Blog Investment & Financial News
Cybersecurity 101
Cybercrime has been on the rise. The risk of identity theft or your personal data being compromised continues to be a real threat, and it’s important for you to be prepared. We are extremely committed to protecting your personal and financial data. We have robust software security systems in place and test them regularly. In…
Update on Global Trade
Global 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…
Happy Earth Day: Sustainable Investing
Sustainable Investing Sustainable investing is no longer a niche investment approach. Growth has rapidly increased over the last 20 years (see graph at right)[1]. In a 2015 survey, the Morgan Stanley Institute of Sustainable Investing found that 71% of individual investors are interested in sustainable investing[2]. Sustainable investing seeks to provide strategies, products and solutions…
Not your Grandma’s Dow
Not Your Grandma’s Dow A quick online search for “Dow rallies 500 points” yields a cascade of news stories with similar titles, as does a similar search for “Dow drops 500 points.” These types of headlines may make little sense to some investors, given that a “point” for the Dow and what it means to…
QCD- Important news regarding tax preparation for 2018.
Important news regarding tax preparation for 2018 Did you make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA in 2018? If you gifted to a qualified charity directly from your IRA in 2018 there are steps you need to take to make sure it gets reported properly on your taxes. You will receive a 1099R…
2018 4th quarter commentary
4th Quarter 2018 Commentary Leonard Rickey Investment Advisors Market Summary After reaching all-time highs in late September, the S&P 500 fell nearly 20% in three months, including more than 7% in one week, and finished the year down for the first time since 2008. If the S&P 500 had ended the month where it closed…
The Death of Diversification Part 1
Does it make sense to invest anywhere but in U.S. equities? After all, U.S. economic data has been meaningfully stronger than many foreign countries. For example, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was at its lowest level in nearly 50 years[1], U.S. manufacturing and services data were at their highest levels in nearly 15 years[2]…
2019 1st Quarter Commentary
1st 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,…