Market Commentary: Fourth Quarter

Market Commentary Q4 2019

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%…

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Hindsight 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…

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Timing 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…

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How 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,…

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