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Weekly Market Commentary
There was good news and bad news in last week’s employment report. The good news was the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics delivered better-than-expected data about ...
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Last week delivered a mixed bag of financial and economic news.
Read MoreQuarterly Market Commentary
If the first quarter of 2020 was all about financial shock, the second quarter was all about financial recovery. Not a recovery from COVID‐19 in terms of public health, ...
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Is the United States economy recovering or faltering? It depends on who you ask and which data you consider. For example, last week, the Department of Labor reported ...
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Please don’t scream inside your heart. Last week, a reopened Japanese theme park asked patrons to wear masks to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.
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What a quarter! Who could have guessed a global pandemic would produce outsized stock market returns? Near the end of last quarter (March 23), the Standard & Poor’s 500 ...
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Blame it on the coronavirus.Stock markets in the United States and Europe retreated last week as the number of new COVID-19 cases increased steadily in America. On ...
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Could it be the upside surprises? U.S. stock markets have marched higher despite a pandemic, an economic downturn, and social justice protests – and a lot of ...
Read MoreThe Jobs Report was great… Now we just need more of them.
Economic forecasters had one of their biggest whiffs when they predicted 8.5 million job losses in the June unemployment report and a rise in unemployment to 19.8%1. Instead, the Bureau ...
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The Nasdaq Composite dipped its toes into record territory last week before retreating. Stock indices in the United States rallied early last week on optimism about the reopening...
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The employment report electrified U.S. stock markets last week.
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Are those green shoots? In economic terms, green shoots are signs of improvement. If you were paying close attention, you might have seen some in economic data released ...
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It was a good week for stock markets in the United States, but there was trouble in Asia.
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America is reopening, state by state.
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The stock market is not the economy. It’s an important point to remember when headlines marvel that U.S. stock markets are moving higher while the ...
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There are signs COVID-19 may be in retreat. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control reported, overall in the United States, for the week ending April 25 (...
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We live in interesting times. There is discussion about whether the saying, “May you live in interesting times,” is a blessing or a curse. At this point in 2020, ...
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Last week’s economic data was about what you might expect in the midst of a virus crisis that has shut down businesses and forced people to ...
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Why is the stock market doing so well when the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to peak?
Read MoreQuarterly Market Commentary
First Quarter 2020 Key Takeaways The first quarter of 2020 has been an unprecedented period in U.S. financial market history across numerous dimensions.
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In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy says to her little dog, “Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.” Today, many of us understand Dorothy’s trepidation ...
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The United States set some records last week. First, we became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Popular Science explained: “An increase of 15,000 known cases in just one ...
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The coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to spread across the United States last week. On Friday, March 13, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported there were 1,629 confirmed and presumptive cases ...
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Last week was one for the history books. Mid-week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global pandemic. At the time, there were more than 118,000 cases in 114 ...
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Take a deep breath. We have experienced downturns before. Think back to 2018. During the last quarter of the year, major stock indices in the Unites States suffered double-digit ...
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Risk on or risk off? The coronavirus appears to have inspired two distinct schools of thought among investors. Some investors currently favor opportunities that are considered lower risk, ...
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Many stock markets around the world moved higher last week. Investors’ optimism in the face of economic headwinds has confounded some in the financial services industry.
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Last week, major U.S. indices posted strong gains. That’s welcome news, but the drivers behind share price appreciation appear to have little to do with ...
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Prepare yourself. There is a good chance markets will be volatile in the coming weeks. Precautions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus may also slow Chinese ...
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Markets hunkered down last week. News of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China unsettled investors around the world. The respiratory infection is related to severe acute respiratory syndrome ...
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Fourth Quarter 2019 Key Takeaways Among global equity markets, larger-cap U.S. stocks were once again at the top of the leader board. The S&P 500 Index posted ...
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The new trade deals are here! The United States and China signed a preliminary trade deal last week. The next day, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement was approved by ...
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About face! 2019 was a remarkable year for investors with many asset classes delivering positive performance. Both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, a gauge of U.S. stock ...
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About face! 2019 was a remarkable year for investors with many asset classes delivering positive performance. Both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, a gauge of U.S. ...
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Let’s hear it for 2019! Major stock indices in the United States and overseas are poised to deliver double-digit gains for the year. Even with uncertainty about Britain’...
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Investors may find themselves reluctant to ring out the old and ring in the new this week. During 2019, stock and bond markets delivered exceptional returns.
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The Federal Reserve and European Central Bank both pledged to do what they could to underpin their respective economies. The United Kingdom gave Boris Johnson’s Conservative ...
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On Friday, the unemployment report flashed its numbers like a hair model in a shampoo commercial. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 266,000 new jobs were created in November. ...
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Sometime, probably not so long ago, comedian Dave Barry wrote, “Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, ...
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Year-to-date, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite have all gained more than 20 percent with dividends reinvested. The MSCI World Index also ...
Read MoreDon’t Expect Interest Rates to “Normalize” Anytime Soon
JP Morgan produces a fine market summary every quarter, and this chart on the path of interest rates caught our attention1:
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U.S. stock markets climbed higher for the sixth week straight – the longest rally in U.S. markets in two years – and the Dow Jones Industrial ...
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According to a source cited by Barron’s, U.S. stock markets are responsible for creating $6 trillion in paper wealth this year. ‘Paper’ wealth is ...
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The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates last week, as expected. There were no enthusiastic fans singing the Baby Shark song, but the Federal Open Market Committee’s ...
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So far, 2019 has been a tremendous year for U.S. stocks. Through the end of last week, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index had gained more than 20 ...
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Last week was like an overstuffed suitcase that busts open on the baggage carousel. A lot was unpacked in a surprising and disorderly fashion.
