It’s hard to believe the stock market was hitting new highs just five weeks ago. October has been a rough month. I know some people are getting nervous based on questions or comments I’ve heard from friends, neighbors, and clients. One person asked me whether they should proceed with buying a house in light of …View Article
Category: Investing
Investing
2018 3rd Quarter Market Review & Outlook
Every quarter, I look forward to the commentary & outlook column written by my esteemed colleagues, Robert Luna (Chief Investment Officer) and Luis Galdamez (Director of Research and Trading). This quarter’s commentary did not disappoint. The information is especially timely considering recent market volatility. We are also proud to include the insights of Jeremy Siegel …View Article
Retirement Investing: What’s a Reasonable Rate of Return?
One the many important decisions as you transition into retirement is: “How should I invest for this new chapter of life?” If you are reading this article, there is a good chance you are a prudent saver who has been saving and investing throughout your career. Now you need to figure out your retirement investing …View Article
Human Progress: Reflected in the Stock Market
The world has improved dramatically over almost any time-frame you consider. It doesn’t always feel this way because negative headlines attract eyeballs and sell advertising. Granted, there are tons of very real problems, many of which did not exist 30 years ago. Nevertheless, I think Bill Gates nailed it when he said: “Headlines, in a …View Article
Stock Market: Why I Love & Hate It
I knew nothing about the stock market at the age of 12, but I was completely hooked by age 13. My father asked me if I wanted to invest my bar-mitzvah money. I said, “Sure” without really understanding what that meant or how the market worked. My investment grew by $100 the first day and …View Article
Individual Stocks: Speculative Bet or Prudent Investment?
I remember the first stock I bought (35 years ago) at the age of 13 was Apple computer. It would be worth a zillion dollars by now if I had just held onto it. You know who else did not hold on to his Apple stock? Steve Jobs! He sold all his shares (except 1) …View Article
Trump, Tariffs, and Trade Wars
A few weeks ago, I was talking to one of my lawyer friends. He told me there are two types of lawyers: Those who try to find a reasonable and practical solution to a given dispute, and Those who employ a “scorched earth” negotiation philosophy. I think the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports announced …View Article
Market Correction: That’s a Good Thing
Everyone in financial services has been shocked at the complete lack of volatility (prior to this past week). The MSCI World Index increased every month in 2017, a feat that had not occurred in the previous 30 years. So, instead of taking a breather, the markets accelerated their growth in January. The S&P 500 was …View Article
Bitcoin: Speculative Fad or the Future of Finance?
I have been resisting writing about bitcoin because I thought it was an over-hyped fad that got too much press already. Nevertheless, I can’t avoid it anymore. The digital “cryptocurrency” has appreciated about 1,000% this year, making prudent investors like myself look foolish with our <20% returns. Why couldn’t I have just had the guts …View Article
Marijuana Stocks: The New Gold Rush?
A couple of years ago, I wrote an article about Socially and Environmentally Responsible Investing. Today, I am writing about a different type of “green” investing—marijuana stocks. Some people would never invest in marijuana stocks as a matter of principle. However, putting ethical considerations aside, does this “growth” industry make sense from an investment perspective? …View Article