Welcome to Viewpoints, a monthly bulletin from PDS Planning to our valued clients and friends. Our goal with each issue of Viewpoints is to provide you with a wide variety of perspectives on life and wealth. Feel free to share with others. To Be ‘Rich’ In Columbus: The US Census defines being rich as those in the top…
Market March Madness This is typically one of my favorite times of the year as we see the start of spring, the Masters and the famed NCAA March Madness. I’m glad to see the trees budding and the grass greening, but the sporting events have been replaced by the coronavirus and Market Madness. Volatility…
January 2020 Financial Markets Summary As we turn the page to 2020, let’s pause to review this eventful past decade. Domestic stock markets performed quite well coming off the depths of the financial crisis. According to Goldman Sachs, the trailing 10-year annual return for the S&P 500 ranked in the 94th percentile of all…
October 2019 Financial Markets Summary The Federal Reserve’s stated dual mandate is for price stability and maximum sustainable employment. Price stability is a 2% inflation target, while maximum employment means keeping the unemployment rate as low as possible. The Federal Funds Rate (the rate banks charge each other for overnight lending) is the main tool…
April 2019 Financial Markets Summary The 1st quarter of 2019 ended on a great note with the strongest domestic stock quarterly performance within the past ten years, but this has been a very eventful few months. The S&P 500 almost tipped into bear market territory in the 4th quarter with a 19% decline,…
February 2019 Financial Markets Summary Wow, what a difference a month can make! The 4th quarter ended on a sour note with domestic stocks down by -14% to -21% and international by -7% to -13%. To put this into historical perspective, the S&P 500 has experienced 16 quarters of double digit losses dating back to…
Here is the link to our 4th Quarter Investment Webcast! The 4th quarter was especially difficult for markets, but we focused the brief discussion on the rationale behind the recent volatility and our outlook for 2019. Please click the link below for our thoughts on these timely topics. Please note, the opening screen shows “There…
October 2018 Financial Markets Summary Falling leaves, pumpkins, mums, harvest, pumpkin spice lattes, apple cider, postseason baseball (not for the Reds), and Big Ten football play are all signs of fall. As the seasons change and the third quarter closes, we pause to review. Domestic stocks rallied with the strongest quarterly return in almost five…
September 2018 Financial Markets Summary We just surpassed a major milestone for the domestic stock market! This current bull market is now the longest in history, depending on who you ask. Bull markets generally occur when the stock market realizes a 20% or more gain without a corresponding 20% loss. Bear markets, on the…
March 2018 Financial Markets Summary The month of February was a sharp contrast to what we experienced in 2017. Volatility has reared its ugly head as investors became concerned about rising inflation and interest rates. 2017 was a unique year where markets experienced very little volatility, or sharp movements, in either direction. The market just…
November 2017 Financial Markets Summary Global stock markets continue to chug along with domestic stocks up 10%-15% year-to-date, developed international up 21% and emerging markets up over 32%. Bonds have also generated positive returns, but with the expectation for steadily increasing interest rates, we thought it might be helpful to explain the Federal Reserve’s role,…
Here is the link to the 3rd Quarter PDS Investment Webcast in case you missed it today! This quarterly call started with a recap of what has taken place so far this year. We also discussed the current bull market relative to history. The main talking points centered around the Federal Reserve’s role, current stance…
Economic and Investment News Bits So goes Jan, Feb, Mar, April, May, June and July: Only the 4th calendar year in history (since 1926) that the first seven months of the year were all positive for the S&P 500 Index. (Source: BlackRock) The worst performing month for the S&P 500 has been August, suffering an…
December 2016 Financial Markets Summary 2016 has been the year of surprises. Most conventional wisdom and expectations have been proven wrong. It was common knowledge that the Britain vote to leave the European Union would fail. Common knowledge was wrong. All major investment firms suggested loading up on European stocks and reducing domestic exposure. They…
