(With Perspective) There Is Good in This Selloff

  Yes, I said it; there are countless reasons to celebrate what we are and have been experiencing in the financial markets.  From a historical perspective, we believe the developments in this environment are constructive to a healthier economic and market environment in the future.  Let me count the ways:   1. The Market is […]

Market Volatility & Behavior Finance

  If you feel like the stock market has been all over the place recently, there is some merit behind the feeling. So far, during 2022 we have experienced 41 days where the S&P 500 has returned greater than a +/- 1% return. This represents approximately half of the trading days of the year so […]

The Inverted Yield Curve of April 2022

Key Takeaways: The 2-year/10-year yield curve inverted for the first time since 2019. This type of inversion has preceded the last eight recessions. Proper portfolio allocation can help insulate investors from the negative outcomes of recessions.        Three years ago today, on April 4, 2019, I wrote about the Inverted Yield Curve […]

The Federal Reserve FINALLY Raises Rates

Key Takeaways: Last week, the Federal Reserve raised the Federal Funds Rate by 0.25%. The Federal Reserve is projecting several more rate increases in 2022. The Federal Reserve is confident in a strong US economy and the ability for the economy to withstand higher interest rates.     Last week the Federal Reserve raised interest […]

Markets are Digesting a TON of Information

Over the last few months, market volatility has dramatically increased.  The CBOE Volatility Index or VIX, created by the Chicago Board Options Exchange, is a real-time market index representing the market’s expectations for volatility over the coming 30 days.  The VIX started the year at just over 17 and has already reached over 28 during […]

How Much Cash Should I Hold?

Key Takeaways Rising inflation increases the opportunity cost of holding cash We believe the benefits of cash outweigh any loss in purchasing power Market drawdowns like today are relatively good times for long-term investment         The question we are getting more than any other these days is, “What should I do with […]

Some Perspective on the Fed’s Latest Meeting

Key Takeaways With ongoing inflationary pressures and a continued decline in the unemployment rate, the Fed appears ready to pick up the pace of normalizing monetary policy. The Fed confirmed that at this point they plan to raise the fed funds rate at the March meeting but reiterated that the pace and frequency of rate […]

Stock Market Bubbles are Inevitable – Are You Prepared for the Next Burst?

In addition to this commentary, we would like to extend an invitation for you to join us on a live video feed where we will discuss the attached article and answer any questions in real-time. Watch the video discussion about this article here.   It was our second week of remote work, COVID-19 had just […]

The Economy’s Return to Normal

Key Takeaways: Economic data indicates a return to pre-pandemic levels of activity A tight labor market has contributed to some wage inflation Inflation, wages/jobs, supply chain issues will continue to be areas of interest   As kids return to school, summer trips come to an end, and everyone starts to eye the holidays, investors and […]

Finding the Best Order for Funding Retirement

Ballast team

With a task as important as funding your retirement, determining which accounts to fund and in what order should not be taken lightly.  Whether it’s a company plan, individual retirement account or taxable account, there are a lot of ways to save for retirement.  So how do you decide where to put each dollar you […]

Testing the Challenges of a Long Retirement

We often joke that our job was created because of increasing life expectancies and pensions seldom being offered.  Obviously, finance and investing has become more complicated and there are an ever-increasing number of investment vehicles and planning strategies we help our clients choose between.  We also know there is great value placed in our ability […]