The economic downturn that began earlier in 2020 resulting from the Coronavirus outbreak has led to a period of economic contraction that some economists are calling a recession. The fallout of the pandemic has been disjointed, leaving some Americans struggling to pay their bills, while other Americans are largely unaffected financially. Whether or not the downturn turns into an actual…
If you are having a hard time making sense of what is going on in the economy and financial markets right now, you are not alone. The past four months have taken investors on a dizzying rollercoaster ride, making it difficult to make heads or tails of economic data and financial market movements for investors and analysts alike. While there…
2020 began with the promise of continued strong economic and financial performance and a hint of uncertainty surrounding the November Presidential election. The nation’s unemployment rate was near sixty-year lows, and labor force participation rates were near sixty-year highs. The longest bull market in U.S. history was still running, despite concerns by some investors and analysts that it was getting…
For many investors, the greatest impediment to financial success is their failure to control two powerful emotions: fear and greed. Fear and greed can distort investors’ perceptions of current economic conditions and financial markets, while diverting their attention from longer term financial goals. Of the two emotions, fear is probably the more difficult to control for most investors and can…
With equity markets experiencing levels of volatility not seen in recent years, 2018 was widely viewed as an opportunity for stock pickers and other active managers to outperform their passively managed and index fund counterparts. The actual result was more of the same mediocre performance and a reinforcing belief that it is difficult to beat the market. According to The…
After the worst year for equity markets in a decade, some investors may be asking themselves “what now?” It is not unusual for investors to question their investment decisions and investment allocations after a year where very little seemed to go right for equity markets. After a trying year in 2018, what does the new year hold for investors, and…
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”…
Barring an extraordinary Santa Claus rally in the last week of the year, 2018 stands to be a disappointing year for domestic and international equity markets alike. Investors have enjoyed an uncharacteristically long bull market rally that has lasted almost a decade, so the recent downward market volatility we have experienced may seem very unsettling to many investors. It is…
