Is The Economy in Recession?
It is not easy to be an investor or an economist these days! The stock and the bond markets have mightily struggled during the first six months of 2022. Almost all of us feel the impact of high inflation when we go the grocery store, buy gas for our [...]
To Lose Patience Is to Lose The Battle
When I think about these first three months of 2022, the word patience comes to mind. The recent two-year anniversary of Covid-19 hitting our shores reminds me of the havoc and disruption that the pandemic imposed on our lives, but more importantly how so many people overcame the hardships [...]
2021 Market Outlook: Ready To Put a Challenging 2020 in the History Book
As 2020 comes to a close, we are already looking forward to a new year—and to a world very different from the one we’re leaving behind. Areas of the economy have been damaged and may never fully recover, but other areas will adapt, reinvent, and help reinvigorate growth. 2021 is [...]
Is The Stock Market Partying Like It’s 1999?
If you are like the many people I talked to over the spring and summer months, you might be questioning the rationality of the stock market. Millions of Americans are unemployed, some large and small businesses have been closing or filing for bankruptcy in the wake of the Covid-19 [...]
Market Volatility Continues In Spite of Economic Confidence
Another year is drawing to a close, but so far neither market volatility nor market-moving headlines have shown any signs of winding down. As we reflect on a challenging 2018 and look for bright spots in 2019, confidence in continued steady growth in the U.S. economy remains. The list of [...]
Should Stock Investors Sell Now?
Should stock investors sell now? It’s been a good year for stocks — for the year-to-date period ending September 30, 2016, the Standard & Poors 500 has returned 7.84% despite the year’s rocky start in January and early February. But has performance been too good? Seven-and-a-half years into the bull [...]
Spring Has Sprung: Will the Equity Market “Spring” Continue?
Spring has arrived here in the Bay Area and across most of the nation. Just as we have seen declining rainfall after the wintery "El Nino" conditions, the new season has recently brought a break from the significant volatility we experienced in the first two months of the year. However, [...]
‘Tis the Season To Unwrap Your Crystal Ball!
It's that time of year again! No, I am not referring to the Holidays which brings the hustle and bustle of gift buying, parties, and hopefully special time with family and friends. Those subjects could produce material for an interesting read, but there is another annual tradition which I have [...]
Federal Reserve Rate Hike: What Does it Mean?
The events of the past week bring one word to mind: finally. Last Wednesday, the Federal Reserve (Fed) finally raised the target for the federal funds rate by 0.25%. By raising this key overnight borrowing rate, the Fed raised interest rates for the first time in nine years—an event that [...]
March 2014 Blog: Can You Win “Investment” Gold?
It’s not often that we can gain investment insights from an 18-year-old wunderkind. Many of us marveled at the performance of American Mikaela Shiffrin at the Sochi Winter Olympics, where she became the youngest Olympic slalom champion. What makes Shiffrin remarkable is not only her success, but also her approach [...]