A key driver of global markets and inflation over the past two years has been the price of oil. As an important commodity that fuels the economy, investors watch the oil market closely. While oil has fallen considerably from its peak in 2022, it has also rebounded over the last few months. Since mid-June, Brent crude […]
Interest rates have swung wildly over the past two years in response to inflation, economic concerns, and market volatility. After falling as low as 3.3% earlier this year, the 10-year U.S. Treasury is now yielding around 4.2%, back to where it was roughly a year ago. However, while today’s long-term yields look similar to last year’s on […]
Click here to download this commentary in PDF format. For long-term investors, knowing the difference between what can and cannot be controlled is the key to both financial success and peace of mind. While all investors would like to believe they can predict or even control the direction of the market, experience teaches us that […]
Financial markets have pulled back in recent weeks due to factors such as rising interest rates and uncertainty in China. So far in August, the S&P 500 has declined 4.8% while the Nasdaq, which consists primarily of technology stocks, has fallen 7.4%. However, this is in the context of a strong rally from March through […]
While 2023 has been a better year for bonds after last year’s bear market, rising interest rates over the past three months have acted as a headwind. The U.S. Aggregate bond index has gained 0.6% this year, down from a peak return of 4.2% in April. Similarly, corporate bond returns have receded to 1.8% from 5% prior […]
Despite the economic uncertainty of the past year, everyday individuals and households have been resilient. Consumer spending has remained steady in the face of high inflation, rising interest rates, housing market challenges, and layoffs in sectors such as tech. While it has helped that the recession anticipated by many investors and economists has not materialized, this fact […]
Investors have grappled with market and economic challenges this year ranging from Fed uncertainty, stubbornly high inflation, the possibility of a recession, a banking crisis, the debt ceiling, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and more. And yet, the stock market has made significant year-to-date gains with the S&P 500 returning 12.4% with dividends and the Nasdaq 27%. This is further […]
The federal debt limit is once again in the news as the country rapidly approaches a critical deadline on June 1. Investors are understandably nervous about Washington failing to reach an agreement, a possibility that both sides agree would be a self-inflicted catastrophe. While it’s unclear how this will play out in the coming weeks, the fortunate news […]
In times of market uncertainty, investors often turn to sayings such as “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” and “history never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” When it comes to the day-to-day headlines, both quotes are relevant given the long history of banking crises and market swings. This is […]
Click here to download this commentary in PDF format. Stock market volatility has once again picked up as recent economic data have led markets to reverse course after a strong start to the year. While investors have grown accustomed to daily swings, it’s still important to remember that stock market fluctuations are normal, expected and unavoidable. After all, […]