Dear Clients and Friends, The arrival of fall reminds us of vacations winding down and kids heading back to school. With this in mind, we thought of the quote above, which encourages schoolchildren to do their homework. However, judging from financial news headlines this year, the quote might also...
Newsletters
China, the Fed, and volatility: Short-term concerns, but recovery likely
Dear Clients and Friends, The summer break from market volatility was nice while it lasted. As you have likely seen, global stock markets have become more volatile in recent days, ending a stretch of gradually rising markets throughout most of June and July. While these periods of volatility are...
China + Fed = Volatility
Dear Clients and Friends, Markets have been on a tear in 2019, up 19% through the end of June. Still, many investors are feeling less than excited about the rally—perhaps because the ascent has only taken us back to where we left off last September, immediately prior to the late 2018 selloff. This...
From Hot to Warm
Dear Clients and Friends, From the headline above, you may be thinking we have our seasons confused. We’re referring to the economy and markets, which we believe have gone from running hot to something closer to room temperature. We view this as a welcome change. As Northern Trust’s chief...
Markets Deliver a Lump of Coal
Dear Clients and Friends, Instead of three French hens and a partridge in a pear tree, investors suffered three corrections and a bear market leading up to the holidays and New Year’s Eve. While the broader markets have taken away some of the holiday cheer with a -13.5% fourth quarter performance,...
Hoping for more Green than Red this Holiday Season
Dear Clients and Friends, Your FBB team spent the holiday weekend giving thanks for the gifts of family and friendship. We also had plenty of conversations around the Thanksgiving dinner table about current events, including the latest market swoon that has dragged the S&P500 down to...
Market Update and Investment Outlook
Dear Clients and Friends, Well that was quick. Following a fairly smooth ride in the third quarter, volatility came back abruptly in early October as fears of rising interest rates and a worsening trade war have upset the markets. Still, despite the latest decline in investor sentiment, we expect...
Tough Advice in 2018; Sell in May and Go Away!
Dear Clients and Friends, Skeptics who decided to “sell in May and go away” missed out on the market’s best quarter since 2013, as corporate profits surged and rising trade barriers failed to slow a resurgent U.S. economy. The third quarter of 2018 felt a lot like 2017 with quarterly stock market...