Markets in a Minute
Real Estate Pulse Check
Wednesday, November 30, 2023
The recent bankruptcy filing of office-sharing company WeWork provided a stark example of the toll higher interest rates have taken on real estate, one of the most rate-sensitive sectors of the economy. Yet not all areas of this critical sector have performed the same way. Read on for a look at how residential and commercial real estate are faring in today’s higher-rate environment in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
The Impact of Rising Rates
Wednesday, November 9, 2023
Over a year and a half ago, the Federal Reserve began raising the fed funds rate in an effort to slow inflation, which had reached rates not seen in decades. Since then, inflation has subsided substantially, yet interest rates have continued rising. Learn what’s driving those rate increases and possible implications for consumers, businesses, and investors in this week’s
Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Q3 Market Review and Outlook 
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
In contrast with Q2, Q3 performance was lackluster across a variety of asset classes. Read this week’s Markets in a Minute for a performance overview in the equity and fixed income markets and areas of potential opportunity in the months to come.
Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
How the Israel-Hamas Conflict Might Impact the Markets
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, the world witnessed a dramatic turn of events as the militant group Hamas launched a coordinated attack on Israel by air, land, and sea. As of Monday, the toll of this conflict is already devastating, with more than 1,500 lives lost from both sides, and more than 2,200 people being injured, according to health authorities. Our hearts go out to those directly and indirectly affected by this conflict.
Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Will Student Loan Re-Payments Weigh Down the Economy?
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
With the federally mandated pause on student loan repayments expiring this month, borrowers are now responsible for resuming payments on an astonishing $1.7 trillion in outstanding debt. Although one may assume these repayments will negatively affect the economy, several factors could help limit the impact.
Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Labor Market Cooling?
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Recent labor market data has told a somewhat conflicted story. On the one hand, the number of new job listings last month was higher than expected, suggesting more jobs available. On the other, the unemployment rate rose notably from the previous month, suggesting more job seekers were out of work. Is the labor market cooling?
Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
The Impact of Interest Rates on the Economy: How Long and How Variable?
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Today we so often hear central bankers discuss “long and variable lags” in monetary policy that it almost appears cliché. Despite extraordinarily steep increases in rates over the past eighteen months, the economy hasn’t slowed as one might expect. Just how long and how variable might we expect these lags to be?
President Election Impacts on the Market
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Though still over a year away, next year’s presidential election is already feeding into news stories and advertisements. Like every previous election, the state of the economy and financial markets will be a hot topic of debate among voters and candidates alike. But how do the markets perform in the year of a Presidential election? How will it impact market performance for the rest of their term?
Reviewing the Second Quarter, and What’s to Come
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Stocks enjoyed a strong rebound, the S&P rose 17% in the first half of the year, and tech stocks outperformed while the financial and energy sectors lagged. Check out this week’s Markets in a Minute for a quick read on what drove performance this quarter and what’s to come in the second half of the year.
Fundamentals of Investing: How to Survive and Thrive During Financial Bubbles
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Staying disciplined and sticking to a financial plan during a bubble's upswing can take extraordinary discipline - even Isaac Newton couldn't do it! Read this week's How to Survive and Thrive During Financial Bubbles, part of our Fundamentals of Investing series, to learn how discipline and consistency were rewarded during the previous two bubbles.
Fundamentals of Investing: More Access Doesn’t Always Equal More Returns
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Despite access to investment platforms and educational resources being easier than ever, many investors are finding themselves more anxious about their financial situations. Learn how to stick with tried-and-true investment principles in this week's Markets in a Minute.
Debt Ceiling Debacle
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Could this be the first time in history that the U.S. defaults on its payments and challenges Hamilton’s legacy? How does the economic landscape shift if we do default? Let’s find out in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Goldilocks and the Just Right Portfolio
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
In this installment of the “Fables” series, we look to Goldilocks for guidance on how to build the “just right” portfolio for clients. Read more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
What the Tortoise and the Hare Can Teach Us About Investing
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Although the allure of making money overnight is incredibly hard to resist, in the long run, slow and steady wins the race. Read more about how time and patience are on investors’ side in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Battle Royale: Is Commercial Real Estate the Next Shoe to Fall?
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
After many years of accelerated growth backed by low-interest rates, easy credit, and competitive lending, commercial real estate has become the latest area of concern for investors. Read more about how unfolding events could impact banks, property values, and individual investors in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Is the Banking System at Risk?
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
On March 10, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporate (FDIC) officially took over Silicon Valley Bank in order to protect depositors, marking a remarkably swift end to a bank that had been in business for four decades. Then on March 12, Signature Bank, based in New York City was also taken over by regulators. Collectively, those banks held over $250 billion in client deposits.
Battle Royale: The Federal Reserve vs. Inflation
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Inflation is looking stubbornly persistent, and the economy is stronger than expected. How much longer can the Fed stick with its current plan of attack? Read the latest Markets in a Minute for the breakdown on recent inflation stats and outlook.
