Crude oil’s climb past $88/bbl has lifted energy stocks, with the XLE up 2.3% week-to-date. Long-term investing principles highlight maintaining exposure to commodities as a hedge against inflationary shocks in equity portfolios. The stock's reaction illustrates how high expectations can amplify stock price fluctuations in response to even minor business setbacks. An investment goal is essentially any plan investors have for their money. Many of us aspire to achieve a certain quality of life or fund a specific business objective. Being explicit about one’s investment goals helps investors turn their aspirations into reality. They should also understand that over time, both savings (the amount they invest initially and over time) and investment returns (what the investment earns) will play crucial roles in achieving any investment goal. Gold prices stabilizing near $2,320/oz reflects safe-haven demand amid geopolitical tensions. Investing principles support holding a portion of assets in non-correlated stores of value.