Charting the Course: 2024 Filed Under: Estate planning | Financial Planning | Investment Services | Tax Planning Published by Jack James on Feb 05, 2024 As we step into 2024, the markets have picked up right where they left off, not skipping a beat. The year has kicked off on a strong note, with US technology giants at the forefront. This leadership has paved the way for a revitalized market environment... Read more
How things change... Filed Under: Investment Services | Portfolio Management | Wealth Management Published by Jack James on Dec 21, 2023 How things change - reflecting on our conversation from the end of October, we had observed: “Over the past month, equity markets have faced renewed turbulence, far from the optimistic projections many held.” “From a technical analysis standpoint, bonds... Read more
UPtober Myths & Market Realities Filed Under: Investment Services | Portfolio Management | Tax Planning Published by Jack James on Oct 31, 2023 The often coined “UPtober” (in investment circles) seems to be more myth than reality this year. Following September's market challenges, there was widely held investor optimism that October, with its historically strong seasonal trends (see chart below... Read more
Market Waves: Summer Swells Filed Under: Investment Services | Portfolio Management | Wealth Management Published by Jack James on Jul 19, 2023 Amidst the sun-soaked days of mid-July, we are enjoying the pleasures of summer, like longer days, memory-filled getaways, patio cookouts, and the comforting whisper of warm summer nights. Just like the seasons change, the financial market's initial energy... Read more
Sell in May? Filed Under: Estate planning | Financial Planning | Investment Services | Wealth Management Published by Jack James on Apr 28, 2023 Markets have demonstrated remarkable resilience in recent months, delivering solid first-quarter performance that has carried through to the end of April. This has transpired despite the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse in March. The... Read more
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! Filed Under: Financial Planning | Investment Services | Portfolio Management | Tax Planning Published by Jack James on Mar 02, 2023 As we move into the third month of the year, the age-old proverb, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," comes to mind. The unpredictability of this time of year is akin to the present economic climate, which has witnessed abrupt shifts... Read more
2022 Wrapped Filed Under: Financial Planning | Investment Services | Portfolio Management Published by Jack James on Dec 13, 2022 There have been a lot of challenges for investors in 2022. In a few words, according to Ben Carlson of a Wealth of Common Sense, here are just some of the reasons why this has been a challenging year for the markets: The highest inflation in four decades... Read more
Seasons Change Filed Under: Events | Financial Planning | Investment Services | Portfolio Management Published by Jack James on Oct 04, 2022 Welcome to Fall - a name thought to originate from the change in seasons and the phrase 'fall of the leaf'. Observing global markets this past month, you could also be forgiven for thinking it aptly describes their direction. In last month’s market communication... Read more
Five Daily Affirmations Filed Under: Investment Services Published by Jack James on Jul 04, 2022 The first half of 2022 has been anything but tranquil for stocks and bonds – with both asset classes off to historically poor starts. In light of this, we wanted to acknowledge the psychological impact adversity-filled periods like this one can have on... Read more
The Problem with Inflation... Filed Under: Investment Services | Portfolio Management | Wealth Management Published by Jack James on Jun 17, 2022 The Problem with Inflation... Halfway into June and the persistent pressures that have defined markets in 2022 continue unabated. The cast of influencing characters remains the same – many we have touched on in prior monthly updates. With rekindled selling... Read more