Markets have reacted sharply over the past three weeks to the war in Iran, especially to the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. Here are some of the biggest moves from peak to trough or vice versa since the war started, as of Friday, March 20th’s close: Roughly 20% of global oil supply flows […]
The market close could not come soon enough today. Trump’s sweeping tariffs, announced Wednesday afternoon, have dragged stocks lower over the past two trading days. The Nasdaq is now in a bear market, meaning it has declined more than 20% from its recent high. The Total World Stock Index is not far behind, down 15% […]
Markets experienced a volatile December, to say the least. Jerome Powell and the Fed effectively pulled the punchbowl on the Red Wave party at the December meeting by forecasting only 0.5% of rate cuts in 2025, down from a forecasted 1% just weeks earlier. At the same time, long-end Treasuries (10+ years) have seen a […]
“Why should I hire a financial advisor when I can just buy the S&P?” If I only I received a dime every time I heard that question, I could quit writing this blog post and retire early. To be fair, it’s a good a question and one you should ask any financial advisor you are […]
I read an article that described structured notes as “Boomer Candy”. Retirees seem to eat up the idea that they can participate in positive market returns while still protecting principal. What are structured notes and are they something you should incorporate into your portfolio? Structured notes are debt securities issued by financial institutions that combine […]
Did you take my advice and buy series I bonds between May of 2022 and November of 2022 and earn 9.62% for the first six months and then 6.48% for the second 6 months? Great trade! But itʼs time to reevaluate the fixed income landscape. These Series I bonds purchased between May and November of […]
In Marvin Gaye’s cool jam, “Trouble Man”, he sings, “There are only three things for sure, taxes, death, and trouble, oh this I know.” Financial advisors help us avoid taxes, and life insurance policies protect our families’ finances from unexpected death, but how do we prepare for trouble? I start every financial plan with the […]
In last month’s article, we explored the relationship between financial planning and investment management, and how any investment necessitates a well-defined financial plan to determine the investment time horizon. This time horizon dictates the ability to take risks, and this month we will talk about a saver’s willingness to take risks. A person’s willingness to […]
In Sinatra’s classic pseudo-limerick, “Love and Marriage” he sings, “Love and marriage, Love and Marriage, Go together like a horse and carriage. This I tell you, brother, you can't have one without the other.” Maybe you can in 2023, but you definitely cannot have a sound investment strategy without a solid financial plan. When choosing […]
