From Progress to Panic A “recession scare” swept through global stock markets in December, wiping out eleven months of moderate progress. Major indexes finished with negative performance, the most disappointing year for stock investors since 2008. Bonds posted break-even returns for the year, as interest income was offset by lower bond prices. Cash, with a…

“Fixed income” is investment-speak for bonds and bond-like investments. These are income producing vehicles that tend to have a fixed maturity date when the investor receives his or her principle investment back. They tend to be viewed as the conservative piece of an investor’s overall portfolio, complementing stocks, which are more aggressive and tend to…

Continuing Progress U.S. equity markets rose since our July report, buoyed by ongoing economic expansion and strong corporate profit growth. Foreign stock markets were disappointing, reflecting less vigorous economic conditions abroad and uncertainty about U.S. trade policy. With interest rates trending higher and bond prices thereby lower, most fixed income benchmarks posted lackluster returns. Year-to-date…

Halftime Numbers As we write in early July, major U.S equity benchmarks are 5 – 8% below record highs from January and many foreign markets are in “correction” territory. This weakness reflects concern about U.S. trade policy, higher interest rates, and a likely slowdown in corporate profit growth after 2018. First half results were lackluster…

From Tranquil to Turbulent After steadily rising for more than fourteen months, the U.S. stock market experienced a reversal amid much higher volatility during the first quarter of 2018. As we write in early April, many equity benchmarks are 7-10% below highs recorded in January. First quarter results were generally lackluster. Positives and Negatives Updating…