Ralph Cole CFA

When Good News is Bad News

When Good News is Bad News

It’s always a strange time in the market when good economic data is treated as bad news. As investors, we can’t help but feel good about the jobs report today, even if it means the Fed will keep aggressively raising short-term interest rates in the coming months.

Recording: Mid-Year Economic Outlook Webinar with Portland and Puget Sound Business Journals

Recording: Mid-Year Economic Outlook Webinar with Portland and Puget Sound Business Journals

Ferguson Wellman presents its mid-year investment outlook in partnership with the Portland and Puget Sound Business Journals. Originally aired July 13, 2022.

U.S. Economy Continues to Power Through

U.S. Economy Continues to Power Through

While news coverage is understandably focused on the devastation in Ukraine, we remain keenly focused on the fundamentals of the U.S. economy and the companies we follow. We realize that during times of stress markets become disconnected from the underlying fundamentals of the economy, but just like water always finds its equilibrium, markets similarly return to the fundamentals.

Raising Rates for the Right Reason

Raising Rates for the Right Reason

During our collective years in investment management, we’ve come to use several phrases over and over. Our long-time clients may begin to roll their eyes as we repeat an oft-used phrase, “The Fed is raising rates for the right reason.”

2022 Investment Outlook Video: Extraordinary to Ordinary

2022 Investment Outlook Video: Extraordinary to Ordinary

Recording of our 2022 Investment Outlook presentation.

Outlook 2022: Extraordinary to Ordinary

Outlook 2022: Extraordinary to Ordinary

Our annual publication that discusses our investment strategies, Outlook 2022.

Skating to Where the Puck Is Going

Skating to Where the Puck Is Going

Our Director and CEO Emeritus Jim Rudd, has long been a fan of the Wayne Gretzky quote, “don’t skate to where the puck is, skate to where it is going.” While it important to keep an eye on current data, it is more important to understand current data in the context of where you think the puck, or the economy in this case, is going. Let’s look at what is currently going on in Washington and the economy, and where we expect they are going later this year and into 2022.

Synchronicity

Synchronicity

With global governments and central banks providing liquidity at an unprecedented pace, you would expect global growth to be growing synchronously. But, as has been the case from the beginning of the pandemic, the virus and the multitude of government responses to combat the virus have varied from country to country.

Signs!

Signs!

Signs, Signs everywhere there are [help wanted] Signs,” is how the song goes. It’s the first Friday of the month, and that means the monthly payroll report is released by the Bureau of Labor & Statistics.

Oregon Business Magazine Names Firm to Financial Planner List

Oregon Business Magazine Names Firm to Financial Planner List

Ferguson Wellman and West Bearing were named to the 2021 Powerbook: Financial Planners.

The "Yeah, but..." Recovery

The "Yeah, but..." Recovery

Maybe it’s human nature, news coverage or it’s just a self-preservation mechanism, but I’ve decided to start calling this the “yeah, but….” recovery. “The global economy is going to boom in the second half of the year,” say the economists. And then comes, “Yeah, but…’

2020 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report

Preparing for Volatility and Alarmist Headlines

Preparing for Volatility and Alarmist Headlines

In our Investment Outlook this year we show how this recovery almost mirrors the recovery of

Q&A from Investment Outlook 2021

Q&A from Investment Outlook 2021

Answered questions from our live Investment Outlook 2021.

Time for a New Year

Time for a New Year

2020 will be a year many Americans will want to forget, and rightfully so. Record unemployment, tragic loss of human life and people trapped at home with no where to go. No doubt, there is good news and bad news on the horizon.

How Far into the Future?

How Far into the Future?

The stock market is a discounting mechanism. What does that mean? It means the value today is explained by the economy in the future and ultimately long-term earnings.

Cole Interviewed by KXL Radio

Cole Interviewed by KXL Radio

Ralph Cole, CFA, recently spoke with KXL Morning News on the market reaction to the 2020 election.

Making Sense of the (Un)Employment Picture

Making Sense of the (Un)Employment Picture

Each week our Investment Policy Committee meets to review asset allocation and our outlook for the economy and global markets. We have a standard book of economic charts that we review to determine the health of the economy and what is transpiring around the world and many of these indicators go back decades.

A Slow Healing Process

A Slow Healing Process

All day and every day we are bombarded by economic, company and political news. And not just U.S. news, but global news as well. Even in normal times this can seem overwhelming, and especially so during a pandemic.

The Global Economy is Healing

The Global Economy is Healing

Economic signals indicate that the recovery has begun around the world. As expected, China has been the first to emerge from recession, and their economy is moving forward.