Our patience with the stock market is being tested and we all have questions no one can answer. When will inflation come down? Has the stock market hit bottom yet? How much higher will interest rates go? Are we in a recession? We do, however, know from history that difficult periods set up good opportunities on the other side.

There’s a reason we can only name a handful of legendary NFL kickers off the top of our heads – they’re rare. Not a lot of household names in the bunch. And that’s not a knock on the lot of them. It takes an incredible amount of natural talent and hard work to even make it to that level.

The unfortunate truth about markets is things often get very ugly before they get pretty. But difficult periods can set up opportunities on the other side.

Making good investment decisions is only part of the battle; every investor must be able to survive bear markets. You don’t have to like them, but you must be able to tolerate them.

For the last year, we’ve heard a great deal about a group called the Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC. But if you work outside of the financial industry, you may wonder who they are and what they do.

How do we stay on course when the economy appears to be in freefall? Perhaps we can borrow a slogan that our neighbors across the pond invented just before World War II. The British, known for having a “stiff upper lip” in the face of adversity, simply tell themselves to “KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.”

The long-term effects of the pandemic and the associated fiscal and monetary response have led, in many ways, to unprecedented times in financial markets and the broader economy. This leaves investors in unfamiliar territory.

While the headlines surrounding inflation and interest rates have been bad – and may get worse – should all the bad news cloud our sense of optimism about the future? Savant’s investment research analyst Danny Noonan explores why pessimism may be realistic for the short term, but there are good things going on that could lead to a brighter future. Read why it can be helpful to acknowledge the balance.

Eyes were on the Fed last week as they hosted their annual summer retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In short, we found out that no Fed “pivot” is coming.

Russia’s energy industry is like oxygen to Europe’s economy. A limited gas supply during the winter months will have serious ramifications for businesses, economic output, and most importantly, the people who live in Europe.

Fixed income used to be the asset class investors hated to love. Now it’s the one they love to hate. This year has reminded us that fixed income doesn’t offer diversification all the time.

Second quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came out on July 28th declining 0.9%, the second straight quarterly decline. The “Are we in a recession or not?” talk turned business TV into a sports debate show. There are convincing arguments on both sides.