WSWA Monthly Market Commentary for January 2019 Key Takeaways All major asset classes were up strongly in January, one of the best yearly starts in recent memory, despite the month-long partial government shutdown in the U.S. and continuing uncertainty internationally about the economic impact of trade tariffs and the U.K. ‘Brexit’ negotiations Global real estate […]
Market Commentary – December 2018 Key Takeaways Though the U.S. stock market closed the year with its first annual loss since 2008 (S&P 500 -4.38%)(1), investors retained the vast majority of gains earned in 2017 (21.83%.) International stocks as measured by the MSCI EAFE(2) index were down -8.96%, giving up just over half of 2017’s […]
Market Commentary – November 2018 Key Points: Global markets remained volatile despite more clarity about the geopolitical landscape and economic outlook 78% of S&P 500 companies reported positive earnings surprises. A survey of large corporations indicated an expectation for EPS to slow somewhat in 2019 from the current high levels. The U.S. stock market is […]
Market Commentary – October 2018 Another wicked October! First, we had the Panic of 1907, then Black Tuesday in 1929 (and Thursday and Monday), and Black Monday in October 1987, but October 2018 was indeed a month for the record books. With a negative return of -6.94%, it was the third worst October since 1987, […]
Interest Rates, Inflation, and Monetary Policy: Why aren’t U.S. interest rates going up? Our topic today is interest rates, inflation, and monetary policy. The question we will attempt to answer is: When are interest rates in the United States finally going to rise? Defensive Strategies Depress Returns If you’re like most bond investors, you’ve […]
February 12, 2016 by Marcia Clark, CFA On January 26, 2015, I wrote an article questioning the relationship between falling oil prices, slowing Chinese GDP, and the precipitous decline in the U.S. stock markets. I counseled readers to take a breath, that the stock market turmoil was overdone and the U.S. economy was secure. Shortly […]
Why is the turmoil in China and the drop in oil prices depressing the U.S. markets? Marcia Clark, CFA, MBA, Senior Research Analyst & Wealth Advisor, Warren Street Wealth Advisors January 25, 2016 10:43am Pacific time In case you’ve been enjoying an extended holiday season, you may not realize that January 2016 is on track […]
The Fed Raises Interest Rates… And Bond Markets Yawn By Marcia Clark, CFA, MBA Warren Street Wealth Advisors December 17, 2015 Finally, after months of anticipation, on December 16, 2015 the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee raised the target overnight lending rate from 0.0% to 0.25% – where it has been for nearly a decade […]