It was another bad week for the mega-cap stocks, but some rotation into cyclical and value stocks did limit the index declines. The S&P 500 (-0.6%) and Nasdaq Composite (-0.6%) both lost 0.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (-0.03%) finished just below its flat line. The Russell 2000 rose 2.6% in a catch-up trade. Continue reading
Election years can be fraught with uncertainty as developments surrounding the candidates, their platforms, and their predicted effects on the economy and markets dominate the news. But should you let this stream of political information influence how you and I manage your investment portfolio? Continue reading
After last week’s failed Senate vote on a new pandemic stimulus bill, negotiations between the White House and Congress appear to have stalled. Although the stock market has fully rebounded and the economy is recovering from the nationwide COVID-19 shutdown, not all consumers and businesses have fared equally well. Continue reading
Mortgage refinancing is a topic that is coming up in almost every client meeting these days. Mortgage rates are dramatically lower than they were even 6 months ago. Not to mention mid to late 2018, when rates were at 4.5%-5.0% for well-qualified buyers (unfortunately, this was right when my wife and I bought our first home). Continue reading
I could certainly be wrong, but I don’t think there is a “Tech Bubble” nor is it bursting. The stock market has hit a serious rough patch with high-flying tech stocks facing pressure over the last few days. This is the first period of major volatility after the bear market crash earlier this year. Continue reading
The market’s August momentum bled into September to start the week, as the S&P 500 notched its 22nd record close of the year, but profit taking in the mega-caps and growth stocks ultimately took the major indices sharply lower by week’s end. Continue reading
This was the fifth straight weekly gain for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite, which ended the week higher by 3.3% and 3.4%, respectively. Both set new record highs while the Dow Jones Industrial Average turned positive for the year with a 2.6% gain. The Russell 2000 increased 1.7%. Continue reading
As long-term investors we understand that financial markets can behave unpredictably over the course of days, weeks and months. How an investor reacts to this short-term uncertainty can play a significant role in whether they achieve their financial objectives. Continue reading
The S&P 500 added 0.7% this week while the Nasdaq continued its show of strength, rallying 2.7%. The Dow underperformed, ending the week unchanged. Continue reading
Yes, the title and image are a corny reference to Lord of the Rings. So, despite the majority (about two-thirds) of the companies in the S&P 500 producing negative returns in 2020, the index overall has a positive year-to-date return. This is due, in part, to its top five holdings: Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Facebook. Continue reading