The first quarter of 2024 was very positive for the stock market with new highs being posted across most major indices. This resulted in the best first quarter returns of the year since 2019. Stocks: S&P 500: 10% Nasdaq: 9.5% Russell 2000: 4% Bonds have been trading flat to down mostly with interest rate cuts …
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Markets and Tax Reminders
February just notched the best returns for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq since 2015, while the Dow had its best February since 2021. Thus far in 2024 there has been more market breadth with more than 71% of the stocks included in the S&P posting positive returns. That said, the median return of these is …
Are Bonds Dead?
Dear clients and friends, October marked the third straight monthly drop for U.S. stocks where the Nasdaq and S&P 500 entered correction territory (down more than 10% from the most recent 52-week high). We mentioned last month that these corrections happen about every 16 months on average so this was not terribly unexpected. What is …
The U.S. Federal Reserve, Russia/Ukraine conflict, and Inflation
We often speak to each of you about the dual mandate we have at Bauer Wealth, to protect assets to the best of our ability but also to position portfolios for growth and income.
The Importance of Tailwinds
We have a tendency to focus only on the headwinds that are pushing against us but forget all of the tailwinds that work in our favor every single day
Negative Interest Rates, the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
As of the writing of this post, we have negative interest rates in Germany, Switzerland, France, Japan, and the Netherlands. While this might seem highly unusual at first glance (and is in the government bond markets), by the end of this post you will see how prevalent this negative interest rate concept is not only …
Continue reading “Negative Interest Rates, the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”
Financial Planning – Take 2
One of the foundational principals of financial planning is selecting and prioritizing goals for your life. But all too often when I sit down with someone for the first time and ask them what goals they have, I get a slightly panicked stare in return and they are unable to answer the question. “A Wells …
The Price of This Home is $300,000, Can I Interest You in Paying $600,000 Instead?
Debt, we all love using it, but we all hate having it. I believe debt in and of itself is neither good nor bad. It’s neutral. However, the use of debt can provide varying degrees of good or bad outcomes for people. As a financial advisor, I coach my clients to view debt as a tool …
How You Can Use a Credit Card to Generate Thousands of Dollars in Tax-Free Earnings
First off, this is not some gimmicky blog post trying to sell you a credit card or sign you up for any product. To further dispel that notion, rest assured I have no professional affiliation with any of the products mentioned below. I’m simply sharing a strategy that I use to effectively get paid for …
Negative News? Don’t Overreact!
Investors are under a constant barrage of information that could be a real threat to their portfolio but most likely the information is published with a different agenda. Simply put, click bait. This click bait, or “noise” can cause negative emotions like fear and uncertainty that can be dangerous to an investor in a competitive trading environment. In light …