2022 4th Quarter Investment Commentary

  Despite a fourth quarter rally, both U.S. stocks and bonds declined for the year causing a 60/40 portfolio to have its third-worst return since 1926. We expected better days ahead. Markets may be down, but most of the damage was done in the first half of the year. Since the end of June, stocks…

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What Do We Want in the New Year?

On Happiness, Meaning and Psychological Richness Written by: Hal Hershfield, Ph.D. How Do You Define Leading a ‘Good’ Life? As we look forward to this new year, we want to look at a fresh way to approach resolution-making. I suspect that what lies under the hood of many New Year’s resolutions is partly a desire…

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Client Question of the Month: Why do I still own bonds when their returns have been negative?

A Stark Contrast

Bonds historically have helped stabilize portfolios when markets—particularly stock markets—grow volatile. The US bond market has recorded positive returns, before inflation, in all but four years since 1976. High-quality bonds, in particular, have typically held their value when stocks have endured their worst periods of performance. 2022 has been an outlier – bonds haven’t stabilized…

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2022 3rd Quarter Investment Commentary

The macroeconomic factors of rising interest rates and stubborn inflation remained chief concerns and weighed down both stocks and bonds. Despite a strong employment picture, economic data continued to moderate, and markets priced in a rising risk of recession in 2023. Stocks ended the quarter at reasonable valuations and bond yields were at their highest…

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The Huge Cost of Doing Nothing

coins falling out of jar

One of the biggest decisions when transitioning into adult life is when to start saving.  Putting off savings till later comes with a cost of waiting.  Cost of waiting describes the opportunity cost when an individual decides to wait before beginning to save money.  This cost can result in a smaller portfolio at retirement, larger…

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What Should you do when there’s Market Volatility?

During this time of market volatility, we want to share the things we are doing and some things that you can do to help ease your worries. Rebalancing your portfolio. Volatile times can lead to rebalancing opportunities. Market changes can skew your allocation from its original target. We may rebalance your portfolio by selling positions…

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2022 2nd Quarter Investment Commentary

real GDP

 • Stocks and bonds had a difficult start to 2022, falling together through the first half of the year. Rising interest rates amid an inflation spike was the main catalyst. • The economic backdrop remained uncertain with the U.S. economy contracting in the 1st quarter. Data was mixed but recessions risks increased. • Better…

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Does Having More Money Equate to More Happiness?

Happiness matrix

The relationship between happiness and money is complicated. Just consider this sampling of the myriad studies that explore the link between the dollars we earn and the happiness we feel. A study from the 1970s by Philip Brickman, Dan Coates and Ronnie Janoff-Bulman for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology even found that lottery…

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Market Update: May 2022

60-40 annual returns

As we move into spring and leave behind the last signs of a long winter, many worries from a chilly start to the year for markets, unfortunately, are still with us. The S&P 500 Index had its worst April in more than 40 years, and the decline has continued in May leaving the index down…

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2022 1st Quarter Investment Commentary

• The war in Ukraine, high inflation, and rising interest rates increased volatility. Both stock and bonds fell during the quarter. • Corporate balance sheets and earnings were on track to hit record highs in 2022. • The risks to an economic slowdown increased but the U.S. economy still appeared on track to grow through…

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