Earnings Season
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
With the Federal Reserve slowing its interest rate increases and inflation slowing to a tolerable level, the question remains: what can companies earn in this softer economic environment? Now that we are halfway through companies reporting their earnings for the fourth quarter of 2022, we can affirm that it’s not going great. Read this week's Markets in a Minute to see why that’s actually a good thing.
Debt Ceiling
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Here we go again. Democrats and Republicans are locked in a pitched battle over what used to be a fairly routine matter: raising the debt ceiling. Read more to learn about how the debt ceiling works, how previous raises have played out, and what our current situation may mean for the markets in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Turbulence Ahead: Market Review and Outlook
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Near-record inflation and both stock and bond market declines in 2022. An inverted yield curve and declining manufacturing activity in early 2023. How did we get here, where do we go next and, most importantly - what should investors do? Learn more in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
The Santa Claus Rally
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
We all know that Santa Claus is real, but what about the Santa Claus Rally? Read more about this mysterious phenomenon and our odds of seeing one this year in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Crypto vs. Back to Basics?
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
The recent failure of crypto-related business such as FTX has highlighted a void in regulatory oversight in the digital currency world. Read more about why a back to basics approach may serve investors best in our latest Markets in a Minute.
Inflation, Goldilocks, and the Fed
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
With lower-than-expected inflation in the month of October, we may all be wondering if there are
brighter economic days ahead. Read more about the impact of inflation and Fed rate increases on the
economy in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Quarterly Review & Outlook
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
In the third quarter of 2022, the S&P 500’s bear market reached ten months old, the Fed continued to tighten monetary policy as inflation accelerated, and recession predictions fill news headlines. In fact, with stocks down more than 25% and bonds overall down more than 15%, this year will go down, by some measures, as the worst start to the year since 1969. Read the latest Markets in a Minute for more on what brought us here and how investors can navigate the market volatility.
The R-Word -- Are We in a Recession?
Tuesday, October 04, 2022
Are we headed toward a recession? The answer is, we’ll get there… eventually. Read on for the “road signs” that can help us estimate when we might arrive and what we can do before we get there.
Commodities & Housing
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
As the S&P 500’s bear market completes its ninth month, two areas of the economy have experienced rapid changes: commodity price spikes coupled with impending shortages and a housing boom that is quickly petering out. How serious are these risks to the global economy and markets? Let’s discuss in this week’s Markets in a Minute.
Stock vs. Bond Volatility
Friday, September 02, 2022
With a war in Europe, sky-high energy prices, recession fears, intensifying political divisions, and an on-going global pandemic, it’s no wonder that both stocks and bonds have experienced large gyrations so far this year. In this week’s Markets in a Minute, we discuss what volatility among stocks and bonds means for your portfolio.
Will the Inflation Reduction Act Actually Reduce Inflation?
Wednesday, August 17, 2022
The Inflation Reduction Act was passed by the House has been heralded as a major legislative victory for the president and his party. But will it really matter for the economy or the markets? Read the latest Markets in a Minute to learn more.
Recession? Does it Matter?
Wednesday, August 03, 2022
As economic growth cools and inflation heats up, we are hearing more about recessions. Let’s talk recession and what’s happening with the latest GDP report.
Mid-Year Review and Outlook
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
So far, 2022 has brought surges in inflation fueled by war in Europe, monetary tightening and slower economic growth. As we pass midyear, many of us may be more than a little ready to forget about the first half. Our 2022 theme of downshifting, or slowing of growth, is certainly coming to fruition.
What’s Next for the Housing Market?
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Lofty prices and higher mortgage rates are beginning to shake the foundation of the single-family housing market. Are we headed for a 2008-style correction? Read the latest Markets in a Minute for our take on what’s next.
Market Volatility
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Stock and bond markets have had a wild ride. What’s driving this recent volatility and what’s an investor to do? Read the latest Markets in a Minute for a back-to-basics playbook for volatile markets.
2022 First Quarter Review & Outlook
Thursday, April 28, 2022
A bruising first quarter for stocks and bonds begs the question: Are markets signaling a recession in 2022, or a downshifting from the torrid growth of 2021? We continue to be in the downshifting camp. Read the latest Markets in a Minute for a recap of first-quarter performance and our outlook for the balance of this year.
Fixed Income
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Buffeted by twin headwinds — rising interest rates and high inflation — the fixed-income market is off to a rough start this year. In the current climate, many investors may be tempted to forgo fixed income entirely. Read about the reasons for continuing to invest in bonds in the latest Markets in a Minute.
Ukraine
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
With the war in Ukraine approaching its one-month mark and inflationary pressures rising, many investors are asking: What’s there to feel good about? The Fed is mulling the same question as it contemplates its next steps. The latest Markets in a Minute offers some answers.