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.”
Wealth Management Chair Samantha Pahlow, CTFA, AWMA, presents the firm’s quarterly Wealth Management Insights titled, “Creating a Family Legacy of Giving.” In the video, she discusses how to instill philanthropic values in children and highlights several tax-efficient giving strategies to consider for year-end.
In the realm of estate planning, the terms "per stirpes" and "per capita" play a pivotal role in how assets are distributed among beneficiaries. Understanding both terms is critical for anyone looking to ensure that their assets are transferred according to their wishes.
In October 2022, the S&P 500 hit a low of 3,577, which was 25% lower than at the start of the year. The Federal Reserve had just started an aggressive interest rate hiking cycle and 100% of Wall Street economists were calling for a recession by 2023. We believed otherwise.
As the calendar turned to the final quarter of 2024, there was plenty of economic and geopolitical news for investors to digest.
Chief Investment Officer George Hosfield, CFA, presents the firm's quarterly Investment Strategy titled, "Awaiting the Score." In the video, he discusses how the Fed is shifting its focus to the labor market.
We present the fourth quarter 2024 Market Letter publication titled, “Awaiting the Score,” in which Chief Investment Officer George Hosfield, CFA, outlines the positive impact of receding inflation, renewed profit growth and the Fed’s monetary policy on investors. Krystal Daibes Higgins, CFA, discusses the skepticism and evolving debate around the ROI of artificial intelligence (AI). Lastly, Brad Houle, CFA, asks the question, “How Far, How Fast?” when it comes to the Fed’s rate cuts.
Recently, a realtor friend of mine shared that transaction volume was notably low due to high interest rates, resulting in a sluggish market. However, with last week’s Federal Reserve’s rates cut, he and likely others in the realty industry are hoping the housing market will be reenergized. While not everyone can buy or sell a house, home ownership is a prominent consideration when creating wealth. And while I’m not in the market to sell my house, I was curious about what is now occurring in the housing market.
For sports enthusiasts and market participants alike, this week was all about the number 50. For fans of America’s favorite pastime, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani became the first player in the history of professional baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Ohtani achieved this historic accomplishment with a bang, going 6 for 6 with three home runs and 10 RBIs … in a single game.
In recent years, a growing number of individuals and families have considered changing their state of domicile as a strategy to reduce their state income tax burden. Not surprisingly, states with lower income taxes and taxpayer-friendly structures experienced strong inbound migration according to IRS migration data based on 2021 and 2022 tax return filings. Whether prompted by high state income, estate or property taxes, the decision to change domicile is significant with legal and financial implications.
On Wednesday, the last significant economic data release occurred before the Federal Open Markets Commitee (FOMC) meeting next week. Overall, inflation appears to be tamed with the August Consumer Price Index (CPI) falling to a 2.5% growth rate compared to a year earlier, hitting a new three-year low.
In what is commonly known as their dual mandate, the Federal Reserve is charged by Congress to effectively promote both maximum employment and stable prices in the U.S. economy.
Labor Day marks the end of summer and is dedicated to honoring the American labor movement. The first Labor Day celebration occurred on September 5, 1882, in New York City and was organized by the Central Labor Union.
As summer wraps up, the kids head back to school, and the weather becomes crisp, I can’t help but remember the ice storm that hit Portland earlier this year during one of the coldest weeks.
For business owners, planning for the future transition of their business is crucial. Succession planning isn't just about deciding who will take over when you retire; it’s also about ensuring a smooth transition if something unexpected happens. This is where buy-sell agreements can be beneficial.
“What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is a book for many first-time parents. My wife and I are preparing for our third child’s arrival in October, a process that has been a mix of excitement and logistical planning. While this is not our first rodeo, the passage of time has certainly brought a fresh set of challenges.
Over the last week, investors and market watchers were introduced to a relatively unknown economic indicator, the Sahm Rule. As highlighted by Google search data, interest in the indicator spiked last week.
Last week, over 28 million unique viewers tuned into the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad opening ceremony in Paris, France, double the combined state populations of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The ceremony set the stage for the coming weeks of competition and allowed viewers to catch their first glimpses of the best athletes in the world. This week, investors were focused on a different stage: the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) press conference, which offered insight into the Fed’s future perspectives on inflation and employment.
In the last few days, the powerful rotation from growth stocks to value stocks, highlighted in our colleague Alex Harding’s article last week, continued.
The passage of the SECURE Act in 2019 and SECURE 2.0 Act in 2022 ushered in sweeping changes for taxpayers regarding retirement account distributions. These changes, including a significant modification to how certain designated beneficiaries must distribute inherited retirement accounts, are crucial for anyone possessing or inheriting a retirement account to understand.
Since the release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on July 11, the stock market has experienced a noticeable shift in leadership as the inflation rate continues to move toward the Fed’s target of 2%. Investors have been moving away from technology stocks, which have been the darlings of the market this year, towards small-cap and value stocks.
