by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Jan 14, 2020 | Market Commentary, Market Performance
Wow, what a year! Not much to complain about when it comes to investment returns for 2019. All major diversified stock indices advanced over 20%. The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index led the way with a 29.7% total return. Technology stocks were the clear winners once...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Jan 14, 2020 | Financial Planning
While all years seem to advance at a rapid pace these days, it felt like 2019 sped by at lightning speed. I love to talk with younger moms who are excited for their children’s milestones of rolling over, first steps and first words. As our family celebrates milestones...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Jan 14, 2020 | Market Commentary, Market Performance
U.S. Versus International The S&P 500, an index of large U.S. companies, posted a total return of 10.7% for the Fourth Quarter of 2019, and 29.7 % for the full year. U.S. stocks outperformed international for the quarter as measured by the Morgan Stanley Composite...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Oct 7, 2019 | Market Commentary, Market Performance
Market movements in the third quarter of 2019 were once again dominated by news surrounding tariff wars and the interest rate set by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). Let’s talk about how each of these can affect investment markets. Prices that investors pay...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Oct 7, 2019 | Financial Planning
When it comes to retirement plans, we often think of a 401(k) or 403(b), depending on what type of workplace we are accustomed to. These options work very well for large business, but there are quite a few different options to be explored for smaller business owners....
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Oct 7, 2019 | Market Commentary, Market Performance, Uncategorized
U.S. Versus International The S&P 500, an index of large U.S. companies, posted a total return of 1.2% for the Third Quarter of 2019. U.S. stocks outperformed international for the quarter as measured by the Morgan Stanley Composite Index EAFE, a representation of...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Jul 8, 2019 | Financial Planning
“The rich get richer.” We’ve all heard this phrase. Why does this happen? Is it better investment opportunities, access to other wealthy investors or other advantages the rest of us can’t take advantage of? Not really. Primarily, the rich get richer because of the...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Jul 8, 2019 | Market Commentary, Market Performance
U.S. Versus International The S&P 500, an index of large U.S. companies, posted a total return of 4.3% for the Second Quarter of 2019. U.S. stocks outperformed international for the quarter as measured by the All Country World Index ex-U.S. stocks, a...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Jul 8, 2019 | Market Commentary, Market Performance
Last week I took a golf lesson for the first time since playing golf in college, more than 20 years ago. The instructor began with the basics—grip, stance and alignment. If you play golf you know that golfers typically focus on a lot of items other than grip,...
by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA | Apr 12, 2019 | Market Commentary, Market Performance
Following a Christmas Eve market low, Santa Claus delivered a strong stock market rally that lasted the next three months. The fourth quarter drop in market prices was a significant jolt to investors. However, major market indices are once again knocking on the door...
