Content provided by Sierra Morris-Fuchs, CLS Investment Research Analyst Emerging markets have shown favorable valuations and stronger global growth prospects recently, which have presented intriguing opportunities. But lumping these markets together as a single country or region can be quite deceiving. Instead, the emerging markets should be analyzed individually because their characteristics vary widely —… Continue reading Emerging Market Divergence
Category: Economy
First Take on Fed’s June Meeting
Content provided by Marc Pfeffer, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager Round one of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) communication delivered mixed messages to markets, as expected. The FOMC statement was upgraded to acknowledge better data, while movements in the “dots” (assessments of appropriate monetary policy) implied a slightly more accommodative fed funds rate path. The communication released… Continue reading First Take on Fed’s June Meeting
Interest Rate Hike – The Waiting Game
Content provided by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager I think we have all experienced this at some point: We go to the store, proceed to the checkout counter, and face the daunting choice of which line to enter. We pick one and stand there waiting in uncertainty. Every movement begs the question: Should… Continue reading Interest Rate Hike – The Waiting Game
Weak Dollar Pushes Commodity Prices Up
Content provided by Paula Wieck, CLS Manager of Investment Research/Portfolio Manager So far this quarter, we’ve observed reversals in the strength of the U.S. dollar and prices of commodities such as gold and oil. As U.S. economic data has weakened, expectations have risen that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later than anticipated. This… Continue reading Weak Dollar Pushes Commodity Prices Up
Keeping Clients Invested
Content provided by J.J. Schenkelberg, CFA, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager We all know “the market” (stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate, etc.) is where we should invest our money for the best opportunity to grow funds for future needs. We also know the more risk we take, the more return opportunity there can be. So, why… Continue reading Keeping Clients Invested
Global Giants
Content Provided by Konstantin (Kostya) Etus, CLS Associate Portfolio Manager International investing has been a recurring topic in financial news recently, and many institutions have released white papers on its benefits. Much of this heightened coverage can be attributed to this year’s strong performance of international markets versus that of the U.S. International markets have… Continue reading Global Giants
It’s Time to Raise Rates!
Content provided by Marc Pfeffer, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager While the Federal Reserve (Fed) still seems to be shying away from raising interest rates at its next meeting in June, calls are coming from many regional Fed leaders to act quicker. James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis, warned recently of… Continue reading It’s Time to Raise Rates!
How Low Can Oil Go?
Content provided by Kostya Etus, CLS Associate Portfolio Manager One of the hottest topics in the markets lately has been oil prices. Questions like “Where is oil headed?” have become part of daily conversations and plagued news headlines. I think it is important to cut through the noise, take a step back, and evaluate the… Continue reading How Low Can Oil Go?
Are Commodities…Dead?
Content provided by Grant Engelbart, CFA – CLS Portfolio Manager Not surprisingly, commodities have been one of the worst performing asset classes over the past several years. Headline grabbers such as oil and gold have lost their respective luster, and others have followed suit. A combination of factors has driven prices lower, most recently the… Continue reading Are Commodities…Dead?
Fed is Losing Patience, But Won’t Be Impatient
Content provided by Marc Pfeffer, CLS Senior Portfolio Manager The Fed is losing patience, but they won’t be “impatient” … That is essentially how Fed Chair Janet Yellen began the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) news conference on March 18. While there was much market chatter leading up to the conference, the most significant announcement… Continue reading Fed is Losing Patience, But Won’t Be Impatient