Category Archives for "Investment Management"

Oct 16

DOL Proposed Rule Change Brings Awareness to Sustainable Investing

By Steven Smith | ESG Investing , Financial Lifestyle , Investment Management , Mountain Lifestyle , Peak Thoughts , Wealth Management

The current US Department of Labor (DOL) has a bone to pick with sustainable investing; what is now colloquially called Environmental, Social & Governance or ESG investing. On June 23, 2020 the DOL issued a proposed rule that would limit the use of investments that consider ESG factors in retirement plans subject to ERISA, such […]

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Oct 02

Preparing for Short-Term Election Volatility

By Steven Smith | Financial News , Investment Management , Peak Thoughts , Political News , Uncategorized , Wealth Management

What’s better for investors, Republican Presidents or Democrat Presidents? It’s a trick question. First, because in general, over the long run, it doesn’t matter. While some data correlates Democratic administrations with stronger markets since the end of World War II, there is no evidence of a cause and effect relationship. And this nifty interactive exhibit […]

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Sep 07

Fidelity’s Zero Cost Index Funds – Much Ado About Nothing?

By Steven Smith | Investment Management , Meanderings , Wealth Management

On August 1, 2018, Fidelity Investments, by introducing two zero-management fee index funds, seemingly fired a shot across the bow of the 18th century vessel that is Vanguard’s vaunted logo. For over forty years, Vanguard, the shareholder-owned behemoth has led the way in reducing the cost of investing to a level approaching zero. The Admiral […]

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Jan 14

4th Quarter Client Note – Preparing for an Inevitable Bear Market

By Steven Smith | Financial Lifestyle , Financial News , Investment Management , Newsletters

Global equity markets defied predictions – and perhaps even gravity – in 2017. The S & P 500 (total return) index increased 21.83%, landing in the top third best performances in its history. Foreign markets, buoyed by a falling dollar, performed even better. The MSCI World ex USA (net dividends) Index gained 24.21%. The MSCI […]

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