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Highlights Following weakness in October, the S&P 500 returned 11.7% for the fourth quarter. Seven companies accounted for more than 60% of the S&P 500’s 26.3% return in 2023. Small-cap and value stocks outperformed growth and large-cap stocks in the quarter. Falling interest rates led to strong fixed income returns (e.g., the 10-year Treasury’s 6.9%). […]
Read MoreHighlights Source: Bloomberg Equities Although inflation continued to ease in the third quarter, interest rates rose as investors increasingly accepted the idea that the Federal Reserve would maintain the Fed Funds rate at its current level (or higher) for a longer period of time. With only a very slight increase in rates in July, the […]
Read MoreHighlights Equities Lower inflation, better than expected corporate earnings, and continued strong employment all provided fertile ground for the stock market’s advance in the second quarter. Despite the May 1 failure of a third significant bank (First Republic), another increase in the Federal Funds rate the next day, and the Federal debt-ceiling drama in late May, […]
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So, You’ve Got Way Too Much Cash, But the Market Has You Spooked? What Can You Do? With Americans stockpiling record levels of cash amidst a market wrought with uncertainty, it’s nearly impossible to determine exactly when to get those assets reinvested. As fiduciaries, we do not attempt to “time” the market. Not only is […]
Read MoreHighlights Equities January saw a strong rally in the same economically sensitive, speculative, and volatile stocks that led the market up in late 2021 and down in 2022. Investors appeared eager to believe that the danger of a significant recession had faded, inflation was tamed, and the Federal Reserve would begin cutting interest rates later […]
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If you have any desire to provide for the education of a child, grandchild, family member or even friend you should absolutely make yourself familiar with 529 Plans (here is a great place to start). For those of you that are already familiar, you know that they are one of the most popular, flexible, and […]
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It’s been nearly 40 years since the terminator debuted in 1984 & while Arnold Schwarzenegger isn’t likely to show up at your doorstep with a leather jacket, you may be shocked to see just how far we’ve come in advancing the capabilities of AI. Just this month Microsoft pledged $10 billion dollars to a leading […]
Read MoreHighlights Equities Well, at least it’s over. 2022 was a year most investors would like to forget. Even as economic growth weakened, the Federal Reserve decided in March that inflation wasn’t as “transitory” as it had thought and increased the short-term Fed Funds rate at that and every subsequent meeting. This action led rates to […]
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Over the last decade, digital payment services like Venmo, CashApp and PayPal have become enormously popular. These apps allow users to users to handle interpersonal transactions with the ultimate level of convenience. Whether you’re reimbursing a co-worker for picking up lunch, splitting rent with your roommate, or buying a piece of used furniture you found […]
Read MoreWith the “Season of Giving” fast approaching, many of us are thinking about what to get our children, our spouse, or our parents over the holidays. You also may be planning how you intend to give back to your community or charitable organizations this year. In any case, the high-inflation economy is expected to give […]
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