Market Commentary | Q3
Markets entered September with a cautiously optimistic tone following a mixed August that was marked by softening labor data, persistent inflation pressures, and renewed speculation around Federal Reserve policy direction. The S&P 500 posted modest gains last month, driven largely by strength in AI-related tech, semiconductors, and mega-cap growth stocks. At the same time, small-caps, […]
Price-to-Sales and Market Valuations
The conversation around U.S. equity valuations has grown louder in recent months, with many commentators pointing to price-to-sales ratios that now sit near record highs. Historically, the P/S ratio has been a useful yardstick in moments when profit margins and earnings fluctuate, because sales provide a more stable foundation for comparison across cycles. In February […]
Summer Market Update -Stability & Strategy
Despite bouts of heavy volatility in recent months, financial markets continue to exhibit a cautiously optimistic outlook, based on resilient economic fundamentals and strategic policy support. Economic Growth & Corporate Earnings After a sluggish start to the year, the U.S. economy is showing signs of steady, albeit moderate, growth. Consumer spending has shown resilience leading […]
WATCH: Mid-Year Market Update from Ballast
2025 has delivered no shortage of market drama—from sweeping tariffs and geopolitical tensions to AI volatility and record-breaking rebounds. In this mid-year update, the Ballast team breaks down the year’s first-half market moves, examines economic headwinds and tailwinds, and looks ahead to what may shape investor portfolios in the second half. Hear from: • Brian […]
Watch: Market Update
In today’s unpredictable financial landscape, market volatility can be daunting for investors. Recently, John, Andy, and Brian discussed the current environment and share their insights on how to navigate turbulent waters while staying the course. With the right strategies, a well-thought-out plan, and a steady hand, investors can weather the storms of market fluctuations […]
Market Update & April 16th Video Invitation with Ballast Advisors
As many have noticed, volatility has returned to the equity markets, largely due to the recent wave of global tariffs introduced by President Trump on Wednesday. While these tariffs are intended to strengthen the U.S. economy over the long term, their short- to mid-term impact is likely to bring increased volatility, uncertainty, and market speculation. This […]
2024 Year-End Financial Insights: Markets, Taxes, AI & Election Impact from Ballast Advisors
As we wrap up 2024, Ballast is here to clarify the major financial themes shaping this year and what they could mean for the future. Listen to conversations from Ballast advisors John Boardman, Andy Reynolds, Cameron Hamilton, Brian Burton, and Frank Yozwiak as this year-end review offers insights into: 00:00:00 Begin 00:00:38 1️⃣ Markets […]
Two Ways to Combat Household Inflation
Inflation is not a one-size-fits-all all phenomenon Inflation is the increase in prices over time Increasing prices means decreasing purchasing power How we choose to spend our money dictates how we experience inflation Inflation has been top of mind for every participant in our economy for three years straight: households, businesses, and policymakers. Inflation […]
The End of an Era – What We are Watching For in ‘24
For many years until the last, investors had been living under the same mantra of “There Is No Alternative” (TINA) to owning equities, helping prop up stock prices as yields on fixed income were too paltry to bother with. Times have changed; TINA ushered out and TARA welcomed in. Positive real rates are achievable, meaning […]
Beware of Dots
The Federal Reserve Dot Plot has a shaky ten-year history The Dot Plot shows the Fed’s expectations of future interest rates Since its inception in 2012 it has not proved very predictive Rates have been a key driver of equity pricing over the last two years My eighth-grade class celebrated our completion of middle […]
Is Bad News in the Economy Actually Good News for Markets?
The notion of a slowing economy equating to rising stock prices qualifies as counterintuitive, but that is exactly what we’ve seen over the last few months. Typically, positive stock market performance is aligned with strong economic growth, as seen in the chart below. This makes sense as GDP growth means individual companies are producing more, […]
The Markets & Economy – A Diverging Narrative
With the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both entering “Correction Territory,” the media has once again focused its attention on markets and everyone’s best prediction on when or if a looming recession may be coming. For the majority scratching their heads right now, a “correction” is simply defined as an index decline of 10% or more […]