09/04/2026
Markets pushed higher in August as AI-driven optimism helped investors look past softer economic data. The S&P 500 gained 2.62% and the S&P/TSX Composite rose 2.96%, even as softening retail sales kept consumer spending in focus. Back-to-school season adds another data point to that story, with spending expected to reach \$146.8 billion in the U.S. and \$4.5 billion in Canada this year.
Lamar Watson, CFP®, is a Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planner in the Washington, D.C. area who works with clients virtually across the country.