Latest market insights and analysis.

December 31, 2021

Long Bond Yield Surges, Omicron Drawdown Over

Long Bond Yield Surges, Omicron Drawdown Over The 30-year bond yield collapsed 29 basis points (bps) during the Thanksgiving holiday.  The week of Nov-24 was also the first week of the Omicron endemic.  Yields have since bottomed out in early December and surged back to unchanged, erasing the Omicron drawdown […]
December 23, 2021

European Gas Prices Down 20%

US LNG Armada Sends European Gas Prices Down 20% European gas prices plunged today.  Why?  LNG tankers are now headed from the US to EU ports in large numbers…an armada of tankers. Data compiled by Bloomberg shows that 10 vessels are headed to the gas-starved continent.  Meanwhile, another 20 ships […]
December 2, 2021

November Returns and Asset Performance

Major Asset Classes November 2021 Performance Comparison Introduction Red ink swept across the monthly results for most asset classes in November, highlighting the need for active risk management and strategies for capital preservation. Technology stocks performed well, as did U.S. investment grade bonds and inflation-indexed bonds. Finally, commodities continued to […]
November 3, 2021

October Returns and Asset Performance

Major Asset Classes October 2021 Performance Comparison Introduction October returns were led by the stock market, which hit all time highs.  As expected, the S&P 500 hit major highs at month’s end just as the earnings season kicked into high gear.  The index has had three quarters in a row […]
November 3, 2021

S&P 500 Earnings Insight

S&P 500 Earnings Update Actual Earnings – 3Q.2021 The third quarter earnings season is well underway.  Actual earnings have been reported for 328 of the companies in the S&P 500 index.  Specifically, net income for all the reporting companies is 40.4% higher than that reported 12 months ago. The actual […]
October 2, 2021

September Returns and Asset Performance

Major Asset Classes September 2021 Performance Comparison Introduction September returns across global financial markets suffered their broadest retreat in a year.  First, the hardest hit asset classes were domestic and international equities.  Second, government and corporate bonds also declined more than 5%.  Commodity prices were mixed.  For example, lumber, natural […]
September 3, 2021

August Returns – The Best and Worse Performing Assets

August Returns – The Best and Worse Performing Assets Introduction August returns proved to be exciting in both financial and commodity markets.  Corporate equities and high-yield debt both proved to be solid performers .  This was evident in the US, developed markets (DM) and emerging markets (EM).  The month also […]
July 6, 2021

Q3.2021 Financial Market Outlook

Financial Market Outlook 3Q.2021 The Financial Market Outlook provides a top/down analysis of the U.S. stock market.  The objective is to identify those sectors, industries and firms that are most likely to drive stock market performance in 3Q. This article was updated on 05-Aug-2021. Multi-Asset Returns The reopening trade dates […]
March 23, 2021

Financial Market Outlook Q2.2012

Financial Market Outlook Q2.2012 With the start of the new quarter, a top-down market analysis is applied to define the outlook for equities in Q2.  The goal is to understand what market sectors are most likely to drive stock market performance as the economy transitions from a recovery phase into […]