Investing

March-End Economic Snapshot

For the most part, economic data will show some level of lag depending on the data point and frequency. The Conference Board Leading Economic Index looks to provide some level of forward-looking insight by aggregating different data points which include manufacturing output, unemployment claims, stock market and credit conditions, and a handful of others. We look at a host of different data points, but below is a summary that might prove helpful:  Weekly unemployment claims, which are reported every Thursday morning, provide a relatively immediate read on the
Investing

Update on the Evolving Environment Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

While our initial thoughts are clearly on the human toll of this pandemic, we wanted to send some commentary as we systematically think through the current environment and what it means from an investment standpoint. Below is a summary of our thoughts, which will likely continue to evolve as we have more data to process.  General Market Commentary The volatility of the last few weeks is not unwarranted—the degree of the unknown here is significant and therefore the range of what it could mean to company earnings over
Investing

Coronavirus Update: What is the Right Treatment Plan for Your Investments?

We are writing to put some context around the news that continues to evolve regarding the coronavirus outbreak. With stock markets having sold off materially earlier this week, the immediate impact to portfolios is tangible and warrants some communication. That being said, we want to be careful not to distance ourselves from the humanity of the world around us. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the families that have been impacted by this most recent outbreak.  We use a similar formula to think through this event as we would others like
Investing

Hindsight Is 20/20 - What Last Decade Can Tell Us About the Next

As we kick off a brand new decade—and our 30th year of working with Matter families—we’re taking some time to reflect. Our investment committee has been reviewing the past 10 years to gain perspective on where we’ve come from, where we are now, and where we might be heading, economically and financially.   But, before we get too deep into the data, here’s some interesting context: in 2010, Apple unveiled the first iPad and the iPhone 4. We are now on the 7th generation of
Investing

Is Abnormal the New Normal or Will Market Cycles Prevail?

Matter families are familiar with our belief in the wisdom of long-term, strategic investments.  Amidst the noise, we repeat our mantra over and over: think and act strategically, focus on the long-run, and don’t let the irrationality of the markets sway your systematic and rational approach.  While we won’t fault those who might occasionally tire of this message or wonder if there is another way, we believe it’s the tried and true way to help families manage their financial capital.
Investing

Market Updates at 2018 Year-End

What a difference a year makes. At the end of 2017, we were in the midst of a period of unprecedented low volatility coupled with the S&P 500 Index returning almost 21% over the prior year. The Fed Funds rate was at 1.5% while the 10-year Treasury hovered just below 2.5%. Stock valuations were elevated as the markets were still processing the impact of the tax reform passed in the fourth quarter. Fast forward twelve months: volatility has returned and the
Investing

The Many Faces of Risk: Exploring Late-Cycle and Idiosyncratic Factors

A key component of our investment process remains understanding some of the prevailing themes in the markets and what they might mean for relative asset class performances for the following three to five years. One of the themes that we have seen evolve over the last eighteen months is the transition from a synchronized global growth pattern to a more mature stage of the growth cycle, during which we tend to see a divergence in growth trends. Whether we look at the
Investing

Is It More Bark Than Bite? The Rising Tensions in Global Trade

The term “trade war” rarely elicits any favorable feelings from investors. When we consider that trade is the vascular system of the global economy, it is safe to presume that the actions and growing rhetoric around tariffs and trade negotiations are at the very least concerning. Economic theory would argue that any impediments to trade negatively impact many players while benefiting few, a fact that should not be lost on policy makers. To delve further into this issue, our colleagues with Asset
Investing

Navigating the Reality of Rising Rates

With the close of the Federal Open Market Committee meetings this week, the market’s expectations were confirmed as the Fed chose to increase interest rates by the anticipated 25 basis points. In addition, they set the stage for two to three additional rate hikes later this year. This is both consistent with expectations and in alignment with our thematic view of fixed income headwinds. This research report from our colleagues at Asset Consulting Group provides some data to that effect.
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