2019 came and went as did the issues which buffeted the stock market since early 2018.  The stock market dropped off a cliff in early 2018 when President Trump began to challenge China over trade policies, currency manipulation and theft of US intellectual property.  The close of 2019 saw agreement between the US and Chinese.. read more →

Congratulations!  We just survived another volatile quarter.  The S&P, the broad index of US stocks, barely eked out a positive return for the quarter.  The ups and downs were driven by the usual suspects, the FED, China trade, a short-lived inverted yield curve and efforts by the media to talk up recession and a contraction.. read more →

The 2nd quarter of this year had stock market up and down action aplenty.  But it ended with June being the best month and quarter since the mid 50’s.  That was a long time ago. What brought on that uptick?  Hope.  The Fed indicated a willingness at their June meeting to strongly consider reducing its.. read more →

What a difference a quarter makes.  The 4th quarter of 2018 was a historical low for the US stock market.  1st quarter of 2019 saw historically high percentage rate market increases.  That is what is expected but it is always celebrated when it happens.  Let’s quickly rehash what created problems for the market in 2018. .. read more →

2018 will be remembered by stock market investors as the year of the mental recession.  The underlying US economy appears to be on sound footing.  US company profits are up, and unemployment is down to historic lows.  But the market itself spent the year in a tizzy worrying over US-China trade talks, the very real.. read more →