Global equity markets had an extremely positive 2017 with many indices reaching historical or recent highs. The anticipated correction from overbought levels never occurred due to a steady stream of positive economic reports which addressed concerns regarding downside...
As we monitored North Korea’s actions during the third quarter, we also directed our attention towards two major hurricanes that devastated areas in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. The projected damage costs following the storms created...
As professionals in the Financial Services Industry, we have experienced “headline risk” driven by the technological evolution of news reporting as part of the new “normal” for many years now. It appears that a combination of the media and politics has created a...
We cannot recall the last time we faced challenges in the finalization of this market commentary due to a rapid and steady flow of news to begin a new quarter. Focusing on the economic landscape is a bigger task during major news events such as the continued testing...
A common question was raised at our client events throughout 2016: “What changes are you making in client portfolios to prepare for the Presidential Election?” Based on our many years of experience, including numerous elections, we believe such events drive short-term...
In the spirit of the Presidential Debates, let us use Reagan’s famous expression, “There you go again,” in describing the recent round of fixation on interest rates. It was only after the Fed’s announcement in September to hold rates steady that interest rate...
The wild swing experienced at the end of the quarter due to the Brexit announcement was a true test of nerves for individual investors as well as investment professionals. The volatility confirms our belief that when you mix “Wall Street geniuses” and the media it...
The uneventful first quarter result of +1.35% for the S&P 500 does not tell the whole story as to how 2016 has the dubious honor of having the worst start for U.S. equity markets in stock market history. Of course, it did not end there. The Dow Jones Industrial...
Ringing in 2016 with the worst opening week of the New Year in history did not provide much of an opportunity for investors to reflect on 2015. As we reviewed our notes from last year, we realize this commentary feels like a year-end summary of the various concerns we...
As we watched events unfold during the 3rd quarter, we are reminded of the items discussed at our last Round Table Discussion (RTD) event in April. While the world was focusing on Greece during the early part of the year, we had already turned our attention towards...
