A monthly column on topics that matter.
History suggests stocks approaching a bottom
We can’t tell you exactly when the stock market will hit bottom. We can, however, offer several reasons why you should feel confident equities are further along in the bottoming process than many would lead you to believe. Before we
The battle against inflation rages on, but it’s worthwhile despite the pain
The battle against inflation is taking casualties. Inflation eats into every family’s discretionary income. It is an obvious hurdle for the stock market. It is also an inevitable part of longer-term economic cycles. So, while it’s OK to grit your
Stocks reach a fork in the road to recovery
As ugly a year as it has been for equity investors, conditions have improved in the last two months. The S&P 500 rallied 15% from its June 16 low and in doing so recaptured half its year-to-date losses. That leaves
It’s not too early to harvest your 2022 stock losses
Paying taxes on investment gains is an unfortunate reality of successful investing. Writing a check to the IRS is never fun, but the truth is that a large tax bill typically means you booked a significant return from those investments.
Recession is far from a worst-case scenario
The two most popular conversations in financial media, Fed policy and inflation, usually lead to the same question: Is the U.S. economy headed for a recession or not? All this talk about “soft landings,” whether or not the Fed can
Hard to have faith in the Fed’s new religion
The Fed has found a new religion. Seen the error of its ways. The most powerful man in the financial world, Jerome Powell, has come to realize that perhaps endless injections of monetary stimulus and artificially low interest rates might
Red-hot housing market brings challenges
An ugly first quarter for the stock market has many investors in search of a silver lining. Here’s one: The value of your house has never been higher! The latest numbers in the Case-Shiller U.S. Home Price Index suggest the
War, unfortunately, is nothing new for markets
The consequences of war are impossible to ignore. In only weeks since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the military conflict and a tidal wave of coordinated sanctions have washed away the normal structure of our global economy.
Rising rates do not dictate stock prices
All signs point toward March for the first increase to the Federal Reserve’s key interest rates that have been near zero for the last two years.