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A moderate pickup in U.S. inflation is beginning to resonate with markets in 2018. As underlying inflation data has begun to pick up, market-based inflation expectations have approached 2%, nearing levels not seen since mid-2014. Recent year-over-year inflation measures such as core CPI (consumer price index) and core PCE (personal consumption expenditure) have nudged modestly […]

The U.S. stock market has delivered an average annual return of around 10% since 1926.1 But short-term results may vary, and in any given period stock returns can be positive, negative, or flat. When setting expectations, it’s helpful to see the range of outcomes experienced by investors historically. For example, how often have the stock market’s […]

A Smooth Ride to the Top Stock market volatility has been historically low: standard deviation of S&P 500 Index daily returns was 0.42% in 2017, the lowest since 1965 2017 was the only year that the MSCI All Country World Stock Index (IMI) posted a gain in every month Over a year since the S&P […]

Reaping the benefits of the third longest U.S. expansion since 1945 (see Exhibit 1), investors have enjoyed very favorable market returns, low volatility, low inflation, and expanding household net worth. Of course, a big part of the expansion was just recovering lost ground from the 50%+ market losses during the 2007-2009 recession. As we enter […]

Global stocks (+1.6%) finished the year on a very strong note. Continued strength from emerging markets (+3.6%) pushed the asset class to a 37.3% gain during 2017! International stocks in aggregate led U.S. stocks over the course of 2017, helped by a weaker U.S. dollar. Aside from inflation-protected bonds (+0.9%), bonds were essentially flat during […]

There was certainly no shortage of potential market shocks in 2017. To start the year, the U.S. ushered in new leadership. The year also saw presidential elections in South Korea, India, Iran, Germany, and France – each of which had potential to impact markets. In March, the U.K. invoked Article 50 commencing Brexit negotiations that […]

In the 1630s in Holland, tulips were a relatively new flower. (The first tulips came to Europe from Turkey in 1554.) The flowers were perceived as a luxury, so they were in high demand across Europe and there was a limited supply. In the mid-1630s, speculation entered the market. The price for tulips began to […]

Global stocks climbed 2.0% during November to continue what has been a stellar 2017 for equities. U.S. stocks also had a strong month, with the S&P 500 Index returning 3.1%, putting it up 20.5% year to date as markets continue to post record highs. Economy U.S. real GDP growth for the third quarter was revised […]

Global stocks continued their upward trend, rising 2.0% in October. Strength from emerging markets (up 3.5%) continued pushing the overall segment higher. Year-to-date, international stocks in aggregate led U.S. stocks. International bonds had a favorable return of 0.8%, while U.S. bonds remained flat. Global REITs pulled back during the month, while commodities, managed futures, and […]

Tax filing season is fast approaching and with that will come another barrage of attempts at tax return fraud. The attacks on your information and your refund continue at an alarming rate. To help prevent becoming a victim, it’s crucial you stay aware of possible scams and safeguard your personal information. A common scam that […]

Planning a wedding takes quite a bit of time and effort. It involves a good deal of communication to make sure everything goes smoothly on the big day. Don’t let the organization skills you developed while planning your wedding go to waste after tying the knot. Instead, re-direct them to an important part of your […]

How Do You Stack Up Against Others? Ever wonder how your finances stack up against others? Are you accumulating assets faster than your peers? How does your income compare to people with similar backgrounds? Many of us enjoy a little financial rubbernecking – luckily the Federal Reserve collects the data for us every three years […]