Investing

A Bit of Context Around Bitcoin

As we consider all the major investment headlines of the year, one that has attracted a great deal of recent public interest is also one that seems to be the least understood. If we were to caricature the evolution of Bitcoin media coverage (or digital currencies in general), we would say that what was on the back page and below the fold less than a year ago is now front and center daily. This rapid movement has not been easy to follow
Investing

Where Do We Go From Here? Balancing Optimism and Caution

It is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of 2017. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun, and the markets are up! Indeed, investors have cause to celebrate, as global stocks are up over 20% for the year, with emerging market stocks leading the way. This strong performance is admittedly unexpected (and somewhat confusing) as economic indicators are mixed. While GDP growth has improved in the U.S., it is off a weaker base than what we
Investing

Current Thinking on Valuations and the Path Forward

The current bull market is the second longest on record in the post-WWII era, leading many market participants to wonder if there really is too much of a good thing. In the past, we have made mention of the challenges of predicting the future direction of the markets. However, not knowing where things are going doesn’t prevent us from taking stock of where things currently stand. At the surface, when we look at valuation measures and other fundamentals and compare them to historical
Investing

Are Responsible Investing and Smart Investing Really Mutually Exclusive? Maybe Not.

As thought partners to our families, one of our principle goals is to help them gain a fuller understanding of the investments they make. We believe a key component to making decisions that are most suitable and consistent with each family’s objectives and aspirations is answering the questions “What do we own?” and “Why do we own it?” One growing area of focus has been a desire to understand how our investments address and impact Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
Investing

2017 in Perspective: The Good, the Bad and the Political

It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through 2017! It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were coming into the year with some tempered optimism for the year ahead.  The first six months of this year have not lacked for action. Stock markets around the world have rallied, led by improving profit trends and higher valuations. Bonds have been surprisingly resilient. The one area of weakness has been commodities, led in particular by oil prices, which
Investing

Does Investor Complacency Signal a Need for Caution?

Our research consultant, Asset Consulting Group, recently completed an analysis (click here to read) that addresses the growing concern that investors have become complacent. The “complacency index” (bear with us as we delve a little into the weeds here) is an index that is constructed by taking current valuations and dividing them by the market volatility. The higher the number, the higher the degree of “complacency” in the market. As the analysis shows, current levels seem to point to the
Investing

Rational Investing in an Irrational Market

In a year filled with high drama and surprising turns, 2016 has been unexpectedly good in the markets. As this market monitor through November 18th reflects, returns this year have been better than anticipated. Global stocks have returned 5%, with US continuing to lead the way. In addition, Emerging Market stocks, despite pulling back following the US elections, have posted returns just below 9% for the year. Fixed Income has generally been additive to portfolios, with high yield on pace for its
Investing

Closing out the Second Quarter

The close of the second quarter was not without its dramatics. On June 23rd, the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, a partnership to which they had been party (in one way or another) for over 40 years! The trading days that followed exemplified general uncertainty about the consequences of the vote, which we commented on in a brief note on June 24th. The markets reacted and then “un-reacted” to the news, and the net
Investing

Annual Market Predictions: Insight or Entertainment?

Around the beginning of every New Year, we are treated to an array of prognostications by various market pundits, who would propose to tell us, as investors, where the markets are headed for the following 12 months. The S&P 500 index will end the year at X and the price of oil will be Y, they tell us. No doubt, significant thought and research go into these predictions. Sadly, however, despite being well-intentioned, hindsight usually proves that accuracy in such
Investing

Investment Insights: January 2016

We are writing to share our perspective on the current volatility in the market. Emotions can be our greatest adversary. We, therefore, as your advisors, seek refuge in facts to frame and provide perspective. To help make some sense of this unprecedented beginning of year correction, we believe it is helpful to look at this episode in context and, more importantly, to provide clarity on what we are thinking as it relates to your investment portfolios. The beginning of 2016