Last year ended with a strong economy and positive stock and bond market returns. With inflation under 3% and GDP over 3%, the soft landing remained in place. While volatility was not a constant theme, 2024 saw some very dramatic single-day stock movements. As a new administration gets underway and campaign promises coalesce into an [...]
A New Administration Gets Down to Business January Recap and February Outlook January seemed to go on forever, as the country faced extreme weather and devasting wildfires. The new administration got underway with a lot of sound and fury, particularly around tariffs, which had been a highlight – or a wild card – of the [...]
A new presidential administration will be working towards a very different agenda, and it will play out against the backdrop of a changed inflation and interest rate environment. Everything has changed from where it was at this time last year, which may mean that the short-term positioning of your portfolio should be shifted to be [...]
November Recap and December Outlook The transition to a new administration is underway with announcements of cabinet position nominees. The pro-business lean of the incoming government is not a surprise, and the emphasis is likely to be on deregulation and tax cuts. Several of the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 [...]
Saving for retirement should be part of every stage of your work life, from your first job to your last years before retirement. A 401(k) or other similar employer-sponsored, tax-advantaged retirement savings vehicle is, for many people, the core piece of their retirement nest egg. The sooner you start, the better; however, as you move [...]
October Recap and November Outlook An election season with several twists and turns came to a not-unexpected end with the reelection of President Donald Trump. The received wisdom is that the financial markets hate uncertainty, and we certainly saw some evidence of that in the rally that followed the decisive election results. How will [...]
Social security benefits are linked to inflation, and with inflation largely under control, the large cost-of-living (COLA) increases of the last several years are now a thing of the past. This year’s increase was much smaller, and there are several other changes retirees need to think about as well. While even a small amount of [...]
Oct 07 September Recap and October Outlook September equity markets ended the month in positive territory, but with volatility increased. The VIX, the markets “fear index” closed higher than last month, at 16.73, up from 15.00. Intramonth, the values ranged from a high of 23.76 and a low of 14.90. September’s somewhat surprisingly 50-basis point [...]
Sep 14 After a steep rate hike cycle in which the Fed raised rates eleven times between March of 2022 and July of 2023, for a total increase of 5.00%, rates have been on hold for the last six FOMC meetings as the Fed has assessed the success of the fight against inflation. With that [...]
Sep 09 August Recap and September Outlook As summer ends and September begins, attention is focused on the long-anticipated change in the Fed’s monetary policy, from holding rates steady to returning rates to lower levels. July and August non-farm payrolls indicate a slowing labor market, but other economic indicators are holding steady and show an [...]
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