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Third Quarter 2019 Key Takeaways The third quarter of 2019 was a choppy one for financial markets as investors continued to weigh the overall health of the global economy against ...
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Financial Times reported the United States agreed to not increase tariffs from 25 percent to 30 percent on $250 billion of Chinese imports next week. (Current tariffs remain in place, and ...
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From trade wars to impeachment inquiries, investors had a lot to ponder during the third quarter. Toward the end of September, they appeared to become more cautious, although ...
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A bull market isn’t a peaceful place. When times are good, investors are constantly tense, wondering how long they will keep rolling, fretting about when a seemingly ...
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Renowned economist Robert Shiller’s new book suggests investors may be able to predict and prepare for economic events by tracking popular stories.
Read MoreThis Economy is as Clear as Mud
With markets on a record bull run and the US economy at over 10 years without a recession, it is not surprising that pessimists are reading various economic tea ...
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If you enjoy searching for Waldo, the visual nemesis in a red-striped sweater and cap, you may appreciate the quandary of central bankers in many wealthy nations. For ...
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Bill Murray’s character is a crotchety newsman who lives the same day over and over again. After exhausting other options, he chooses self-improvement and eventually escapes ...
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About this time last year, Time Magazine reported on anxiety in America. Almost 40 percent of Americans reported being more anxious than they were the previous year.
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Have you ever watched a lake in a thunderstorm? Heavy rain pummels the surface. Dark clouds drop the sky closer to the water. Gusty winds crash waves ashore. ...
Read MoreYield Curve Inversion
Does the Yield Curve Inversion Mean a Recession is on the Way? Maybe, but while the yield curve inversion has historically been a harbinger of a recession, the ...
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Last week was the 40th anniversary of BusinessWeek’s infamous cover headline: ‘The Death of Equities: How inflation is destroying the stock market.’ The publication’s current ...
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The Federal Open Market Committee completed what it called ‘a mid-cycle adjustment’ with a quarter-point rate cut last week. Some investors were unhappy when Fed officials ...
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It has been said there are two sides to every story. Just look at world financial markets. Stock markets and bond markets are telling very different stories. In ...
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The U.S. Federal Reserve has a reputation for providing little transparency about the timing and direction of potential rate changes. That reputation was challenged last week.
Read MoreQuarterly Market Commentary
Second Quarter 2019 Key Takeaways The first half of 2019 saw robust gains across most asset classes, but it certainly wasn’t a smooth ride. Global stock markets got ...
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Last week, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index set a new record, closing above 3,000 for the first time. Other major U.S. stock indices also finished at ...
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What will the Federal Reserve do now? There was unexpected economic news last week. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced 224,000 new jobs were added in June, ...
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In the infamous words of Mortimer Snerd, “Who’d a thunk it?” After U.S. stocks dropped sharply during the last weeks of December 2018, investors were not optimistic ...
Read MoreUS-China Trade War Update
On May 30th, New York Magazine published a chat between business writer Josh Barro and Benjamin Hart1. In discussing recession questions and trade wars Barro argued, with respect ...
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Everything went up – and that’s unusual. Randall Forsyth of Barron’s explained, “Like our major political parties, the stock and bond markets seem to live in two ...
Read MoreFirst Quarter 2019 Key Takeaways
After posting their worst December since 1931, U.S. stocks surged to their best January since 1987, followed by further gains in February and March. Once again, the markets ...
Read MoreSlouching Towards Brexit
With the original March 29th deadline about to pass, we still don’t know how, or even if, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. Like a ...
Read MoreHow Will Rising Healthcare Costs Affect Your Retirement?
It’s no secret healthcare costs are going up. Medical expenses have been steadily increasing for years. In 2007, costs were up almost 12 percent. However, the rate of increase ...
Read MoreQuarterly Market Commentary
Fourth Quarter 2018 Key Takeaways What stands out about 2018 is the breadth of negative returns across almost every asset class and financial market. It was a very challenging year ...
Read More2018 Election Aftermath
The 2018 Midterm elections have come and gone, this time with a minimum of surprises. Republicans gained a little more in the Senate than expected, while Democrats gained a ...
Read MoreWhat To Expect When You’re Electing
Thousands of congressional, state, and local elections will take place on November 6th, less than a week from now. There will be plenty of time afterwards to discuss ...
Read MoreWomen and the Retirement Crisis
Here’s a number that will knock your socks off: $400 trillion.1 By 2050, the retirement savings shortfall in eight of the world’s largest economies is expected to reach $400 ...
Read MoreIs Inflation Making a Comeback?
Last year there was a steady stream of articles wondering whatever happened to inflation. Then, in January, one month of 0.5% CPI inflation brought the inflation seers out of ...
Read MoreKnowledge is Power, Especially When It Comes to Money
Understanding family attitudes towards money may improve financial decisions and reduce financial stress. People inherit more from their parents and grandparents than big feet, eye color, self-discipline, a ...
Read MoreKeep Calm & Stay the Course
You may have heard that markets have had an eventful couple weeks. As of this writing, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped over 2,500 points from its record ...
Read MoreQ4 2017 Market Commentary
Year-End 2017 Key Takeaways The fourth quarter capped yet another stellar year for U.S. stocks. Larger-cap U.S. stocks gained 6.6% for the quarter and ended the year with ...
Read MoreMeet New Fed Chair Jerome Powell
President Trump has chosen Fed board member Jerome Powell as the next Fed chief. Though we wrote briefly about him last month1, we thought that it would be ...
Read MoreQ3 2017 Market Commentary
Third Quarter 2017 Key Takeaways Despite its reputation as the worst seasonal period for stocks, global stock markets rallied again. Emerging‐market stocks were strongest, surging 8%, followed by ...
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