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.”
Wrapping up any tax year results in a flurry of activity. Not just holiday shopping and family gatherings, but also tax strategy implementation and estate planning actions. At Ferguson Wellman, we regularly provide guidance and field questions about appropriate strategies for our clients’ situations.
The 2024 U.S. presidential election of Donald Trump has sparked optimism in the financial markets and corporate sentiment. While some of this enthusiasm may be attributed to the end of a tumultuous election, the positive market reactions in the immediate aftermath—including rising stock prices, declining bond yields and a strengthening dollar—suggest that domestic and international investors are responding favorably to Trump's proposed policies.
Casia Chappell, CFP®, CPWA®, discusses the benefits and workings of irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), highlighting their role in estate planning by providing asset protection, estate tax mitigation and efficient wealth transfer.
It’s been just over a month since the U.S. presidential election, and financial markets continue to be influenced by anticipation for the incoming administration in Washington D.C.
While standing in line at a local grocery store this week, waiting to purchase food for yesterday’s Thanksgiving meal, it was interesting to hear other shoppers mention the cost of their groceries to the store’s clerks.
A banana duct taped to a wall sold for $6.2 million dollars this week to a cryptocurrency founder. With bitcoin nearing $100,000 and up more than 40% in November alone, bullish sentiment may be reaching levels of excess and froth in certain corners of the capital markets.
As the year draws to a close, it's an opportune time to review your financial situation and ensure you meet year-end deadlines to maximize your financial benefits.
As I was getting my blood drawn yesterday, the phlebotomist learned that I worked in finance and asked my opinion on the economy. Focused on the sting from the needle, I quickly replied that things look fine and that we’re not expecting a recession in the near term.
Our professionals are periodically asked to weigh in on timely topics regarding the economy, capital markets and personal finance. Below you will find our recent interviews with KXL radio hosts.
In a typical week, a .25 point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve would likely be the top economic story in the United States. This was not a typical week.
Chocolate-loving parents may be in for a sour surprise as they rummage through their children’s Halloween candy this year. With cocoa prices double the levels seen last year, food companies are getting creative, reducing the size of chocolate bars and adding more non-chocolate treats to their Halloween candy bags for sale. Trick-or-treaters weren’t the only ones to experience an eventful week, as an action-packed capital markets provided investors with their own bag of surprises to unpack.
Ferguson Wellman Capital Management and West Bearing Investments have been named by Portland Business Journal as a leader in corporate philanthropy in Oregon and southwest Washington.
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.
his week, Oregon residents experienced the first taste of fall. Evenings, once long and balmy, gave way to early, crisp sunsets. Leaves, damp from evening rain and morning dew, began dropping from trees. Pumpkins appeared on porches to greet the trick-or-treaters that would soon walk door-to-door. Lastly, capital markets demonstrated similar signs of change with company earnings announcements and macroeconomic data reports, ending a fairly quiet week by setting the stage for more significant releases of information in the coming weeks and months. Surely, fall is upon us.
We present our fourth quarter 2024 issue of Wealth Management Insights titled “Creating a Family Legacy of Giving” In it, Wealth Management Chair Samantha Pahlow, CTFA, AWMA®, offers guidance on how to establish a family vision around charitable giving. Mary Lago, CFP®, CTFA®, provides insights into tax-efficient investing, retirement account strategies and charitable giving. Nate Putnam, CFP®, provides further considerations for the changing philanthropic landscape.
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.
