.

Friday:  Federal Reserve Official John Williams speaks.

Source: Investors Business Daily – Econoday economic calendar; March 13, 2025
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

Wednesday:  General Mills, Inc. (GIS)

Thursday:  Nike, Inc. (NKE), Micron Technology, Inc. (MU), FedEx Corporation (FDX)

Source: Zacks, March 13, 2025. Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. 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. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”

– Warren Buffett

If You Didn’t Receive Your W-2

If you don’t receive your W-2 or 1099 by January 31 of the year, you are filing taxes, or if the information on these forms is incorrect, contact your employer/payer. If you still haven’t received the forms you need by the end of February, you can contact the IRS at 800-829-1040, and they may be able to help. 

When you contact the IRS, they will also reach out to the employer/payer for the information you need, and they will also send you Form 4852, a substitute for a W-2 or 1099. To do this, they will ask for your employer/payer’s name, address, and phone number (as well as your information).

This information is not a substitute for individualized tax advice. Please discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS11

How to Make Hummus

Hummus is a dip made primarily from garbanzo beans and is great on pita bread, veggies, or chicken. Here’s how to make hummus:

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste) with ¼ cup fresh lemon juice—process for one minute.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1 minced garlic clove to the mix and process until well-blended in 30-second increments (about a minute).
  3. Add half a can (¾ cup) of rinsed chickpeas and process for 1 minute. Then, add the other half of the can and process another 1-2 minutes.
  4. If your hummus still has bits of chickpeas, process it a bit more while slowly adding 2-3 tablespoons of cold water. 

Tip adapted from Inspired Taste12

I twist, I turn, but I don’t have curves. You can twist me to fix me, but you may throw me into disarray in the process. Hours later, you may cast me away. What am I?

 

Last week’s riddle: What binds two people together yet touches only one person at a time?
Answer: An individual wedding ring.

Lake Winnipesaukee in Autumn
New Hampshire, USA
 

Footnotes and Sources

1. The Wall Street Journal, March 14, 2025

2. Investing.com, March 14, 2025

3. The Wall Street Journal, March 10, 2025

4. CNBC.com, March 11, 2025

5. CNBC.com, March 12, 2025

6. CNBC.com, March 12, 2025

7. The Wall Street Journal, March 14, 2025

8. MarketWatch.com, March 12, 2025

9. Newsweek, March 11, 2025

10. MarketWatch.com, March 10, 2025

11. IRS.gov, April 3, 2024

12. Inspired Taste, October 3, 2024

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