Market Review
The benchmark S&P 500 index posted a 8.3% gain for the 2nd quarter, with the strongest gains again concentrated among three sectors and a limited cadre of component companies. Artificial intelligence (A.I.) has been the hot news story in regards to which companies enable it and which companies are empowering users with it.…
Historically, stocks have provided appreciation that helped investor portfolios grow. Many stocks also provide returns in the form of dividends. Stock prices have certainly gone up over time, but the path hasn’t exactly been a straight line. There have been some queasy, white-knuckle moments along the way when it felt downright uncomfortable to own stocks.…
Market Review
The benchmark S&P 500 index posted a 7.0% headline gain to start the year, though performance varied widely by sector and a small group of large, Technology-driven stocks provided the bulk of the gains. Investors sought the perceived safety of robust and resilient cash flows and balance sheets. As expected, the Federal Reserve…
Did the S&P 500 bottom on October 12th of last year? Only hindsight will bestow that knowledge. Stubborn inflation and higher interest rates were the big drivers behind the selloff that took us to that October low, but recent data indicates inflation is retreating, comments from Federal Reserve members suggest they may be close to…
Market Review
The benchmark S&P 500 index posted a welcome 7.1% gain to close out a challenging calendar year. Earnings results continued to surprise to the upside, although overall growth was more modest, with a 3.5% rise outpacing expectations for no growth. Revenue growth topped estimates by 2.5%, expanding 11.4%. Despite a flurry of four…
The stock market is down 19% year-to-date, so what is an investor to do? There are plenty who are exhausted by the continuous grind toward lower prices, even with some trend-reversal rallies mixed in. They want to sell because they’re worried about stock prices falling even further than the mid-October lows. No one has a…
Market Review
After a 2nd quarter most investors want to forget, the smaller 5.3% S&P 500 drop experienced in the 3rd isn’t any easier to swallow. The net move masks a tale of two markets, with a sharp rally followed by a slightly sharper pullback. Stubborn inflation kept the Federal Reserve on a path toward…
The age-old advice is to “buy low and sell high”, and it’s hard to argue with that logic. We cling steadfastly to the belief that if you buy and stay invested over the long term, you’ll have done exactly that. With history as a guide, the stock market has rewarded investors handsomely, but the path…
Market Review
As one market observer noted, the best news about the 1st half of 2022 is that it has ended. The S&P 500 posted a 16.4% decline for the 2nd quarter as nagging inflation compelled the Federal Reserve to raise their target rate a cumulative 1.25%, including the largest single move since 1994. Elevated…
Diversify. Diversify. Diversify.
It’s one of the key concepts for investors to understand. Most are familiar with the adage “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”, and diversification is essentially the same concept. We’re not dogmatic about investors needing to own certain asset classes. Some of those asset classes have been dogs for years…
