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Global markets experienced yet another exceptionally volatile week as bond rates continued to move higher, although Friday's session proved to be a positive one for major indexes. Since reaching an all-time high on February 16, the S&P 500 (SPX) Index posted a negative return of -2.31% (through 3/5), while the Nasdaq Composite (NASD) fell -8% [...]
Between the end of last year and mid-February, the market hit a series of all-time highs. Even with optimism over the prospects for enough vaccine for all Americans by June, the mood of the market seems to have dimmed over the last few weeks. Does this shift suggest we have seen the highs for the [...]
Twenty-twenty (2020) was a year of head-scratching drama. The year started off great with low unemployment, an economy humming along, and the stock market hitting all-time highs in mid-February. Then things began to fall apart. The pandemic gripped the world's attention; the market sold off roughly 34% in just a little over a month; and [...]
We know that the current political climate has many investors wondering how the US equity markets will perform under unified political leadership. We think it helps to understand the past in order to think about what the future holds. Today, the folks at Nasdaq Dorsey Wright, who provide us with their proprietary charting information, have [...]
Talk about a roller-coaster – 2020 was the king-daddy of them all! And while it’s not over just yet, I hope we can feel the intensity of the ride diminishing as if we were coming around that last corner of a real roller coaster. The vaccine is here; treatments and tests for the virus are [...]
We hope that you have had a very Merry Christmas and holiday season and are looking forward to a Happy New Year. The year 2020 has been strange in so many ways ... some awful and some great. We are all hoping for good health and prosperity in 2021. The past several weeks have been [...]
As we head toward year-end, it is easy to chalk up 2020 to a crazy year where nothing made sense. Aspects of that might be true for living through pandemic-induced lockdowns, re-openings, and a Presidential election. But since the early days of the initial market sell-off (late February through mid-March), the market is largely [...]
Let me begin by commenting on the election and the market’s reaction thus far. While many likely expected market upheaval resulting from a delayed election outcome, that has not been the case. The market was up sharply on Monday and that trajectory continued through yesterday with the S&P 500 up over 7% through yesterday. Better [...]
As we all continue to navigate these turbulent times, it may be helpful to periodically refocus on why we invest in equity markets and what drives equity markets higher. When we buy stock in a company, we are buying an ownership stake in that company. That ownership stake gives us the right to participate in [...]
Over the past six months, I have written several articles trying to help clients catch glimpses of the economy. We all understand the tremendous shock our economy has taken as a result of this pandemic, but most media outlets provide little help in contextualizing what is happening. In previous emails, I have discussed consumer sales. [...]
