AI and uneven market returns. There is no denying that the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have marched higher in the first half of the year. The numbers might be a bit misleading when it comes to investors’ actual experiences however, as there are a very small batch of companies that are dragging the market higher. As reported Read More
Economic/market tug of war. The past six months have shown to be frustrating for lasting market returns. The S&P 500 seems to be marking time, range bound between 3700 on the low end and 4200 on the high end. Recent lows have been higher than previous ones and recent highs have likewise been higher – an Read More
Banks, banks, banks. It has been quite a month, with fears over bank failures and potential systemic issues upsetting both fixed income and equity markets. We do not believe the problems plaguing banks will persist. The longer we go without another bank failure or deepening fears, the quicker this issue will resolve. The fear of a Read More
The appeal of small home living has really been catching on. Many people are shying away from buying super-sized homes and opting for a much littler footprint for their family, even though bigger, more expensive houses are a viable option. The reason? There’s a lot of financial benefit to keeping your housing costs down. One Read More
What’s going on? The markets are tumbling, and fear has begun to seep into most every corner of the investor mindset. “What if…” is the prevailing question as markets move aggressively in response to the recent Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapses over the last week. “What if this spreads to other banks? What if this means Read More
Inflation battle. No one said it would be a smooth ride to reach the Federal Reserve’s inflation target of 2%. Elevated inflation numbers keep a tight hold on the markets, and the American consumer continues to spend. Slowing inflation from 7+% was the easy part. The low hanging fruit in the Fed’s inflation battle has already been harvested, Read More
Big earnings week. 4th quarter earnings are shaping up to be weaker than expected. This week is a big one as many of the mega cap names are scheduled to report. The underlying concern? If earnings continue to weaken with U.S. equity markets at already elevated valuations, it might lead to additional weakness in stock Read More
Inflation update. Inflation data continues to point towards further easing, particularly on goods as customers cut back on the ‘stuff’ they purchase. Consumption of services remains strong. The slowing inflation data is a promising sign that price pressures are abating. The abatement reasons are twofold – resolutions to supply chain kinks and the slowing of Read More
Fed policy ‘roadmap’. As the market expected, the Federal Reserve increased rates by .75% at their most recent meeting. The consensus is that they will begin to slow down future increases with an expected .50% hike in December. From there, rate hikes are likewise projected to move down towards more traditional .25% bumps. The Fed’s Read More
The markets rebound. The markets have finally had a good month, as the previous two were quite ugly. The rebound we have been experiencing can likely be traced to the hopes of a Fed pivot away from rising interest rates by year end. A narrative is taking hold that inflation may have finally peaked, leaving Read More
