Today, I’m sharing 7 of my favorite investing & economic charts from the past month.

These charts cover topics such as:

• Government shutdowns and stocks
• Investing in gold
• Health of banks, media distrust, and more!

(Don't forget about the new "What I've Been Reading" section at the end of each email.)

🎙️ Before we dive in, did you catch this week's podcast?

The Truth About Long-Term Care Insurance (and When to Buy It) ​Learn the optimal age to purchase LTC insurance, traditional vs. hybrid policies, the true costs of proper coverage, and more! 🎙️ Listen now on ​Apple​, ​Spotify​, or ​YouTube​.

8 Favorite Investing Charts (October 2025)

#1 - Washington Drama ≠ Market Drama

If it feels like every few months there’s another political showdown threatening to “shut down the government,” you’re not imagining things.

But before headlines like these spark any market anxiety, it helps to look at the record

• Over the past 50 years, we’ve had 22 government shutdowns—and the stock market has handled them remarkably well.
• The worst drawdown during any of them was a modest 4.4% in 1979.
• The longest shutdown on record, lasting 34 days, coincided with a market gain of more than 10%.

So while we can’t predict how the latest Washington drama will play out, history suggests it’s rarely the kind of drama investors need to worry about.

#2 - American Companies Still Dominate the World

There may not be a major investing takeaway here, but it’s worth pausing to appreciate the sheer scale of U.S. companies in today’s global economy.

Right now, 20 of the world’s 25 most valuable companies—and 58 of the top 100—are based in the United States.

For all the talk about America’s “decline,” the numbers tell a different story: U.S. businesses continue to lead, innovate, and outperform while much of the world plays catch-up.

It’s a clear reminder of why U.S. markets remain the cornerstone of most globally diversified portfolios.

#3 - How “Bubbly” Is AI?

There’s plenty of chatter right now about whether we’re in another artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, and, by extension, a broader tech stock bubble.

Many investors are drawing parallels to the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, wondering if history is about to repeat itself. But a recent chart from New York Life puts things in perspective.

If today’s so-called “AI bubble” were to truly mirror the late-’90s tech frenzy, the NASDAQ would still need to more than triple from current levels.

Only time will tell how this story plays out. But based on the numbers, it seems we’re still a long way from the kind of exuberance that defined the 1990s.

#4 - Are Banks in Trouble?

Bank stocks made headlines recently after J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon issued a colorful warning:

Dimon was referring to a few banks struggling with bad loans, hinting that these could be early signs of deeper trouble across the industry.

And while it’s always smart to stay alert, the broader data paint a far calmer picture.

Banks today are in some of their strongest shape in decades. Loan-to-deposit ratios (a key measure of balance sheet health) remain among the best we’ve seen since the 1970s (excluding the unique post-pandemic period).

In short, while a few bad loans might make for attention-grabbing headlines, the banking system overall looks well-positioned to handle them.

#5 - The Only Constant Is Change

This chart from J.P. Morgan offers a great reminder of how dynamic the stock market really is.

It highlights three key points worth keeping in mind:

1. The market is always evolving. The list of top-performing companies changes constantly as innovation, leadership, and consumer preferences shift.
2. Rotation is normal, not catastrophic. Despite all the turnover among market leaders over the decades, the world hasn’t ended. The market continues to adapt and move forward.
3. Today’s leaders are different. While there’s plenty of concern about how much of the S&P 500’s value is concentrated in the top 10 companies, these aren’t the one-dimensional giants of the past. They’re diversified technology conglomerates with strong cash flows and wide-ranging businesses.

That said, trees don’t grow to the sky. Even today’s dominant companies won’t stay on top forever. But when the next rotation inevitably happens, it’s likely just another chapter in the market’s ongoing evolution.

#6 - Not Everything That Glitters Is Gold (Not Even Gold)

Gold has been on quite a run lately, capturing plenty of headlines and investor enthusiasm. But for all the excitement, its long-term record tells a very different story.

While 2025 has been a standout year, it has taken nearly 45 years (yes, 45) for gold to finally deliver a positive return after inflation since its last major peak in 1980.

We can debate the start and end points, but any asset that spends more than four decades lagging inflation deserves some honest scrutiny.

What’s remarkable is that despite this track record, gold’s allure hasn’t faded. Investors still view it as a safe haven, an example of how emotional and irrational markets can be.

Will the next 45 years look the same? No one knows. But it’s hard to imagine this current streak lasting forever. Buyer beware.

#7 - Trust in the Media Hits an All-Time Low

According to Axios, only 28% of Americans say they trust the media today, a sharp drop from 68% during the Walter Cronkite era of the 1970s.

It’s not hard to see why. The stories that dominate headlines often distort reality. Our World in Data reports that terrorism and homicide account for less than 1% of U.S. deaths, yet they receive more than 50% of total news coverage.

The same imbalance appears in financial reporting. The market has more than doubled over the past five years, but you wouldn’t know it from the constant stream of “crash warnings” and doom-and-gloom headlines.

The old newsroom saying still holds true: If it bleeds, it leads. And that’s why patience, discipline, and perspective remain an investor’s greatest advantages.

Bottom Line

If there’s one theme running through these charts, it’s that things aren’t always as they seem.

Especially in investing, it’s worth remembering that the media’s goal isn’t to make us better investors.

Their business is selling ads, and the quickest way to grab attention is by amplifying bad news and spotlighting every reason the world might be “going down the drain”… even when it’s not.

Hopefully, these charts and notes provide a bit of clarity (and calm!) amid all the noise.

📚 What I've Been Reading

• When 'Unretirement' Doesn't Work Out (Next Avenue)
• The ACA Premium Surge Hits Home (Axios)
• 22% of Mortgages Have a 6% Interest Rate (Apollo)
• Are Investors Holding Too Much Cash (Sandbox Financial)
• 37% of Google AI Finance Answers Are Inaccurate in 2025 (College Investor)
• Americans Are Really Bad At Taking Vacations (Sherwood)
• You Don't Need a Reason to Do Something For Yourself (A Year of Mental Health)

Thank you for reading!

Please reply to this email with comments, questions, and/or feedback.

Stay wealthy,

Taylor Schulte, CFP®