We’re all familiar with how inflation over the last few years has been affecting our day-to-day lives, perhaps more so than we’d prefer. One of The Federal Reserve’s two mandates is to achieve stable prices, currently targeting 2% annual inflation rate. To combat inflation, one of the main tools The Fed uses is the adjustment […]

From the Desk of Mike Ruff, Portfolio Manager The year 2022 may best be described by one term: Fed-flation. The economies of the United States and the world were influenced by rising inflation, its causes, and the policies aimed at curtailing it. While inflationary pressures began to mount in 2021, they were exacerbated by unprecedented […]

MARKETS & INVESTING December 16, 2022 Key Takeaways Resilient consumers help U.S. economy avoid real recession P/E contraction has kept the S&P 500 from new highs Most daily 1% swings for S&P 500 since 2009 As your Investment Strategy Team, the ability to look ahead and anticipate material developments that could alter our economic and […]

The Markets (as of market close November 30, 2022) A late rally at the end of the month helped push stocks higher in November, marking the second monthly advance in a row. Each of the benchmark indexes posted solid monthly gains, led by the Global Dow, which advanced nearly 11.0%. The large caps of the […]

The Markets (as of market close October 31, 2022) October saw stocks close higher, the first monthly gain since July. Investors were encouraged by hopes that the Federal Reserve will pull back from its aggressive interest-rate hike policy. In addition, solid third-quarter earnings could be a sign that the economy can withstand the battle to […]

MARKETS & INVESTING October 24, 2022 It is difficult to convince yourself that if things are going a certain way they will not continue down the same path indefinitely. While deep down we know this isn’t the case, it is sometimes hard for the rational part of our brain to convince the irrational, trend following […]