‘Sell in May and go away’? Wealth advisors say, maybe not
Chief Investment Officer Stuart Katz was featured in InvestmentNews discussing the seasonal investing adage, “Sell in May and go away.” “While seasonality can influence sentiment, long-term fundamentals are what ultimately drive returns,” said Katz. Read more here.
Back to Normal? – April 30, 2025
Good morning, For the first time this month, this morning’s Morning Note feels largely unnecessary to me. Maybe the market is telling me to return to my usual twice/week cadence. Has normal returned to the markets, or are chaos and uncertainty just taking a break? There is no way of knowing for sure, but based […]
Wealth Planning Commentary – April 28, 2025
Creating Peace of Mind During Volatility The markets feel relatively calm compared to early April, and it is easy to become complacent. However, it remains more likely than not that we will experience continued turbulence this year, which may cause ongoing concern. One key objective of wealth planning is to help provide peace of mind, […]
Investment Commentary – April 28, 2025
Executive Summary The “soft” negative survey data has yet to show up in the “hard” economic data. The U.S. Market preliminary manufacturing PMI came in above estimates at 50.7. The services side came in below estimates but still an expansionary 51.4. U.S. equities outperformed European stocks last week but are still underperforming by 17% YTD. […]
Economic Commentary – April 28, 2025
This is a good week to let the data — there will be a lot of it— do the driving. And it is likely to be something of a joy ride, the trick being to buckle up and keep an eye on the month being reported. A majority of the data will continue to be […]
Unlikely White House Bailout – April 28, 2025
Good morning, Let’s get into the week ahead for markets because it’s a very big week on a number of fronts, excluding tariffs – which is so refreshing. Friday’s April employment number is an obvious focus. It is the freshest pulse reading on the economy. Wednesday’s Q1-25 GDP release will be quite interesting given the […]
Slogging Into Fridays – April 25, 2025
Good morning, Happy Friday! What a slog to get through these days. Stocks rallied, and Treasury yields fell yesterday after comments by a Federal Reserve official bolstered the still-long odds that the central bank would cut interest rates as early as June. Despite the rough start, it has been a rebound week for equities so […]
Will My Children Inherit Too Much?
As published in Kiplinger If you worry about how your children will handle an inheritance, you’re not alone. Luckily, you have options — from lifetime gifting to trusts — that can help. Some parents worry that leaving too much money to their children could hinder their growth or well-being. But what constitutes “too much” is […]
Hope Springs Eternal – April 23, 2025
Good morning, While it is not a good investment strategy, we all get to tip our hats this morning to hope. The three leading financial headlines this morning: *Trump Says He Has No Intention of Firing Fed Chief Powell *Trump Floats “Substantial” China Tariff Cuts in Trade Deal […]
US stocks nosedive as Trump harangues Powell
Chief Investment Officer Stuart Katz was quoted in Reuters discussing market volatility following President Trump’s comments about Fed Chair Powell. “President Trump’s threat to fire Fed Chair Powell adds a new vector of uncertainty to the mix,” said Katz. “Right now, the market is feeling its way through the dark and doesn’t know quite how […]
So Wrong – April 22, 2025
Good morning, An unplanned Morning Note this morning. I got yesterday perfectly wrong. It’s difficult to build in expectations of more self-destructive behavior, and yesterday’s White House social media rant against the Fed Chair is just unadulterated self-destruction. Stocks, the dollar, and longer-dated Treasuries fell yesterday. After rallying +1% in the final minutes of the […]
Wealth Planning Commentary – April 21, 2025
Seeking Stability with Annuities Amid this year’s market volatility, certain high-net-worth individuals and families who have historically been comfortable with risk are shifting their behavior. Some are now expressing increased interest in annuities to manage uncertainty and protect future income. In 2024, total annuity sales were $432.4 billion, up 12% from the prior year. Overall […]