Happy Sunday, and welcome to Benzinga’s financial advisor newsletter.

Today we're talking about retirement. According to two recent studies, one in three U.S. adults have either delayed or plan to delay retirement. And while 87% of workers say they’re contributing to a retirement plan, 36% admitted that they started saving later than they wanted to.

Plus, a look back at the last week of market activity.

Table of Contents

• Industry Chatter

• Weekly Market Recap

• The Week Ahead

INDUSTRY CHATTER

Retirement Confidence Falls With 1 In 3 Americans Delaying Retirement Now

The retirement dream is feeling less certain these days, not just as a long-term goal, but as a financial reality for most Americans.

According to recent surveys from New York Life and Payroll Integrations, data shows just how much confidence has slipped. Roughly one in three U.S. adults are delaying retirement, and more than half have made changes to their plans — whether that means working longer, paying down debt, or simply trying to stay afloat. Inflation and economic uncertainty are the biggest culprits according to respondents.

While 87% of workers say they’re contributing to a retirement plan, 36% noted that they started saving later than they wanted to and that rising costs continue to hinder consistent contributions. While many are doing what they can to save, over a third have already tapped into savings, often to cover emergencies or manage debt. Younger workers, especially Gen Z, are the most likely to do so, raising concerns about long-term habits being disrupted early.

In addition, only 45% of people have factored in healthcare and long-term care costs, and nearly one-third aren’t confident their savings will last through retirement.

So where does this leave advisors?

This moment calls for both perspective and personalization. Clients may still be optimistic about their future, but that optimism isn’t always rooted in financial reality. Helping clients test their assumptions — around spending, timelines, longevity, and market risk — is more important than ever. And it’s not just about projections. It’s about making the plan feel doable, even in a noisy economic environment.

There are clear generational angles to watch:

• Millennials are more confident, but often juggling competing goals

• Gen X is feeling the crunch and may be the most underprepared

• Gen Z is just getting started, and already dipping into savings

Retirement hasn’t lost its importance, but for many, it’s becoming more complex and fragile. However, with clear and steady guidance, advisors can help turn uncertainty into action. There is no better time to start saving than now, as waiting makes the problem harder to solve.

WEEKLY MARKET RECAP

Wall Street Breaks New Records, Oracle Marks Best Rally Since 1992

Wall Street extended its record-breaking run this week, driven by surging investor confidence in Federal Reserve rate cuts and expectations of robust growth by AI-driven companies.

Despite rising inflation and growing cracks in the labor market, traders are placing firm bets on a series of lower interest rates. August brought a fresh rise in annual inflation, which rose to 2.9%, the highest level since January.

However, a concurrent rise in jobless claims — 263,000 in the first week of September — marked the worst weekly print since October 2021. After a flat August payrolls report, it’s becoming clear the labor market is losing steam.

Markets are now fully pricing in a 25-basis-point rate cut at the Fed's upcoming September 17 meeting, with speculators already eyeing additional cuts in October and December.

Oracle (ORCL) took the crown as the week's top-performing S&P 500 stock. The Austin-based software company posted weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue for the quarter, but markets shrugged that off in favor of a surprise boom in cloud AI orders.

The stock jumped 36% in a single session on Wednesday, Oracle's best daily rally since December 1992. CEO Larry Ellison personally reaped the rewards. His net worth spiked by $100 billion in just one day, briefly overtaking Elon Musk as the world's richest man—albeit for a few hours.

Apple (AAPL) disappointed markets during its “Awe Dropping” event unveiling the iPhone 17, with shares sliding 3.2% — the stock's worst day since May. Investors appeared underwhelmed by the lack of breakthrough features in the new phone.

Ford (F) saw its stock rise following the launch of a new global marketing campaign titled "Ready, Set, Ford." The campaign aims to reposition Ford as a lifestyle brand and shine a light on its commercial vehicle and motorsport segments, which it believes are underappreciated. Ford shares reacted positively to the campaign.

Year-to-date, the stock is up 18%, outperforming the S&P 500 by five percentage points. That's a rare beat for the automaker, which has underperformed the broader market in 11 of the past 12 years, with the exception of its 2021 rally.

THE WEEK AHEAD

FedEx, General Mills, Dave & Buster’s, Barnes & Noble and FactSet to report earnings, Jerome Powell Speaks, Interest rate decision, and more

Economic Data

• Monday: Empire State manufacturing survey

• Tuesday: Retail sales, business inventories, and home builder confidence index

• Wednesday: FOMC interest rate decision, Chair Powell press conference

• Thursday: Manufacturing survey, leading economic indicators, and jobless claims

• Friday: Fed President Mary Daly speech, and oil rig count

Earnings

• Monday: Dave & Buster’s (PLAY), High Tide (HITI)

• Tuesday: Barnes & Noble (BNED), Ferguson (FERG)

• Wednesday: General Mills (GIS), Bullish (BLSH)

• Thursday: FedEx (FDX), Darden (DRI), FactSet (FDS)

• Friday: MoneyHero (MNY)

Click here for the full calendar of economic data and earnings reports.

LEARN WITH BENZINGA PRO

Lastly, if you would like to be featured in our upcoming Advisor Spotlight and showcase your business in front of all our subscribers, click here to send us an email.