Nearing the end of the year creates a natural inclination to reflect on where the markets have been, where they are, and where they may be in the future. In the third quarter the song remained very much the same as previous quarters…

Despite headwinds of rising interest rates, a decreasing likelihood of fiscal stimulus and high valuations, U.S. equity markets keep climbing…

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The status quo in the market has remained (insert any of the following); Volatile, Unpredictable, Capricious, Explosive, etc… each accurately describing today’s markets.  Market conditions of late have left clients asking “How do you pick stocks in a market like this?”  We thought instead of bemoaning the events top of mind; Brexit, Oil prices, How To Make America…

The second quarter of 2016 has been one for the books. Negative interest rates continued to confuse investors, Puerto Rico defaulted on their constitutionally guaranteed GO debt, US politics continue to provide global amusement… however the UK eclipsed them all with a surprise vote to leave the European Union. The “Brexit” surprised markets and caused a rush of…

It seems that 2015 market volatility has followed us into the first quarter of 2016. On February 11th, the S&P 500 was down 10%, only to end the quarter up 1.3%. Few foreign equity markets made it into the black. China and Japan both ended the quarter in negative territory, down 17.2% and 12% respectively. US Economic…

The first quarter of 2016 was a roller coaster ride. From the onset, the S&P 500 fell nearly 5% in the first week of trading and by the second week of February was down approximately 10%.  A sharp rebound then took hold as the flu-like temperature of the global economy seemed to subside; oil prices…

Finally, after a year of talking about it, the Federal Reserve raised rates by 0.25 percentage points, the first rate hike since 2006. The new range for the federal funds rate is 0.25% to 0.5%. The Fed unanimously agreed the economy was strong enough to warrant an increase: they noted as positives “ongoing job gains”…

The end of 2015 concluded a roller coaster of a ride for investors, as investors adjusted to an era of slower Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. In the U.S. following strong second and third quarters, 3.9% and 2.0% respectively, GDP growth slowed to just 0.7% in the fourth quarter…

By any measure, the world’s stock markets have had one of the worst starts to a year in history.  The markets are dealing with a slowing Chinese economy, geopolitical concerns in the Mideast, growing political and economic pressures in Europe and a downdraft in global commodity prices, especially energy…