Market Commentary
Q1 2019
The US economy showed slight signs of slowing last quarter after a very strong 2018. Not slowing is new job creation which continues at a sturdy pace, pushing unemployment down to 50-year lows and bringing formerly discouraged, retired, and part-time... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q4 2018
REVIEW OF 2018 PORTFOIO CHANGES Throughout 2018, we enacted several portfolio changes intended to reduce portfolio risk given our cautious investment outlook then and into 2019. Changes in the Fixed Income portfolio were designed to improve quality and reduce exposure... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q3 2018
By almost any measure, the US economy is performing as well as it ever has. The jobless rate fell to 3.8%, the lowest level since 1969, supporting real wage growth and strong consumer spending. Corporate earnings are set to rise... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q2 2018
Inflation and Interest Rates Moving Higher Short-term interest rates continued to move higher, pushed upward by the Fed’s continued pressure to normalize rates, while long-term interest rates took a breather during the 2nd quarter. After reaching a 5-year high of... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q1 2018
Early or Late Cycle? There has been a great deal of debate recently over where we are in the business cycle given the recent acceleration of economic growth. Does this expansion’s anemic growth (slowest on record) mean we have avoided... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q4 2017
2017 was an outstanding year for equities. Global growth was in sync for the first time since the 2008 recession with the world’s 45 largest economies all in expansion mode. This previously occurred from 2004 to 2007, a period also... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q3 2017
Nuclear threats from North Korea, natural disasters Harvey and Irma, and tragedies in Charlottesville and Las Vegas all served as proof that stocks want to go up, despite the odds. Indeed, the 3rd quarter was chock full of potential pitfalls... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q2 2017
After a strong first quarter of 2017, the second quarter was even better, particularly for non-US equities that played catch-up to the steady upward move in US stocks. While leadership within stocks has oscillated between cyclical and defensive sectors, volatility... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q1 2017
2017 is off to a strong start with stocks, bonds and alternatives all up during the 1st quarter. The stock market rally that began last November with the presidential election has continued with little resistance. Increased optimism is being tested,... Read More →
Market Commentary
Q4 2017
We began 2016 with a market sell-off that was the worst ever start to a new year, but recovered to end the year firmly in the black. The strong year-end rally was the result of a change in investor expectations... Read More →