The past few years have shown us that global instability can have a widespread impact on markets. No one can predict the future, but we believe there are steps investors can take to help their portfolio weather the potential storms to come.

It’s no secret – inflation has been bad. Although the current situation feels bleak, there’s reason to believe we may be through the worst of it.

Earlier this week, the S&P 500 was down 13% for the year. Looking ahead, the range of possible outcomes feels especially wide, but there are many scenarios where markets could react positively.

The trend of aligning your core values with your investment strategy is becoming more mainstream. “Values-Based Investing” refers to an investment strategy that evaluates assets not only for profit and risk potential but also for alignment with an investor’s core values.

Introduced by the U.S. government to “encourage Americans to save for the future while protecting their savings from inflation,” Series I bonds have been surging in popularity.

If the headlines are scaring you a little bit this week, chanting these financial mantras may help you relieve a little stress and help keep you focused during episodes of market volatility.

Inflation remains the biggest concern hanging over markets with headline inflation at its highest rate in 40 years. On the economic front, the economy remains vibrant with low unemployment, record open jobs, and rising wages.

ESG investing uses independent ratings to help investors understand how well companies adhere to specific ESG criteria. Through an understanding of these data points and engagement with companies held in the portfolio, investors can support corporations applying best practices from an environmental, social, and governance standpoint.

Learn more about an approach to investing known as “tax-efficient investing” in our Approaching Zero Taxes paper. This group of concepts and investment tax tools can be used to form a tax-efficient investment approach, with the ultimate goal of increasing after-tax returns.

Learn more about Modern Portfolio Theory and how we developed our forward-looking returns investing methodology! This paper provides a summary of how and why we developed our methodology, case study examples, and how we put those returns to work.

Incorporating alternative investments into a portfolio is an art and a science. Let’s examine the data and whether it supports including alternatives into a portfolio or if investors may be better off sticking with a tried and true portfolio of stocks and bonds.

The invasion of Ukraine, stubborn inflation, and concerns about interest rates have all contributed to a rough start to 2022 for investors. In trying to make sense of the markets, you may find it easy to succumb to emotional biases and kneejerk reactions based on news headlines.