Category: markets
2023 Market Commentary: Bear vs. Bull
Like most investors, we are glad to view 2022 out of our rearview mirror. Last year, U.S. equities had their first annual decline since 2018 and their worst return since 2008. Fixed income was just as dismal and had its poorest performance in the last 50 years. The S&P 500 and U.S. Aggregate bond...
Staying Focused on Your Financial Plan
In today’s volatile global economic environment, it’s more important than ever to stay focused on your financial plan. An updated financial plan will assist in guiding your actions to help you be proactive, rather than reactive, regarding changes to the economic landscape.
Market Commentary – A Fed in Transition
It has been a difficult start for the market in 2022 for both stocks and bonds. Certainly, a pause in performance wasn’t unexpected as the market has compounded at about 14% for the trailing three, five, and ten-year periods. We entered the year mindful of the risks of inflation on profit margins...
Staying Grounded During Turbulent Times
The first quarter of 2022 has been anything but calm. After robust returns across markets during 2021, volatility returned meaningfully. This year began with growth stocks continuing a steep decline that started late last year, followed by indications the Fed would reduce its balance sheet and...
Market Commentary – Taking Stock of the Bull and Bear Case
Market indices have had heady returns over the last several years. The S&P 500 index has had double-digit gains in five of the previous six calendar years, compounding at an 18.5% annual rate over the past five years and a 16.5% clip over the past ten years. Comparatively, since 1928, the index has...
Is Inflation Back?
As the economy reopens and we begin our post-pandemic lives, the world is starting to feel normal. However, many market prognosticators are calling for something that has not been present in America for a long time – a sustained period of above average inflation. Resurgent demand bolstered by mass...
Keep an Eye on Proposed Tax Changes to Fund U.S. Economic Stimulus Plans
The fiscal stimulus train in Washington has continued to move forward. To date, Congress has passed several stimulus plans totaling an eye-popping $5 trillion to help mitigate the negative financial impact of the pandemic on Americans from coast to coast.
Speculating vs. Investing
Over the past several weeks, significant volatility in the share price of video game retailer GameStop dominated news headlines. The shares began to soar at the end of January when investors united on social media platforms to drive the stock price higher (an outcome that was possible given the...
Strategic Ways to Optimize Financial Planning in 2021
As 2021 gets underway, there’s a palpable sense of optimism both domestically and internationally as we move forward with an expanded rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. We hope the New Year will bring an increased demand for travel, dining, and entertainment that will give the private sector a...
Our Perspectives on 2020
When we wrote to our clients at the end of 2019, we opened with the following message: “As we begin a New Year and a new decade, many financial experts are polishing their financial crystal balls in an attempt to predict what the market will – or won’t – do in 2020 and beyond.