All Trumped Up
A recurring theme you’ve heard from us is that stocks take their longer-term cues from what’s happening to corporate profits and expectations of corporate profits, how the economy is expected to perform (which supports profits), and what’s happening to interest rates. But shorter term, any number of events or issues can creep on to the […]
Read ArticleA Look Back at 2016 and What Might Be Ahead
2016 has come and gone. It started out in a very rocky fashion, with comparisons to 2008 that were too numerous to count. Let’s be clear. As we’ve emphasized in past summaries, markets don’t always trade in a quiet and orderly fashion. But, just because we run into turbulence doesn’t mean it’s time to retreat […]
Read Article10 Smart Year-End Planning Moves to Consider
The end of the year is fast approaching and now is the perfect time to review items you might want to consider as you get set to enter 2017. Many of the IRS publications referenced below reference tax year 2015. Changes are not anticipated when 2016 guides are published. Before we get started, let’s stress […]
Read ArticleDewey Beats Truman!
Post by Christopher Van Slyke In the biggest election upset since 1948, Donald Trump has won the presidency. You are advised to prepare for a possible wild ride in the investment markets. It is helpful to remember that these potential market gyrations are almost always bad times to trade, and particularly to sell. We have months […]
Read ArticleThe Final Countdown
We always caution against watching stocks on a daily basis, because it’s too easy to get caught up in the daily volatility that inevitably will occur. If we go back to last summer’s late August swoon, it might have been tempting to bail when shares were near their bottom and financial reports bordered on hysteria. […]
Read ArticleThe Elephant in the Room and a European Bank
September has come and gone and we have exited the month following a period of unusual complacency, which is Wall Street speak for days upon days when the major market indices trade within an unusually narrow range. Recall that last month we quoted a piece from LPL Research pointing out that the S&P 500 range […]
Read ArticleThe Ides of September
There is something about October that spooks investors. Maybe it’s the market crash of 1929 or the one-day crash that happened in 1987. More recently, shares were pummeled in October 2008 after Lehman’s collapse roiled global credit markets. Though it has been a while, modest corrections in the late 1970s ruffled feathers in October. Almost […]
Read ArticleYes, No, Maybe
Have you ever met or approached a professional at a social event and been tempted to ask a personal question that relates specifically to your circumstances? Whether it’s from a physician, attorney or CPA, insight from professionals benefits us all when we need assistance in their field of expertise. While you may be reluctant to […]
Read ArticleA European Political Earthquake That’s Felt at Home
Like many of you, our team had a wonderful time celebrating the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Growing up, the Fourth seemed mostly about barbecues, friends, hanging out at the pool, and fireworks. As we get older, we tend to better appreciate what Independence Day really means. We have a degree of freedom in our […]
Read ArticleWhat Does Brexit Mean to U.S. Investors?
By: Tom O’Connor, WorthPointe Financial Planner · Los Angeles, Orange County CA IN THIS ARTICLE: 1) Britain has voted to leave the European Union. Could this be the start of a protectionist trend? What would this mean for investors? 2) Hours after the vote, stocks were down slightly. Gold and long-term U.S. bonds were up slightly. Should we get in on […]
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