Indicators, Fed-speak, and short-term sentiment trackers are helpful directionally and at times can play a part in asset allocation and planning. The much larger and more significant consideration is how you plan to spend your time and use your money.

The U.S. unemployment rate is 3.7%, a decrease from the previous month's 3.9%. This unexpected increase in employment is a double-edged sword, as it brings with it potential wage-price pressures.

Planning ahead empowers us to face unafraid the [financial] plans that we've made. Also, Santa rallies and cyclical trends. (video)

While we value short-term, high-quality bonds for a portion of the portfolio, it’s important to consider the total percentage owned in one’s portfolio. We discuss how taxes and inflation can affect “real” returns and how historically, a diversified portfolio has compared to bonds.

Just as a baseball manager wouldn't build a team of only pitchers or catchers, diversifying investments across asset types and time periods is essential. Importantly, the benefits of diversification are realized over the long term, not during every quarter, or inning.  

Even in uncertain times in terms of interest rates, the debt ceiling, and volatile energy prices–we still saw stock prices broadly rise in 2023. Watch our quarterly check in on markets and the economy. (video)