There is an Election This Year

There is an Election This Year

Weekly Market Commentary Last week, we examined the relationship between interest rates and stocks. This week, we will analyze market performance during presidential election years. So, what might we expect based on historical returns during a presidential election...
Waiting on the Long Awaited Soft Landing

Waiting on the Long Awaited Soft Landing

Weekly Market Commentary Economists have been warning for quite some time that Fed rate hikes will slow economic growth. Whether it results in a soft landing, which is the preferred outcome for investors, or a hard landing (recession), the rate hikes would be expected...
To Measure Inflation, Let Me Count the Ways

To Measure Inflation, Let Me Count the Ways

Weekly Market Commentary Investors eagerly anticipate the government’s monthly release of the CPI (Consumer Price Index). Why? Inflation affects everyone, and investors are no exception. The Federal Reserve’s efforts to curb inflation led to a bear market in 2022....
Steady Freddie Job Growth

Steady Freddie Job Growth

Weekly Market Commentary The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payrolls rose by 216,000 in December, while October and November were revised down by a total of 71,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% in December. The economy is...
The Blockbuster Year Few Expected

The Blockbuster Year Few Expected

Weekly Market Commentary A December 29th Wall Street Journal title summed the year up: What Did Wall Street Get Right About Markets This Year? Not Much. Back up to December 2022, when Moody’s Chief Economist Mark Zandi captured the most prevalent view at the time....
Home Prices Defy Conventional Wisdom

Home Prices Defy Conventional Wisdom

Weekly Market Commentary Mortgage rates have soared, and home sales are down sharply. Conventional wisdom would suggest that prices should be down. But housing prices have defied expectations, rising to record heights and locking first-time buyers out of the market....