Commentary from Fed Meeting (September, 2023)
Each month, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) issues its position on the current economic conditions and outlook on future forecasts and projections. The main areas of focus are inflation, unemployment and interest rates. Here are a few takeaways from Chairman Jerome Powell’s press conference: As predicted, the FOMC voted to hold the federal […]
Rockbridge Institutional – December 2022 Market Review
2022 in the Rear View Mirror Inflation, the Fed’s response and rising interest rates, a sharp falloff in stock and bond prices, uncertainty of a looming recession and Cryptocurrency implosion were all part of the investment landscape in 2022. Although we don’t know what’s ahead, glad this year is behind us. Inflation and Interest Rates […]
Rockbridge Institutional – November 2022 Market Review
MARKET COMMENTARY Stocks After this week’s ups and downs, stocks ended November up nicely – international and emerging market stocks leading the way earning 11% and 15%, respectively. While not as robust, domestic large cap markets were up 6% and small-company markets returned 2%. These results bring the quarter-to-date returns to 14% for domestic markets, […]
Rockbridge Institutional – October 2022 Market Review
MARKET COMMENTARY Stocks Except for emerging markets, stocks were up in October. Domestic markets led the way – large cap (S&P 500) up 9%; small cap (Russell 2000) up 11%. International developed markets (EAFE Index) were up 5%, while emerging markets (MSCI Index) were off 3% due to sharply negative results in China. While uncertainty […]
The Fed’s new path and what it means for Investors
The Federal Reserve met in December and outlined a new course for monetary policy going forward. They signaled two big changes: The Fed will stop buying Treasury Bonds and Mortgage-Backed Securities by March The Fed expects to raise interest rates 3 times next year, bringing the Fed Funds rate from a target of 0.00% – […]
Is inflation haunting your financial dreams? Part 2: what we can do about it
In our last piece, we covered the recent uptick in inflation, and what to make of it in historical context. For investors, it’s important to take a step back and look at the big picture before acting on breaking news. But what if inflation does get out of hand, and stays that way for a […]
Is inflation haunting your financial dreams? Part 1: what we know
Has the specter of inflation got you spooked? Recent headlines are filled with sightings. In this two-part series, let’s take a closer look at what to make of all the commentary, and what you can do about it as an investor. First and foremost, we caution against succumbing to fear or panic in the face […]
Why value stocks do better with rising interest rates & inflation
Year to date returns for Value stocks have exceeded that from Growth stocks across all market caps, both domestically and abroad. There are several reasons for this. US Vaccination rates have been greater than expected, which has helped traditional companies (value) at the expense of technology companies (growth). Company specific earnings have likely made a […]
Maximizing Social Security benefits requires financial planning
Social Security planning has become an increasingly complex area of financial planning. As more couples reach retirement age, it’s important to review all the scenarios to maximize your hard earned Social Security benefits. Mary Beth Franklin, editor of Investment News, explains how “with the right elections, married couples can dramatically up their (Social Security) payouts.” […]
Evaluating Your Social Security Options
As retirement age approaches many questions arise about Social Security including the following: Should I start drawing benefits as soon as possible or postpone? If I do postpone, how long should I wait? If I am married or divorced, how can that impact my decision? When will I “breakeven” on my decision to postpone? Rules […]