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It may come as a surprise to those who don’t follow the ups and downs of the stock market on a regular basis, but since the Federal Reserve raised the Federal funds rate three times since December 2015, long-term interest rates have dropped. That’s right – what was… More >>

  Simmering behind the political intrigue of our fiscal stimulus narrative, and the reassertion of the U.S. military presence in the world as a force for good, lays a hidden paradox: conflicting signals for market growth. According to Moody’s Analytics, the latest… More >>

  It’s official.  We have concluded the first trading day of the second quarter in 2017.  We would like to take this opportunity to present you with our Q2 2017 Look Ahead. For a PDF, click here. For our audio and video presentation, click here. Below, we’ve highlighted… More >>

  What makes 2017 such a challenging year for investing is the transition from a central-bank fueled economy to one that is propagated by a wide range of fiscal policy initiatives: •    Repealing and replacing Obamacare •    Individual and corporate tax reform •   … More >>

  As we anticipated, last week the Fed announced another increase of 25 basis points to the Fed Funds Rate. [i] This comes as no surprise to many investors. Yet what may come as a surprise is that the banks sold off 1.26% following this announcement. [ii] The Fed… More >>

  Based on Friday’s very strong jobs report, the economy looks poised to launch into a higher level of growth.  The Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added 235,000 jobs during the month of February, which is consistent with the strong jobs report from… More >>

  When it comes to portfolio construction, allocations toward Emerging Markets (EMs) make up a meaningful part of most portfolios; this helps to diversify and drive total portfolio returns. It’s important for investors to gain a better understanding of the rationale and… More >>

  Ninety-three consecutive days have passed without the S&P 500 experiencing more than a 1% decline during a trading session.i  In fact, general market volatility, as measured by the VIX, is at historically low levels unseen since 2006, and prior to that, 1995.ii  … More >>

  Normally, I wouldn’t choose to write about politics, considering our clients span a wide range of viewpoints. However, that’s also what makes our business so engaging and rewarding. But, as we shift the narrative from a monetarily controlled world (interest rates and… More >>

    Frequently, I have written about the end of one narrative and the start of another being a driving catalyst for the markets:  Monetary Policy giving way to Fiscal Policy.  Let’s compare that changing narrative against what appears to be a resurgence in the popular… More >>