As we wrote several months ago, we expected October to be a volatile month because of the government shutdown, debt ceiling debate and a new Federal Reserve Chair nominee. We also were confident we would see “Oscar-worthy” performances from both sides of the aisle and that the rhetoric would roil the financial markets. With no
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Update on Bonds and Fixed Income Strategies Toward the end of June the bond and equity markets reacted negatively to the expectation that the Federal Reserve would be slowing their bond buying program. Ten-year treasuries have moved from 1.80 percent to 2.95 percent since the taper announcement. (Source: Bloomberg) The news regarding Syria should have
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The rise in domestic equity markets year-to-date has been essentially unabated and without a significant correction. In times of market strength investors’ level of complacency often increases and optimism can become excessive. As complacency and optimism build, so does the potential for volatility. The news from the home building continues to be favorable. Tuesday, the
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It is abundantly clear that for now investors are ignoring what is happening in Washington, D.C The equity markets have shaken off any concern about the sequester and financial struggles in Europe by continuing to show momentum that has taken the Dow Jones Industrial Average above its all-time highest closing level. (Bloomberg) The Great Recession’s
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With a great deal of volatility in the market and federal sequestration budget cuts looming, Lowe Wealth Advisors is encouraging investors to be cautious and diligent. On the heels of its first weekly decline of 2013, the S&P 500 dropped 1.8% on Monday. Gold and other precious metals rose while the VIX (a gauge of U.S.
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The Election is Over! Now What? For some time now, Lowe Wealth Advisors has expressed our view that conditions of uncertainty are not a friend of the equity markets. We have consistently said that once the status of uncertainty is removed from the picture, the direction of the markets could become clearer as well. With President
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After observing several days of equity market declines and activities surrounding the approaching Presidential election, we wanted to touch base with you and share some of our updated views. The Good: We are seeing some possible signs that China’s economy may be stabilizing, which could trigger improved economic growth both worldwide and domestically. As the
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The jobs numbers released yesterday morning, although slightly better than last week, reflected ongoing economic weakness and poor prospects for a strong recovery in the short-term. Unemployment claims remain at a four-week average of 377,750 (Source: WSJ Online); we are experiencing the highest levels since June. One of the goals of the recent QE3 Fed
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Last Friday Lowe Wealth Advisors informed our clients about the Feds’ new QE3 program and addressed its potential impact on the Capital Markets. On Thursday and Friday, we saw a generally positive response in domestic equity prices and a somewhat negative response in certain bond prices. Some commodities such as gold rose in value. (Note: commodities
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As we move into August the global financial markets continue to seek some degree of certainty. The primary contributing factors at this time are from the European debt crisis, the U.S. tax picture with the impending ”Fiscal Cliff”, the U.S. economic recovery, and of course, the U.S. political practices. We have found that in election
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