Imagine the stock market is like one of those big family reunions. Last week, everyone was eager to hear the latest gossip — or in Wall Street terms, the quarterly earnings. Apple, the favorite cousin everyone brags about, didn’t have the best news this time. Their report card wasn’t as shiny as we hoped, causing a bit of a family squabble, but nothing too dramatic.

Are you feeling a bit lost in the world of finance? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. The stock market has been on a bit of a rollercoaster lately. Let’s take a closer look at what’s been happening and what it means for folks like us who are either approaching retirement or are already there.

The stock market had a mixed week, and here’s what went down. The Nasdaq and Russell 2000 saw small gains, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 had a tougher time, with declines of 1.3% and 0.7%, respectively. Investors are hopeful for a market bounce after a tough September, but rising long-term interest rates are holding things back.

The major stock indices faced significant declines this week. The primary driver behind this was the underperformance of large-cap stocks, particularly mega caps. This downward trend wasn’t offset by rotation into other sectors, leading to broad losses across the market.

Monday: Things started off on a positive note. The Dow Jones Industrial Average made a slight gain. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq, two other major indices, also increased slightly. The day was relatively quiet, and nothing was happening to shake things up. A few big-name companies did well, which helped boost the overall market.

The stock market had a tough, holiday-shortened week, marked by broad losses. Key drivers of market sentiment included Apple’s decline, shifts in interest rates, and rising oil prices. Trading activity remained subdued as many participants were still in vacation mode following Labor Day weekend.

Stocks had a pretty strong week, scoring decent gains for major indices. The week started off a bit shaky but quickly picked up steam. By Wednesday, major indices had chalked up four straight winning sessions, and the S&P 500 even managed to regain its position above the 50-day moving average.

This week saw some sessions with below-average trading volume, a typical late-summer trend. The S&P 500 even breached its 50-day moving average for the first time since March, dropping below the 4,400 level. However, despite the losses, the market appeared to stick to the consolidation theme that has dominated this month.