George Hosfield, CFA, discusses Ferguson Wellman's quarterly strategy titled, "Inflation's Flame Flickers," which addresses the narrow market leadership, the impact of higher interest rates on inflation and how assets are priced at this stage of the economic cycle.
George Hosfield, CFA, discusses the firm's quarterly strategy titled "Stalemate," which highlights the Fed's ongoing battle to tame inflation along with our views on the health of the banking industry and capital market expectations for the balance of the year.
Director and Chief Investment Officer George Hosfield, CFA, discusses the Fed raising interest rates, peaking inflation and our view on equities and volatility across all asset classes in our Investment Strategy titled, “Balancing Act.”
Inflation expectations are rising. Next month, we begin to lap the extraordinarily low inflation measured last year when the pandemic triggered a dramatic reduction of demand for both goods and services globally. Upcoming reports may be elevated when compared to last year’s weak results and we may see 3 to 4 percent increases in inflation this spring.
The College for Financial Planning has released its 2021 Annual Guide that is a great resource for tax planning, charitable giving and other important topics.
As long-term investors, we were pleased to see market news pivot away from last week’s GameStop mania and shift back to a focus on fundamentals. Although we prefer rational markets, we take no pleasure in the knowledge that many retail investors who purchased GameStop at more than $300 per share have seen the share price tumble to around $60.
This week, the conversation around the virtual water cooler centered on the unexpected and meteoric rise of GameStop’s stock price. The movie-worthy combination of hedge funds, internet forums and a 2,700 percent stock price jump culminated in worldwide news headlines and questions from our clients. Most notably, clients are asking: What is going on with GameStop and how is this impacting the rest of the market?
This week, as we usher in a new administration, there has been an increased focused on another stimulus package to keep the economy on solid footing. While the lame-duck session of Congress recently passed a $900 billion stimulus and checks have started being issued, the current administration is looking for an additional $1.9 trillion in stimulus. While negotiations will most likely bring this number lower, clients are voicing concerns about the national debt.
The start of the new year brings to mind resolutions and goal setting, but when it comes to your finances it may seem hard to know if you're on track. Financial planning with Wealth Horizon™ provides clarity and a path to success.
Two weeks into the new year, one might not be surprised to see the market as measured by the S&P 500 Index up less than half a percent. Following an unprecedented 2020, a more pedestrian start to the year – first week up, second week down – is perhaps just what investors need after a 2020 rollercoaster.
Today’s Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report spotlighted the difference between Wall Street and Main Street. The net loss of 140,000 jobs in December, driven by the loss of 372,000 restaurants and bar workers, was balanced by the increasing employment in other sectors of the economy, notably the manufacturing sector. These sectors continue to heal from the wrenching effects of the pandemic that took hold in last year’s first quarter.
Our Wealth Management Insights publication for the first quarter of 2021 is titled, “Planning for the Future.”
