Although most of the focus has been on stocks lately, it is bonds that have arguably had the more interesting year. Interest rates (which we will use the 10-year treasury yield to represent) have been climbing rapidly, starting the year from about 0.9% to 1.52% today. This often neglected number is extremely important. It represents the cost of money. Where the 10-year rate sits influences the... READ MORE

In almost any portfolio, for investors large and small, there are two primary parts. There is the side that should grow (almost always stocks), and there is the counterbalance that should give the portfolio safety (almost always bonds). This has been a fantastic strategy, especially for the last 40 years or so. So much so that any advice to stray from this balanced approach is often thought to be... READ MORE

I've written several posts about how difficult it is for companies to remain at the pinnacle in terms of market capitalization. It is not likely the current big winners like Apple, Google, Microsoft will be at the top a decade or two from now. Jason Zwieg addresses the issue in a recent article entitled " Apple Still Wears the Mark Crown. It Can Easily Slip. " The following is a quote from the... READ MORE

The spread of Coronavirus and its impact on our health and the economy are increasingly becoming a more serious concern. We’ve reached more than 82,000 confirmed cases and the virus is continuing to spread globally, including in the U.S. Predicting what the next several months look like is impossible, but it's clear that the market is pricing in some serious economic concerns. As of 2/27, the... READ MORE