Market Monitor – First Quarter 2022
The first quarter certainly lived into our 2022 Outlook, Navigating Moderation, in which we discussed volatility ahead. Even before notable geopolitical events in Europe, both fixed income and equities had pulled back as investors adjusted to the Federal Reserve’s new tone of higher rates and less accommodative policies.
Market Review – March 2022
Variations on a Theme New catalysts provided fuel to the fires of inflation and volatility Market Recap While February began with eyes on Fed Chairman Powell’s hawkish stance, inflation and a focus on the job market, the resounding theme was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the last week of the month. As this evolved from […]
In Focus: Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Russia launched a series of coordinated attacks on Ukraine causing increased volatility in global markets and raising investor concern.
In reaction to this event, risk assets retreated as risk-off havens and global commodity markets rallied.
Inflation, the Fed, Correction; Oh My!
Market Recap 2022 started with a thud and plenty of market moving headlines. Omicron, inflation and the Federal Reserve, among other topics, weighed on the minds of investors. Most major indexes sold off with some crossing into a technical correction. Additionally, fixed income markets pulled back over the period as investors weighed new information from […]
Will the Fed take away the ‘punch bowl’?
Jan 2022 Last year (2021) was supposed to be the year of recovery, but the emergence of Covid “variants” (delta and omicron) made the recovery lumpy and uneven. Overall, the economy still grew nicely, but the pace of jobs growth varied widely, and the labor force participation rate remained low. Total nonfarm payrolls remain more […]
2022 Outlook
Navigating Moderation Markets, economies and inflation (the current favorite word in the investing lexicon) all came roaring back last year. Looking to 2022, we continue to see opportunity, but with greater moderation. Our 10-year market forecasts summarized below rose modestly year-over-year; however, our projections remain well below long-term averages. Source: HCR Wealth Advisors Capital Market […]
What is ‘transitory’ inflation?
Oct 2021 Most folks gauge how things are going in the country by watching the nightly news and reading stories in the general media. Problem is, most of the news tends to skew negative, maybe to attract more readers (positive headlines don’t sell as well as scary ones). As such, there is a tendency to […]
Has the economic recovery peaked?
July 2021 As the economic reopening gained steam, the second quarter of 2021 was another strong one for equities. Stocks again led most asset classes, with large-cap companies leading the way. U.S. stocks well outperformed international stocks, with markets like China and Japan actually declining in Q2. Fixed income markets were positive, lessening their declines […]
The Re-opening
April 2021 The first quarter of 2021 was another strong one for equities, with stocks leading the performance tables vs. most other asset classes. Stocks continued to work their way higher, bolstered by a myriad of tailwinds: fiscal and monetary stimulus, solid money flows (sidelined cash coming into the market), and increasing consumer confidence due […]
A Recovery Like No Other?
January 2021 The year 2020 will be one that no one will forget, but few would like to relive. Pandemics, lockdowns, unemployment, riots—there was a lot of craziness. If I told you all those factors would lead to a solid year for stocks you would have looked at me like I had a third eye. […]