In markets, as in nature, everything eventually answers to Darwin or Newton. Some things adapt and change. Others obey gravity. The business of investing is figuring out which is which before the market teaches you an expensive lesson. The first quarter of 2026 offered a generous supply of ...

The desk phones never stopped ringing. They wedged our four-foot cubicles into a repurposed JCPenney at South Roads Mall in Bellevue. The website was down again, overwhelmed by a flood of newly empowered retail traders. When the screens froze, they reached for landlines, desperate to place orders.

“I want to buy 100 shares of XYZ,” one caller said.

“I can’t find that ticker. What’s the company name?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “It’s an internet stock my friend told me about.”....

Today, it's harder than ever to be a diversified investor. As the thrill of artificial intelligence (AI) and the promise of lower rates have driven stocks to new highs, the fear of missing out tightened its grip. Investors chase what feels good now instead of asking, What happens next? A rate cut may lift stocks today, but what does it mean for inflation, liquidity, or earnings six months from now? Beneath the surface, a quieter truth remains: progress takes time. Now is a time to emphasize patience and balance—because in markets like these, discipline compounds faster than excitement...