Blog Investment Management
Stocks ended the year on a nine-week winning streak, as the S&P 500 TR Index erased all the losses in 2022 reaching new all-time highs during the quarter. The year-end rally in stocks was one of the strongest ever and was based on the expectations of a Fed policy rate change and expectations of…
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After a strong first half, stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 TR, pulled back during a historically weak third quarter. Economic data continued to be stronger than expected and even showed signs of accelerating. This, amongst other factors, caused long term bond yields to increase significantly during the quarter. We ended the quarter…
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Last year we wrote a blog on Series I Savings bonds, also known as I-Bonds. At the time, they offered an appealing interest rate of 9.62% due to the high inflation rate. We wrote, “If you have extra cash on the sidelines over your rainy-day fund, consider purchasing I-Bonds to help your money keep up…
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The U.S. debt limit – commonly called the debt ceiling – is the total amount of money that the U.S. government is authorized to borrow. When the debt limit is reached, the government can no longer borrow money to cover its obligations. Congress has raised or suspended the debt ceiling over one hundred times since…
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Stocks, as measured by the S&P 500, rose for the second quarter in a row but remain in a year-long trading range. The second largest bank failure in U.S. history quickly changed bond yields. Markets were priced for interest rate cuts by the end of 2023. The dramatic change in interest rate expectations caused a…
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In light of recent events in the banking sector, we wanted to provide a recap and an overview of the impact to your accounts. Financial markets shook last week as Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the California bank subsidiary of SVB Financial Group (SIVB), fell into FDIC receivership. SVB is the first FDIC-insured institution to fail…
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It’s been an encouraging start to the year after a challenging 2022. Falling inflation, interest rates, and decent earnings have provided fuel for a nice market run to start the year. The S&P 500 is up over 8% this year and up over 15% since it bottomed in October 2022. Bonds (1) are up over…
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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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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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2024 1st Quarter Investment Commentary
The S&P 500 TR Index continued its strong momentum and reached new all-time highs. Momentum often creates momentum, which leaves us optimistic about stocks currently. However, a near-term pullback wouldn’t surprise us. The U.S. economy continued to grow due to a strong labor market, healthy consumer balance sheets, and robust services activity. Due to an…
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