January 2026 Recap … [Read more...]
January Market Commentary
Happy New Year! Do you feel like 2025 was just a blur? Lots of market action all year, maybe that’s why 2025 came and went so quickly? I hope the markets are a little calmer this year. Of course, the media won’t let us have calm…. They like madness! So probably skip as much media as you can this year. As far as markets and forecasting, what will happen in 2026, we don’t know. But, as I mentioned back in the summer, when the market came back so quickly after the April dip, statistically, … [Read more...]
Dogs of the Dow 2025 Review
Another Strong Year Sets Stage for 2026 The "Dogs of the Dow" is an investment strategy that focuses on selecting the 10 highest-yielding dividend stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). The idea behind the strategy is simple: by buying the stocks that offer the highest dividend yields in the DJIA, investors can potentially benefit from both dividend income and capital appreciation. The strategy is based on the belief that companies with higher-than-average dividend yields are often … [Read more...]
Walking the Tightrope – Navigating Growth Concerns and AI Optimism
The investment landscape in late 2025 is defined by a paradox that's keeping even seasoned strategists up at night. Markets are experiencing a powerful convergence of AI-driven growth and evolving central bank policies, with scenarios ranging from a soft landing with managed disinflation to more challenging outcomes like stagflation or increased market concentration. Understanding this tension is crucial for positioning your portfolio effectively. The Growth Dilemma While pro-business … [Read more...]
October Market Commentary
Boo! At least that is what it feels like around my neighborhood. Halloween decorations everywhere… Will the market give us a trick or a treat? That is the question every October. This year it feels more like a treat into the new year. Unemployment numbers have gone up and the Fed has lowered rates to combat it. Was it enough? That question is only answered “after” a few years have passed and then the economists can get an accurate calculation and say whether it was the right call. So, … [Read more...]
Private Equity Could Be Headed for Your 401(k)
Approach very carefully and with a clear understanding of the trade-offs One of the most significant shifts in retirement investing in decades is underway: the Trump administration has signed an executive order intended to open up 401(k) accounts and other employer-sponsored retirement plans to private-market assets – including private equity, private credit, and real estate. For private-asset firms like Apollo, KKR, Carlyle, and Blackstone, this is an enormous opportunity. A $12 trillion … [Read more...]
Five Key Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Changes for equity investors and potential actions to consider in response On July 3, 2025, Congress passed and on July 4th the President signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), a sweeping fiscal package aimed at tax reform, business incentives, and federal budget adjustments. While broad in scope, the bill contains several provisions that could have material implications for public equity markets. Here are five of the most financially significant changes for investors and … [Read more...]
July Market Commentary
July 2025 Well, I think the bargaining chips worked out…. (The threat of tariffs- see last quarter’s commentary.) The market has been very happy for the last couple of months. For all the tariff drama, you would have thought the world was coming to an end, but it hasn’t, we’re still here. And the market is fine, hitting new record highs….. Some of our research vendors have pointed out some interesting statistics. Mainly when the market has a pullback like we saw in April and then gets … [Read more...]
Implications of the U.S. Credit Rating Downgrade
More of a signal about long-term fiscal challenges, not an immediate worry The recent downgrade of U.S. sovereign debt by Moody’s marks a significant moment in American financial history. For the first time, all three major credit rating agencies have removed the United States from their highest credit tier. As an investor, it’s essential to view this development within its historical context and consider its practical implications for the markets and your investment portfolio. A Brief History … [Read more...]
April Market Commentary
April 2025 To tariff or not to tariff? The news is so focused on tariffs and the devastation they could bring....(Even though they're mainly used as a bargaining chip.) And all the executive orders that keep coming out of the White House, (and then blocked by judges and courts.) Then there's news he could run for a third term...(Of course, only if congress voted to allow it, and most likely it will never happen.) Last, you have the stock market. It's been down this first quarter. (After two … [Read more...]