Enjoying the Ride: The stock market in our daily lives

By Michael Hilliard EBS CONTRIBUTOR

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I’ve heard many times—in both good and bad markets—confusion about the stock market. Some say it’s like gambling, others think it’s too confusing, and many only invest through their workplace retirement plan.

I’ve thought a lot about this, and wanted to highlight the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is an assembly of thirty stocks across ten industries and one of the more popular benchmark indexes.

So, let’s look at the components of the Dow thirty and how they fit into the typical American lifestyle, with over 300 million United States citizens.

How many of us wake up and check our Apple device for messages and news, before using a Proctor & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson product, and take medicine developed by Merck & Company or Amgen? At work, do we fire up our IBM computer, which contains software from Microsoft, Intel, and Cisco? Don’t we use sticky notes from 3M to keep ourselves organized? Our employer may use systems from Salesforce and your healthcare benefits may include United Health or Travelers Insurance.

Do we fill up our cars with Chevron gas, and drive to McDonalds to drink a Coke with lunch, while paying with a Visa credit card? When we come home, there could be a package from Amazon, and we’ll likely watch television or use a computer supported through the Verizonnetwork. Furthermore, muchof the infrastructure we experience during the day could have been forged by Caterpillar.

On the weekend, we put on Nike apparel and run errands to Home Depot and Walmart. We pay bills and check our finances, possibly using the services of big banks such as JP Morgan or Goldman Sachs. For vacation, we take the kids to Walt Disney World and fly in a Boeing airplane, which uses components from the Dow Company and Honeywell, while paying for the trip with an American Express card.

And that’s the Dow thirty in simple terms. So, the question is, if these companies are so embedded in our lives, and each strives to make a profit, wouldn’t it be prudent to work with a financial advisor to invest, specific to your risk posture, time frames, and financial goals?

Michael Hilliard is a Managing Director at Shore to Summit Wealth Management. He currently works and lives in Severna Park, MD with his wife and children.

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network is not a legal or tax advisor. Be sure to consult your own tax advisor and investment professional before taking any action that may involve tax consequences.

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network did not assist in the preparation of this report, and its accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network or its affiliates. The material has been prepared or is distributed solely for information purposes and is not a solicitation or an offer to buy any security or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network and Shore to Summit Wealth Management are not legal or tax advisors. You should consult with your attorney, accountant and/or estate planner before taking any action.

Shore to Summit Wealth Management is located at 105 E. Oak Street, Unit 1A Bozeman, MT 59715 # 406-219-2900.

This advertisement was written by Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network and provided to you by Michael Hilliard, Managing Director. Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Shore to Summit Wealth Management is a separate entity from WFAFN.