As we reflect on the last eight years, various stages of the economic and market recovery have unfolded like chapters in a book. Many parts have told a predictable tale and, at various times, we have been left wondering if there would be an unpredictable twist or a surprise ending. While the story may be … Continued
In a year characterized by the unexpected, maintaining a disciplined approach to managing your portfolio was our primary objective. During the unsettled economic environment that existed during the first half of the year, we used market volatility to rebalance your portfolio into the extreme sentiment we observed. In the second half, given the noteworthy risk … Continued
These were the three topics most of us were raised to believe should never be a part of polite conversation, but with a hard fought and contentious presidential election campaign just weeks away from completion, such taboo subjects are inevitably top of mind for many investors. And while every presidential cycle tests our emotions, particularly … Continued
The third quarter marked one of the least volatile market environments since 1971 as the S&P 500 did not move over 1% from close-to-close for 43 consecutive days. Few would have predicted such an outcome given Great Britain’s vote to leave the European Union two weeks before the quarter began, sparking a brief pullback and … Continued
Whether it’s the EU, ECB, FED, NAFTA, TPP, WTO, IMF, QE, ZIRP or now NIRP … the whole alphabet soup of established economic policy and international free trade seems to have come under intense scrutiny this year. While our own domestic election year politicking certainly plays an inflammatory role, we are struck by the far-reaching … Continued
When the Federal Reserve ended its stimulative bond buying program, commonly known as “Quantitative Easing”, some investors questioned whether the U.S. economy would be able to support itself without additional stimulus. Since that time, the economy has continued to grow, albeit at a slow pace, and global equity markets have slogged through a volatile period … Continued
The British Are Leaving! The British Are Leaving! Following months of debate on the potential impact and ramifications of membership in the European Union, the people of the United Kingdom voted last night to ‘leave’ in a historic referendum. Global markets have responded significantly to the downside, a move exacerbated by poorly interpreted polling data … Continued