News & Investment Updates From Hemlock Creek Wealth Management

September has historically been a market weak spot, yet it has defied expectations. Instead of stumbling, stocks are pushing to new highs, volatility remains muted, and the seasonal trapdoor that investors often brace for has yet to appear.

That ongoing divergence from history highlights why we rely on process over prediction. Markets will often tempt investors with patterns, narratives, and gut instincts, but those don’t provide a consistent edge. A systematic investing approach does, in our view. It adapts to what’s actually happening — capturing strength while it lasts and cutting risk when conditions change — and it removes the guesswork that so often derails long-term plans.

In this month’s Note, we look at how markets navigated September’s supposed weakness, the potential catalysts that could bend trends from here, and why consistency is as important in strong markets as it is during downturns.

But first, here’s a summary of the global asset classes utilized in our portfolios and their exposures for October.