Menu
1st Quarter Client Note
By Steven Smith | Newsletters
The S & P 500 Index returned 5.3% (with dividends reinvested) taking the market’s gains to around 70% from a year ago — when the financial world was on a precipice.
There has been an interesting style shift recently. The 2009 recovery was led by large-cap growth companies. But in the first quarter of 2010, small-cap stocks led the way, with a gain of 8.7%. Large-cap value was up by 7.4%, while large-cap growth gained only 2.5%. Foreign markets continued to perform well on a local currency basis; but not so much for US investors, who were hurt by the strengthening dollar.
While there are signs of life, the “real” economy has not clearly begun a robust recovery. The stock market is a discounting machine, anticipating recessions and recoveries. But there remain economic challenges; such as housing, employment, Greece and the inevitable retraction of government stimulus. Not to mention the things we can’t see.
Rebalancing portfolios last year (buying when others were fearfully selling) certainly paid off for investors. Now there are signs that last year’s sellers are coming back into the market. It’s hard to say whether that is a good sign or a cautionary one.
I always find it helpful to see current market conditions in their historical context. The following chart shows the historical distribution of US market returns since 1926. The performance years are stacked in ascending order by return range.
This chart illustrates that:
Of course, the order in which positive and negative returns will appear is unpredictable – at least through my crystal ball.
Take our free risk assessment quiz to determine your readiness on the path to Financial Independence.
Steve Smith, Principal Right Path Investments
Steve Smith, Principal of Right Path Investments is here to guide you with preparations to take your next step. If you're ready to take that step, schedule some time for a one on one with Steve today.