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Archives for Markets
7/31/2018 Riding the Rockies Trading Update
Clients who have been with us for many years know that this blog ‘Riding the Rockies’ began back in 2010 when I began spending some time in the Colorado Rocky Mountains cycling. That time spent in the saddle of a skinny Italian bicycle has historically provided me with the solitude that’s sometime required to find balance and to ensure that all systems are functioning at full capacity, whether climbing Independence Pass or ripping down the long sweepers on Tennessee Pass at eye-watering speeds. My hope, in writing this blog, is to provide a sense of perspective when it seems like
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Riding the Rockies, Trading Update, April 25, 2018
I’ve been spending a significant amount of time over the past several weeks pondering the following: Which of the two interest rate scenarios do I think are most likely to play out over the coming months: A ‘benign’ Federal Reserve with gradually rising interest rates along the curve over an extended period? A ‘slow walk’ higher in a leisurely, controlled fashion? Interest rates rising gradually on the short end of the yield curve and long term rates remaining stable resulting in a flattening of the yield curve. A rapid rise in the yield curve with long rates moving higher as
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Annual Market Review
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Q4 2017 Market Review
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2/5/2018 Riding The Rockies Trading Update
No doubt, the “talking heads” on the financial news channels are scaring the hell out of most individual investors by today’s very volatile market action. Let’s talk about what happened today and what we see looking ahead. Most of today’s market action this afternoon was caused by ETF trading. Typically shares from ETF’s trade in blocks in the early/midafternoon and that’s precisely what happened today at about 2:30. Sell orders from nervous investors were aggregated and dumped on the market, resulting in a large “whooshing” sound when few buyers could be found to buy their shares resulting in much lower
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2/2/2018 Riding The Rockies Trading Update
As those of you who are “long-time” friends and clients know, I began writing “Riding the Rockies” in 2009, at the height of the Great Recession. The title comes from my love of road cycling above 10,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains and the analogy to the ups and downs of the stock and bond markets. Over the past 12 months, with our transition off the platform of our old provider and with the steep learning curve associated with the several new technological tools we are using to provide better client service, I got away from writing this blog. I
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Q4 2017 Commentary
2017 was a strong year for stocks with the S&P 500 up almost 19%, as stock valuations broadened out. We had been overweight stocks going into 2017 and remained overweight through the year. Bonds, however, returned only nominal returns, based predominantly on yield, as the Fed increased the Fed Funds Rate 3 times in the year. Bond yields traded in a tight range. As we look forward to 2018 we believe that the stock and bond markets continue to enjoy good liquidity. Sentiment is strong at this writing, but we are aware that there might be a drawdown at any
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Riding the Rockies – October 11 2017
Those readers who are long-time clients and friends of Alpha Beta Gamma Wealth Management know that my blog is called Riding the Rockies first, because I view the capital markets quite similarly to trekking through the most majestic mountains in the world and second, because, as a ‘flat-lander’ Florida cyclist, there is little I enjoy any more than a few days cycling in high altitudes. Within this blog, however, it is my hope that I occasionally impart some insight into our thinking and how that plays into our portfolio performance. First, a quick update. We had an excellent quarter from
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Key Senators Agree On A Road To Cutting Taxes This Year
Two key Senate Republicans reached an agreement on the framework of a major tax cut that reportedly will save taxpayers $1.5 trillion over 10 years. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), members of the Senate Budget Committee, released a statement saying they agreed on a path toward tax cuts. Sen. Toomey has favored tax cuts but Sen. Corker had previously opposed any tax cuts that would add to the country’s $20 trillion of debt. In backing off that stance, Sen. Corker opened the path for the Senate to pass a tax-reduction bill, but Senate passage would be only
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