Blog Investment Management

2021 3rd Quarter Commentary

By Matt Hargreaves / October 14, 2021 / Comments Off on 2021 3rd Quarter Commentary

The S&P 500 finished the 3rd quarter flat, after suffering its first 5% correction since 2020. The economic recovery continued but increased concerns about the Delta variant, labor shortages and supply chain issues slowed growth. Corporate earnings were very strong and finished the quarter at higher levels than before the pandemic began. Higher corporate taxes…

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ETF's vs Mutual Fund total assets

Investment Question of the Month: What are some of the differences between ETFs and mutual funds?

By Matt Hargreaves / August 23, 2021 / Comments Off on Investment Question of the Month: What are some of the differences between ETFs and mutual funds?

Mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are arguably more similar than different. Both investment funds are registered with the SEC under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (40 Act), and most of the rules under the 40 Act apply to both. Both structures offer investors a way to pool their money in a fund…

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style chart

2021 2nd Quarter Commentary

By Matt Hargreaves / July 20, 2021 / Comments Off on 2021 2nd Quarter Commentary

• The strong economic recovery drove corporate earnings growth and supported gains in stock prices. The S&P 500 finished the quarter and new all-time highs. U.S. valuations remained elevated. • In a reversal of the previous two quarters, growth stocks beat value stocks, bond yields decreased, and large cap stocks outperformed small cap stocks. •…

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Bitcoin

Should You Invest in Cryptocurrencies?

By Matt Hargreaves / June 17, 2021 / Comments Off on Should You Invest in Cryptocurrencies?

Cryptocurrency Background Before reading, our compliance team wanted me to emphasize that I am not an expert in cryptocurrencies and that nothing in here should be taken as investment advice. This is meant to be educational. Please do your own due diligence before investing. In broad terms, cryptocurrencies are a new type of asset that…

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environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors

What is ESG Investing?

By Matt Hargreaves / May 19, 2021 / Comments Off on What is ESG Investing?

Investors are increasingly aware of how certain business practices may potentially affect the environment and how that may impact future generations. As citizens, individuals can express their political preferences around sustainability through the ballot box. As investors, they also can express their preferences through their investments by allocating capital to companies that better align with…

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Market Summary & Portfolio Changes

By Matt Hargreaves / April 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Market Summary & Portfolio Changes

Market Summary Momentum from the second half of 2020 continued into 2021 as the new year mainly brought good news regarding returning to a more normal economic environment. An uptick in vaccine supply and distribution, an additional $1.9 trillion stimulus package, and continued monetary policy support improved the economic backdrop and boosted stock prices. Stocks…

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Economic Analysis & A Note on Inflation

By Matt Hargreaves / April 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Economic Analysis & A Note on Inflation

Economic Analysis As was the case in 2020, the pandemic’s course should dictate the course of the economic expansion in 2021. As vaccines continue to be administered, it seems likely that the economy will re-open and continue its recovery. This, along with massive stimulus, could propel the economy to growth not seen in decades. An…

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Market Analysis

By Matt Hargreaves / April 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Market Analysis

Market Analysis March marked the first anniversary of the bottom of the COVID bear market for the S&P 500 Index. Despite the turbulence of the past year, investors were rewarded by sticking with stocks. No one could have predicted this, but the S&P 500 completed its greatest one-year rally post-WWII, gaining over 74% from March…

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Investment Question of the Month: Should I invest my cash now or over time?

By Matt Hargreaves / March 16, 2021 / Comments Off on Investment Question of the Month: Should I invest my cash now or over time?

If you have cash sitting on the sidelines, you have options to get it invested.  Here are three of the most common options to get it invested: Invest it right away (lump sum) Invest it over time (dollar-cost average) Invest when the market pulls back (time the market) Each option has pros and cons, but research suggests investing it right away has…

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GameStop Perspective

By Ben Rickey / February 9, 2021 / Comments Off on GameStop Perspective

Recently, we saw a significant increase in volatility. A few individual stocks had great fluctuations, due in part to a new wave of investors.  These young traders are opening stock accounts in record numbers and organizing trading campaigns through on-line messaging boards. We wanted to get the perspective of a young 20-year-old to look at…

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