January 2019 Financial Markets Summary Now that we have closed the book to 2018, let’s pause to review the year and potential outlook for 2019. The fourth quarter, and especially December, came under real pressure as the Federal Reserve continued increasing interest rates, trade frictions with China escalated and investors focused on global growth concerns. …
November 2018 Financial Markets Summary October was a brutal month for markets around the globe with concerns about global growth, escalating trade tensions, rising interest rates and the upcoming mid-term elections. Domestic stocks faced pressure with the S&P 500 down almost -7%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average almost -5% and small cap stocks nearly -11%…
Here is the link to our 3rd Quarter Investment Webcast! This quarterly call started with a review of the asset class returns for the year. We focused most of the discussion on the current spike in volatility and the potential causes for this recent change. We also reviewed the historical relationship between domestic stock markets…
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. Economic and Investment News Bits Let’s Not Make it Two: The S&P 500…
Here is the link to our 2nd Quarter Investment Webcast! This quarterly call started with a review of the asset class returns so far for the year. We also discussed the large disparity between value and growth stock returns in this environment. The majority of the call was focused on the potential impact of the…
July 2018 Financial Markets Summary Once every four years, sports fans around the globe turn their attention to the famous FIFA World Cup. As the teams square off in the elimination rounds held in Russia, we look to this stage to learn a few valuable investment lessons. Surprises – Expect the unexpected. If we back…
May 2018 Financial Markets Summary Rampant Inflation! Rising interest rates destroying bonds! Record losses and volatility for stock markets! These seem to be common phrases used by the media these days. However, these statements could not be further from the truth. Yes, we have seen a slight increase in inflation, but nowhere near levels that…
Here is the link to our First Quarter PDS Investment Webcast! This quarterly call started with a review of asset class returns for the year. We also discussed what has been causing the recent spike in volatility and if we expect this to subside anytime soon. We also touched on inflation, oil, interest rates and…
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…
Here is the link to the 2nd 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 spent time reviewing the synchronized global growth market, along with the lack of volatility around the world. We also discussed the…
July 2017 Financial Markets Summary At the halfway point in the year, with the exception of commodities, most asset classes have performed quite well. International stocks have led the way with emerging markets (China, India, Brazil, etc.) increasing by almost 19% and developed markets (Europe, Canada, Japan, etc.) by almost 14%. Domestic stocks are not…
When I look at social media these days, I cannot tell if the world is coming to an end, or if we are about to embark on our nation’s greatest moment. For the first time in our history, a presidential transition was followed step-by-step on social media, and the reaction is frightening. Consider that only…
January 2017 Financial Markets Summary As we noted in December’s Summary, 2016 was a year of surprises. The biggest surprise for many Americans was Donald Trump’s election win. But just what does that election really mean in terms of potential changes? Federated Investors notes “the GOP sweep promises a lot of changes: repatriation and lower…
Yesterday’s presidential election results were a surprise for most Americans. Virtually all pollsters had it wrong. Just as the Brexit vote confounded the media and much of the world, Donald Trump’s upset victory over Hillary Clinton has left much of the world wondering how it happened. For our clients, there is little point in us…
March Madness or Market Madness? Think you can pick the perfect bracket or the perfect investment strategy this year? There doesn’t seem to be a clear front-runner for the tournament nor the markets. The 2015-2016 NCAA season was rather strange where Top 10 teams suffered 74 losses, the most since the Associated Press launched their…
