INSIGHTS

Last year produced compelling results for many investors. Global security market indexes of most types produced positive total returns in 2019. US markets offered leadership with double-digit total returns showing up in equities and high-quality...

The preceding month saw further relative-strength in US large-cap equity performance. US small-caps spent most of last month in a downtrend, but were able to finally close out ahead by the end. Relative-performance of the last 52-weeks has shown...

Global equities are holding firmly despite a cloud of softer activity overshadowing domestic and international economies. Security price changes represent investor expectations regarding future growth prospects. A discussion covering international...

Something rather unusual happened in short-term money markets in mid-September. The repo-rate, an important financing tool for financial institutions, unexpectedly rose to as high as 10% at one particular moment. The rate’s move was a surprise...

Although completely arbitrary, history shows that equities often perform poorly in August. This past August was no exception. The S&P 500 index slipped -1.8% in price value. Losses were narrowed to -1.6% after including dividends. Last month’s...

The Federal Reserve gave financial markets what was expected by lowering the target rate for the Fed Funds by 25 basis points. The Fed called the rate cut a mid-cycle adjustment and not the beginning of a new easing cycle. The markets read this as...

Evidence of an economic slowdown may be starting to appear in recent economic data, specifically related to industrial production, manufacturing and construction. Securities markets appear aware that something is happening and are setting their...

Stock indexes retreated last month on increased global tensions and uncertainties. The index level on the S&P 500 dropped in May posting its worst monthly loss since December of last year. Still, the index level maintains a high single-digit...

US large-cap stocks have made an impressive come back this year. After touching a low point last December, the price level on the S&P 500 has finally climbed back to last year’s record high. Currently, the index in trading near its all-time...

Most of the major equity markets ended the first calendar quarter of the year with double digit percentage gains. Much of last year’s losses have been put in the past. What’s more, popularly followed indexes are closing in on last year’s all-time...