Posts by Petersen Hastings Team
Market Commentary: Fourth Quarter
Happy New Year! Global markets finished the year strong. Quarter 4 brought the S&P 500 Index up 9.07% for a 31.49% YTD return. Small companies represented by the Russell 2000 Index rose 9.94% for the quarter to put them up over 25% YTD. International stocks represented by the iShares MSCI EAFE Index also increased 8.17%…
Read MoreHindsight is 20/20. Foresight Isn’t.
The year 2019 served up many examples of the unpredictability of markets. Interest rates that US policy makers expected to rise fell instead. American consumers’ confidence weakened as the year began,1 and news headlines broadcast fears of an economic slowdown. But investors who moved onto the sidelines may have missed the gains in the US…
Read MoreTiming Isn’t Everything
Over the course of the holidays, it’s not unusual for the stock market to be a topic of conversation at a holiday party or other social gathering. A friend or relative might ask about which investments are good at the moment. The lure of getting into the stock market at the right time or avoiding the…
Read MoreHow Markets Work and the FAANG Mentality
Is the market getting by with a little help from the FAANGs? And does the performance of Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google stand out historically? Investors may be surprised that it’s actually common for a subset of stocks to drive a sizable portion of broader returns. To learn more, download our free issue brief,…
Read MoreMarket Commentary: Third Quarter
Through the month of September, the global markets have had a strong year. Quarter 3 brought the S&P 500 Index up 1.7% for a 20.55% YTD return. Small companies represented by the Russell 2000 Index cooled off a little bit with a -2.4% for the quarter but are still up over 14% YTD. International stocks…
Read MoreValue Judgments: Viewing the Premium’s Performance Through History’s Lens
There’s a misconception in the markets: Value stocks have lost their vigor. But a dive into the data shows value’s recent performance has largely tracked with history. Growth, on the other hand, has been an outlier. To learn more, download our free issue brief, Value Judgments: Viewing the Premium’s Performance Through History’s Lens.
Read MoreRecent Market Volatility
After a period of relative calm in the stock market, investors have experienced increased volatility in recent days. While market volatility can create anxiety for some, reacting emotionally and changing long-term investment strategies in response to short-term declines could prove more harmful than helpful. To learn more, download our free issue brief, Recent Market Volatility.
Read MorePursuing a Better Investment Experience
Whether you’ve been investing for decades or are just getting started, at some point on your investment journey you’ll likely have questions regarding how to improve your odds of investing success. Petersen Hastings is here to help. Learn more about the 10 key principles, using data and reasoning, that may help improve your odds of…
Read MoreMarket Commentary: Second Quarter
If you are a die- hard women’s soccer fan or if you like following and supporting national sports, you might have tuned into the Women’s World Cup Soccer tournament. The U.S. women had the difficult task of defending their title as the World Cup champions. At the beginning of the tournament, many people had predicted…
Read MoreTiming Isn’t Everything
The lure of getting into the stock market at the right time or avoiding the next downturn may tempt even disciplined, long-term investors. The reality of successfully timing markets, however, isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. To learn more, download our free issue brief, Timing Isn’t Everything.
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