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The month of May is here and with it comes the constant and predictable drumbeat from the financial media about the seasonal history of the stock market. Like many investing patterns trumpeted by the mass media, there is some validity behind it, but there is also much more to the story.

One of the most successful investors in history received the only A+ from Professor Benjamin Graham (of Graham and Dodd “Security Analysis” fame) at Columbia: the chairman and chief executive officer at Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., which traded as low as $38 per share in the early 1970s and now trades around $219,000 per share.

Last week marked the seventh anniversary of the U.S. stock market bottom on March 9, 2009. To put the recent volatility into perspective, let's take a look at what has changed over the last seven years:

The S&P 500 has risen substantially

U.S. equity markets ended another volatile week lower despite a bounce in oil prices. For the week, the S&P 500 lost 0.81%, the Dow fell 1.43%, and the Corporate Bond Index was flat.

Now that 2015 is in the rear-view mirror, let's take a look at some of the factors that influenced markets last year. Though U.S. stock markets closed negative for the year, it's important to realize what a small miracle that is, given the many challenges that markets faced in 2015.

After a brief rally after the Federal Reserve announced its historic decision, markets ended another choppy week in the red, battered by plummeting oil prices and rocky investor sentiment. For the week, the S&P 500 lost 0.34%, the Dow dropped 0.79%, and the U.S. Corporate Bond Index fell 0.52%.

Here are a few thoughts that should add some perspective on any interest rate policy changes that may be announced by the Federal Open Market Committee today. Regardless of what happens, there will likely be significant media hysteria, so try to ignore that and keep a longer term perspective if any volatility follows the announcement.

Please take the time to read this most recent update on current global investment market conditions, focusing on the U.S. stock market.

Please take the time to read this most recent update on current global investment market conditions, focusing on the U.S. stock market.

Important update on current global investment market conditions.

U.S. stocks ended a defensive week in the red as investor sentiment deteriorated in the face of fresh worries out of China. For the week, the S&P 500 fell 5.77%, the Dow lost 5.82%, and the NASDAQ slid 6.78%.