Blog Investment Management
We posted three scary charts on Halloween (See here) and wanted to post three charts we are thankful for on Thanksgiving. 1) Household Debt Service Ratio The household debt service ratio is the ratio of total required debt payments to total disposable income. Thanks to historically low interest rates, the ratio finished last quarter at…
Read MoreThe financial world can be a scary place. It seems like there is always something to fear in the market. This is especially true in 2020 when investors have endured COVID-19, extreme stock market volatility, massive economic uncertainty and now a Presidential election. Fortunately, our worst fears usually don’t come to fruition. To get in…
Read More2020 election Election scenario planning plays a role in macroeconomic analysis and financial planning, particularly in recent years as tax policies have changed and governments have increasingly intervened in the financial markets during times of crisis. We focus primarily on a few of the market and economic impacts of the election. But our evaluation is…
Read MoreCoronavirus worries officially enter the market as pessimism has shifted from the impact on China to the outbreak to other countries, like South Korea, Italy and Iran amongst others. The market contracted over 3% today (so far). It is important to note that, although uncomfortable, big drops are normal. S&P averages more than five 2% drops…
Read MoreWhen thinking about income in retirement, many investors embrace the adage “never tap growth or touch the principal.” However, generating an acceptable income solely from interest and dividends requires a sizeable portfolio, and isn’t practical, realistic or necessary for many investors. Interest and dividends only: In this approach, you rely on investment income only, without…
Read MoreBouts of market volatility are an unnerving, but normal, feature of long-term investing. They’re not fun, but you can expect to see market declines periodically throughout your investing career. You often hear that investors shouldn’t pay attention to the markets’ day-to-day movements. But it’s sometimes impossible to avoid—like when stocks fall 3% in a day.…
Read MoreMarket Summary U.S. stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 TR Index, got off to their best start since 1997 and reached new all-time highs. During the quarter the S&P 500 gained 4.3% which included a 6.4% drop in May and then a 7% bounce in June. This year’s 18.5% first half gain came…
Read MoreGlobal trade tensions have been elevated since early 2018. Much of the focus has centered on a tit-for-tat exchange of retaliatory tariffs between the U.S. and China, but trade restrictions with North American and European allies are also a factor. The trade tension between China and the U.S. is bigger than just trade, which makes…
Read More1st Quarter 2019 Commentary Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors Market Summary After one of the worst quarters in a decade, stocks shrugged off many of the uncertainties surrounding interest rates, trade wars and slowing global growth to have one of the best quarters in a decade. U.S. stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 TR Index,…
Read More
Election Season v. The Stock Market
Election season can be a challenging time for investors to maintain a long-term perspective, given the strong emotions often evoked by politics. Campaign rhetoric tends to amplify negative and divisive issues. In particular, this election is unprecedented in modern times — marked by the combination of a deadly pandemic, a severe economic recession, widespread civil…
Read More