After last week's rollercoaster ride in the markets, this week seemed strangely tranquil. During a shortened week on Wall Street due to Good Friday, we saw much less intraday volatility in what can only be described as the dust settling from the tariff tantrums from the prior two weeks.

Honestly, how can I summarize the past week? People have been checking in on me (grateful for that), but this is what we signed up for. Our clients remain our number one priority throughout all the craziness that the market has to offer.

Tariffs. Tariffs. Tariffs.

Tariffs cause uncertainty among businesses and consumers. Businesses don't want to commit to any projects because of a murky outlook and consumers are increasingly pessimistic about the economy's future. This can cause them to tighten their purse strings, and a recession almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In a worrying sign, March's University of Michigan consumer confidence survey came in at the lowest level since 2022.