When will value have its day in the sun? The growth style’s historic run of outperformance has continued this year, despite the emergence of several drivers that have traditionally served as catalysts for value stock outperformance. Generally, value stocks benefit from an economic growth tailwind, whereas growth stocks tend...
The May employment report confirmed that the job market remains healthy, with job creation showing signs of stabilizing after steadily slowing over the last several years. A healthy labor market should continue to provide support for the economy and consumer spending, and we may even see some acceleration...
We continue to prefer emerging market (EM) equities in tactical asset allocations. EM equities have given back strong early-year gains, pushing the MSCI EM Index into negative territory year to date on a total return basis. Many headwinds have weighed on EM stocks, including rising interest rates, U.S....
First quarter earnings season was excellent by almost any measure. The numbers were strong even without the boost from the new tax law. In this week’s commentary, we recap the outstanding near-complete first quarter earnings season, highlight some of the key themes, and show why a potential peak...
Last June, oil hit an interim low of about $42.50 and started to climb. By May 7, 2018, it had crossed $70 for the first time since 2014. President Trump announced the U.S. would be withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal the next day. We view rising oil...
Producer and consumer prices moved higher in March, but both remain manageable. Inflation has been a major topic for financial markets in 2018, with concerns initially sparked by a January wage growth number that exceeded expectations. Wage growth cooled somewhat in February and March, though it currently stands at...
The February 2018 market correction caught many investors off guard, but the longer-term trend remains higher. This year has provided more volatility than we’ve seen in recent years, with many wondering if the movement is a sign that the bull market is ending. Remember that when the market...
BEIGE BOOK SUGGESTS CONTINUED MODERATE ECONOMIC GROWTH The Federal Reserve (Fed) was in the news last week, as markets digested the March 20–21 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting statement. The outcomes of the meeting were broadly in line with market expectations, with the Fed hiking interest rates by...
The “Sweet 16” is set. In the spirit of March Madness and an exciting NCAA college basketball tournament that has brought some historic upsets, epic comebacks, and exciting buzzer beaters, we have compiled our “Sweet 16” for the stock market. Specifically, we have identified 16 keys for stocks...
Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jay Powell will preside over his first Fed policy meeting March 20–21. Although this is his first meeting as chair, Powell has been a voting member of the policy committee since 2012 and is a seasoned veteran of Fed policy meetings. The Fed is...