Market Review Aided by a powerful year-end rally, U.S. stocks (S&P 500 Index) jumped nearly 12% in Q4 to finish up 26% for the year, and end within a whisper of its all-time high. Smaller-cap stocks (Russell 2000 Index), which lagged their larger counterparts for most of the year, also rallied sharply in the fourth […]
Read More
Market Review The S&P 500 reached a 2023 high at the end of July, but from its intra-quarter high the index declined 6.3% through the end of September. Smaller-cap stocks (Russell 2000) also had momentum early in the quarter but changed course and ended the quarter down 5.1%. Within foreign markets, developed international stocks (MSCI […]
Read More
Market Review Despite the stress in the banking system, including the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history (Silicon Valley Bank), global equity markets held up remarkably well in March and posted solid returns for the quarter. The S&P 500 gained 7.5% in the quarter, while developed international stocks did a bit better, up 8.5%; emerging […]
Read MoreMarket Review After a very difficult first half of the year, equity markets rebounded in July and August on investor hopes of an easing in inflation and a Fed pivot or pause. The reprieve was short-lived however, as stocks tumbled to fresh lows in late September amid further aggressive central bank rate hikes and statements […]
Read More
Market Review It’s been an extremely difficult year for investors, with equity markets falling into bear market territory (down more than 20%) and “low-risk” bond markets registering low double-digit losses. Over the past few months, the economic backdrop has worsened with sustained high inflation and slowing growth, as the Federal Reserve and other global central […]
Read More
Q1 2022 Was a Historically Challenging Period for Stocks and Bonds Global stocks and US core bonds are both down year to date as markets digest higher inflation, rising interest rates, and geopolitical uncertainty As we’ve discussed for some time, rising inflation and rising interest rates creates challenges for both stocks and bonds, and in […]
Read More
