FOMC Commentary – January 29, 2025
By Jeanette Garretty, Chief Economist The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced today it would leave the target Feds Funds interest rate unchanged at 4.25%-4.5%. Although financial markets expressed some mild disappointment that rates were being held steady, the announcement was widely anticipated. Much has been written about today’s FOMC Interest Rate Decision, marking the […]
Five Near Term Market Themes to Watch
By Stuart Katz, Chief Investment Officer January 27, 2025 – Last week’s inauguration activities in Washington mark Donald Trump’s return to the White House. As the second Trump administration starts, the market is looking ahead to what changes may take place in the coming years. Today, we briefly examine five key themes investors are monitoring […]
2025 and Beyond: Investment and Wealth Planning Outlook Webinar
Jan 24, 2025 – Chief Investment Officer Stuart Katz and Head of Wealth Planning Mallon FitzPatrick have a conversation moderated by Chief Economist Jeanette Garretty as they offer their perspective on markets and wealth planning. Disclosures Investment advisory services offered through Robertson Stephens Wealth Management, LLC (“Robertson Stephens”), an SEC-registered investment advisor. Registration does not […]
Buying a Home with Your Partner: What You Need to Know
January 21, 2025 – Buying a home with your partner is an exciting step, but it’s also a significant financial and emotional commitment. To ensure the process goes smoothly—and to protect both your relationship and your investment—it’s essential to discuss some critical topics before purchasing. Here’s everything you need to know to get on the […]
Home Is Where the Heart Is
By Jeanette Garretty, Chief Economist January 14, 2025 – Economists, lenders and policy analysts are given to talking about the US housing market in notably clinical terms. A blizzard of monthly data on, for example, “housing starts,” “building permits,” and “new home sales” (from the US Census Bureau), “existing home sales” (from the National […]
FOMC Commentary – December 18, 2024
By Jeanette Garretty, Chief Economist Confirming recent expectations in financial markets, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced a further 25bps cut in the Fed Funds rate while changing projections for rate cuts in 2025. The Fed Funds target range is now 4.25%-4.5%. In the accompanying Summary of Economic Projections (SEP), the members of the FOMC […]
Dynasty 529 Plans Can Build Generational Wealth
November 12, 2024 Leveraging these college-savings plans for tax-free growth combats rising education costs but families must keep up with IRS developments. As published in Rethinking65 By Mallon FitzPatrick A 529 plan is arguably one of the most powerful vehicles for funding higher education in the United States. These plans come in two varieties: prepaid […]
FOMC Commentary – November 7, 2024
By Jeanette Garretty, Chief Economist Today, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve announced a 25 bps Fed Funds rate cut, resetting the target Fed Funds rate to 4.5-4.75%. This represents a full 75 bps reduction in short term rates since the Fed began to move monetary policy to a more “neutral” […]
Recent Thoughts on the Fed Rate Cut
September 30, 2024 Chief Investment Officer Stuart Katz and Chief Economist Jeanette Garretty discuss their thoughts on the most recent Fed rate cut. Disclosures Investment advisory services offered through Robertson Stephens Wealth Management, LLC (“Robertson Stephens”), an SEC-registered investment advisor. Registration does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute […]
FOMC Commentary – September 18, 2024
By Jeanette Garretty, Chief Economist The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced a cut in the Federal Funds target rate by 50 bps to a target range of 4.75%-5.0%. At the same time, the FOMC announcement emphasized the continuing strength of the US economy, as well as the fact that while inflation has cooled considerably, […]
FOMC Commentary – July 31, 2024
By Chief Economist, Jeanette Garretty The statement released at the end of the FOMC meeting today was predictable and, quite frankly, a bit boring. The Fed Funds target rate (aka, “the policy target”) was left unchanged at 5.25-5.5%, and the usual “data-driven” waiting-and-seeing language was included. The one notable aspect of the statement was the clear […]
Quarterly Insights – July 2024: More New Highs for the S&P 500 in Q2
By John Lau July 1, 2024 – The S&P 500 experienced its first real dose of volatility early in the second quarter, but expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, solid economic growth and continued strong financial performance from AI-related tech companies ultimately pushed the S&P 500 to new all-time highs and the […]