This week was a reminder that markets can experience meaningful movement even when the underlying fundamentals haven't changed. We saw volatility driven by rotation, rebalancing, and shifting investor expectations — not panic, and not systemic risk.

In this episode of Investment Friday, Hannah Chapman, CFP®, is joined by Brad Haines, CFA®, FRM®, CIO of Juncture Wealth Strategies, to break down what's actually happening beneath the headlines.

Together, they explore why markets are becoming more selective, how to interpret recent layoff announcements, what a new Fed chair nomination could mean for monetary policy, and why understanding tax-efficient strategies like Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) matters more than ever.

Learn more about:

• What's driving market volatility right now — and what isn't

• Sector rotation, profit-taking, and why differentiation matters

• AI, tech, and how markets are starting to separate winners from the theme

• Layoff headlines vs. labor market reality

• The Fed chair nomination and why Federal Reserve independence matters

• Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): how to give more and pay less in taxes

• Using required minimum distributions strategically

• Why context matters more than headlines for long-term investors

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Connect with Hannah at Hannah.Chapman@x2wealthplanning.com and online at https://x2wealthplanning.com

Connect with Brad at brad@juncturewealth.com.