Proper Perspective By any measure, 2019 was terrific for investors. Stock and bond returns were buoyed by continuing economic growth, low inflation and declining interest rates. 2019 results are summarized below along with outcomes for 2018, a down year that climaxed with a major selloff in December. As Bartlett was not downcast after 2018, we…

Satisfying Progress By any measure, 2019 has been a good year for investors so far, defying many skeptics. Rising corporate profits, increasing dividend payments and declining interest rates have been a favorable combination. Major asset classes are near record levels, with U.S. stocks in the vanguard of performance. Positives and Negatives As we write in…

Record Highs          Equity and bond returns were bountiful in the first half, buoyed by rising corporate profits, increased dividends, falling interest rates, and low inflation. This was a nice reward for patience following the 2018 market swoon.                             …

Beware of Forecasts The last six months remind us of an old saying that stock market forecasting is like singing. Most of us should only do it in the shower, where nobody will hear us. The first quarter of 2019 was the best quarter in ten years, following a dreadful fourth quarter of 2018 climaxed…

The metaphors are many: Slow and steady wins the race. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Little strokes fell great oaks. When it comes to maintaining wealth, these adages hold true. At Bartlett, we prefer to use a baseball analogy, “We aim for singles and doubles, not home runs,” emphasizing patience and well-researched “base hits”…