By Ryan Bouchard with Cliff Aque Markets have been in a brutal tug-of-war since the end of 2021 due largely to the aftershocks of the COVID pandemic. When the pandemic first hit, the global economy came to a standstill. At the time, governments and central banks did a lot (too much, in hindsight) to try… Read More
By Damaris Gingerich When I was a teenager, I was profoundly shaped by a book called Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by brothers Alex and Brett Harris. They told the stories of people my age doing courageous, impactful things that were changing the world. Though these inspiring stories were motivating, the… Read More
With heightened inflation and interest rate policy being a focal point for society, our team recently gave a presentation focused on the Federal Reserve (“the Fed”) – a key institution playing a significant role in the response to both challenges. Our discussion focused on the history and purpose of the Fed and the potential implications… Read More
As the summer heats up unseasonably early this year, the Federal Reserve has stepped up its efforts to cool down inflation by raising the Fed Funds rate another 75 basis points on Wednesday, June 15th. The stock market (as measured by the S&P 500 Index), which entered bear market territory at the start of this week, at first reacted positively, but then sold off again on Thursday as investors are concerned about the risks surrounding economic growth… or slowing thereof. Read More
With the S&P 500 down 20% from recent highs, we have officially passed into Bear Market territory. In the video below, Todd Brand shares some color and historical context for the volatility seen in the equity markets. As always, we invite you to connect with your team if you’d like to discuss the markets, your… Read More
By Ryan Bouchard with Cliff Aque Markets have been in a brutal tug-of-war since the end of 2021 due largely to the aftershocks of the COVID pandemic. When the pandemic first hit, the global economy came to a standstill. At the time, governments and central banks did a lot (too much, in hindsight) to try… Read More
The year 2021 was one of persistent optimism. It began with the hope the pandemic would wane and the world would look more normal by the end of the year. Although we’ve continued to make good progress toward that goal, COVID remains stubbornly persistent and fiendishly adaptable. The US stock market was fairly resolute in… Read More
It’s impressive to see how far we’ve come since the pandemic began, but many storylines continue to unfold. From near complete global lockdowns to the discovery, large scale production, and now global distribution of the vaccine, slowly but surely, progress is making its way through the global economy. Early on, the rebound in the US… Read More
The second quarter saw the continuation of a powerful economic recovery due to fading of the pandemic and massive fiscal and monetary stimulus. US vaccinations have increased significantly with 46% of US adults now fully vaccinated, 54% with at least one dose, and 86% of the population over age 65 having received at least one… Read More
It’s fair to say a lot happened in the first quarter of 2021. We began the quarter with a contested election, and then the inauguration of a new administration. The investing lexicon expanded as we experienced our first (but likely not the last) “meme stock craze”. By the end of the quarter, 97.6 million people… Read More