Blog
Welcome to 2024!
Happy New Year and welcome to 2024! We hope that you and your family had an enjoyable holiday season. We thank you for giving us the opportunity to help you pursue your financial goals. We are excited to see what the new year will bring us. Overall, 2023 was a good...
Outlook 2024: A Turning Point
In 2024, we believe markets will make a definitive turn to a more recognizable place. En route, the transition will be marked by meaningful shifts in a few key areas. Inflation is going down. The risk of a recession is bubbling up again as the effect of post-pandemic...
Can Money Determine Your Happiness?
In 1964, Paul McCartney and John Lennon of the Beatles co-wrote the hit song “Money Can’t Buy Me Love” but, could it bring you happiness? In 2010, Princeton University conducted a study which found that day-to-day happiness rose as annual income increased, but then...
The Federal Reserve and Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at their meeting on November 1st. They continued to state that they are closely tracking inflation and the health of the economy to determine their future decisions. During this session, the central bank voted...
Research
Earnings Are Doing Their Part | Weekly Market Commentary | May 28, 2024
The first quarter earnings season is largely in the books, and it was excellent. In fact, S&P 500 earnings per share (EPS) would have been up double digits in the quarter if not for a big loss Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) absorbed in an acquisition.
How’s it Going? Depends on Who You Ask | Weekly Market Commentary | May 20, 2024
Since millions of homeowners refinanced mortgages to extremely low rates a few years ago, the economy is less sensitive to interest rate policy. In fact, the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium sponsored by the Kansas City Federal Reserve in August will debate the effectiveness and transmission of monetary policy because of these post-COVID-19 dynamics, likely revealing important investment implications.
Preferred Securities: Still Our Preferred Non-Core Bond Sector | Weekly Market Commentary | May 13, 2024
It continues to be a challenging environment for a lot of fixed income markets, especially higher quality markets. With the Federal Reserve (Fed) seemingly unlikely to lower interest rates until after the summer months (at the earliest), the “higher for longer” narrative has kept a lid on any sort of bond market rally. And while falling interest rates help provide price appreciation in this higher-for-longer environment, fixed income investors are likely better served by focusing on income opportunities. That’s where preferreds come in. With yields still elevated relative to history, we think preferred securities are an attractive option for income-oriented investors.
Sell in May? Maybe Not | Weekly Market Commentary | May 6, 2024
With the Federal Reserve (Fed) pointing to higher-for-longer monetary policy last week (before Friday’s softer jobs report), we also explore how stocks perform during prolonged Fed pause periods.