Taking Stock as Q3 Begins – The Single Most Important Sign
As July, Q3 and 2H 2022 begin the financial markets remain volatile and likely to stay that way throughout Q3. Over the past month or so, I have been encouraged by the behavior in sectors that peaked first and led the decline, namely, software, biotech, innovation and China. Those groups continue to lead the nascent rally. As I keep mentioning, I love bonds, especially on a risk-adjusted basis through year-end. The rally off the low has been strong and certainly […]
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Date: July 6, 2022
2022 a Redux of 2008?
A new video has been posted. Is 2022 a Repeat of 2008?
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Date: July 5, 2022
Overusing “Good Riddance” & Inflation of July 4th Travel
Almost every month in 2022 I have used the words “good riddance” as the new month began. I used it when Q1 ended and now I am saying GOOD RIDDANCE to June, Q2 and 1H 2022. None have been easy. As the calendar turns to July, there are a number of seasonal crosscurrents. During the second year of first term presidents, the stock market remains unappealing during the summer and often sees a major bottom in September or October. The […]
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Date: July 1, 2022
Bears Come Out of Hibernation
After we finally saw a nice week for the bulls last week, the bears decided enough was enough and sold the opening in a big way on Tuesday. I expect chatter to quickly turn to whether a new leg lower for the stock market has begun and how much deeper the bear market can go. The best things you can say about Tuesday are that small and mid cap stocks did not lead the market lower and the NYSE A/D […]
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Date: June 29, 2022
Why “Set It and Forget It” May Be the Wrong Investment Strategy
Please don’t shoot the messenger, but I’m here to tell you that, while setting it and forgetting it (SIFI) can sometimes be a generally helpful strategy, it is not ALWAYS best. In this article, I’ll describe how SIFI works and seven ways it falls short, especially if you manage your portfolio on your own. I’ll finish by showing how a fiduciary advisor can provide the benefits of SIFI without the downsides. What Is Set It and Forget It Investing? […]
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Date: June 28, 2022
The Pummeled are Leading
The bulls finally won a week. It took four weeks for a victory, and they were able to recover the full losses from the week before. That was no easy task! The stock market remains in bounce mode and the bulls should have more firepower to use in the coming days and weeks. Keep in mind that this is the last week of June and the end of Q2. Although there are significant losses in both stocks and bonds, we […]
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Date: June 27, 2022
A Bull Market in Bears
Well look at that, three days this week the stock market is gapping up at the open. I would be surprised if the bears were able to thwart the bulls at all today. What a difference from a few weeks ago when it gapped down four straight days and in much greater magnitude. The bull have had a nice week. It’s the first up week of what has been a brutally tough month (and quarter and year) for the bulls. […]
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Date: June 24, 2022
Wednesday a Key Day – Extreme Bearish Sentiment
The markets returned from the holiday weekend with an absence of sellers. The bulls had a big day although not as strong as price indicated. By that, I mean the number of stocks going up on the day and the volume associated with those stocks was not as powerful as price said it should be. Yes; I could be nitpicking, but after such a significant decline I want to see more progress. Interestingly, I read a thread on Twitter about […]
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Date: June 22, 2022
The Big Mistake Richard Made Managing His Retirement
We’ll call him Richard so as to not embarrass him. Richard is a great guy, but sometimes he can’t seem to get out of his own way. Richard’s made many mistakes over the years, including: Buying a timeshare Investing in a family member’s startup Taking Social Security benefits before age 70 Failing to diversify his stock portfolio But the biggest mistake in Richard’s personal finance strategy was to utilize the services of a broker-dealer. B/Ds tend to focus more narrowly […]
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Date: June 21, 2022
This Year Ain’t Easy But It’s NOT 2008
FYI. The financial markets are closed on Monday in observance of Juneteenth. Stocks ticked ever so slightly higher to close another very challenging week for the bulls. It was also a quarterly expiration of futures and options which likely exacerbated the decline. From March 29th to May 12th the stock market experienced one of the strongest selling waves ever. More recently, the stock market saw four straight 1% down days ending on June 13th, also rivaling other periods for strength […]
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Date: June 20, 2022
