There’s an old saying that bull markets “climb a wall of worry.” (I don’t think Alfred E Neuman said that one.) And there has been plenty to worry about. The economy appears to be slowing, while inflation persists. The dollar has fallen sharply against other currencies. The deficit continues to grow. The government is shut […]
3rd Quarter Client Note – What, Me Worry? Read More »
Unless you live under a rock, you couldn’t help but notice that the US equity market has taken a beating in the last few weeks. As of this writing, the S&P 500 (total return) Index is down 8% in the last month and 5% year-to-date. The hardest hit stocks have been the previously market leading
Fear Takes Over – Understanding the Recent Market Sell-Off Read More »
2023 began on the heels of one of the worst years both stock and bond markets have seen. Here is a bleak reminder: Beginning in March of 2022, to combat rising inflation, the Fed hiked interest rates seven times. By October of this year the 10-year Treasury yield had topped 5% for the first time
4th Quarter Client Note – Who Woulda Thunk It? Read More »
Led by a handful of big technology stocks (and defying most expectations), the S&P 500 (Total Return) Index gained 8.74% in the quarter and is up 16.89% YTD. These gains have led socks into “bull market” territory – up 20% from its previous low reached on October 14, 2022. Large Growth is up a whopping
2nd Quarter Client Note – The Bull is Back Read More »
Every spring, the bears in Colorado’s high country come out of hibernation. (In fact, we just had one – pictured below – stop by for dinner with us the other day.) Thankfully, bear markets are not quite so regular. But they do occur periodically and we are experiencing one right now. Interestingly, use of that
2nd Quarter Client Note – A Bear Market Roars Read More »
To paraphrase Mark Twain: Everybody talks about inflation, but nobody does anything about it. Inflation, simply defined, is the erosion of the purchasing power of money over time. It is a natural phenomenon in a growing economy. A ticket to the bleachers at Fenway Park cost my parents $1.00 when I was a kid. A
Inflation Rears its Ugly Head and What to Do About It Read More »
We finally turned the corner on Covid (hopefully) and now find our European allies facing the worst military crisis since World War II — and possibly on the precipice of a nuclear confrontation with the out-of-control Russian leader. After being down by over 10% mid-quarter, the S & P 500 (total return) Index ended the
1st Quarter Client Note Read More »
For the second consecutive year the US stock market posted an extraordinary gain. This, in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic. The S & P 500 (Total Return) index was up 28.71% for the year, including a 11.2% increase in the fourth quarter. On top of the utterly surprising 18.4% increase in 2020. Other asset
Q4 Client Note – A Good Year for Stocks, If Nothing Else Read More »
The S & P 500 (total return) index closed the quarter at a record high; up 8.55% for the quarter and 15.25% for the first six months, setting all kinds of winning streaks in the process. The MSCI Developed Markets Index rose 5.65%, with Europe beginning to get more people vaccinated and its economy opening
2nd Quarter Client Note – Will Inflation Rear Its Ugly Head? Read More »
When writing my client note at this time last year, we were in the vortex of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Cases were exploding around the world. Hospitals were overwhelmed – or nearly so. And deaths were mounting. Social distancing had been imposed. Businesses were shuttered. There were massive layoffs, particularly in the
1st Quarter Client Note – Still Standing Read More »
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