Over the past two years, the Federal Reserve’s aggressive monetary tightening lifted short-term interest rates to theirhighest levels since the early 2000s. As a result, investors pounced on cash-like products for both safety and incomein 2023, pushing money market fund assets to a record high $5.98 trillion, and this number is still climbing.… Read More
Markets finished the year strong, with positive returns across most major asset classes in December. Investors reactedpositively to the Federal Reserve’s dovish comments regarding monetary policy, with interest rate cuts potentially comingsooner in 2024 rather than later. Download Full-Size PDF: Click Here December-monthlymarketreview-2023 q
After a brutal 2022, investors were delighted in 2023 as markets were driven higher by a stronger-than-expected economy, falling inflation, and light at the end of the tunnel with respect to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hiking cycle. Download Full-Size PDF: Click Here Q4_2023_Quarterly_Market_Review q
After moving sideways during the first half of 2023, the dollar continued its decline to end 2% down in 2023 (now-11% from its October 2022 peak). In fact, it depreciated against almost every major DM currency except theJapanese yen. After over 10 years of dollar strength, could this be the start of a new cycle?… Read More
2023 market returns presented a mirror image to the declines of 2022. Despite recession fears stoked by tightmonetary policy, banking sector hiccups and elevated geopolitical tensions, all asset classes, save one, experiencedpositive returns. Download Full-Size PDF: Click Here weekly_market_recap-1-1-2024
Christmas appears to have come early this year, as investors were given much to celebrate this holiday season.Most notably, at the most recent FOMC meeting, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his fellow Federal Reservecolleagues “gifted” investors with a “turtle” dovish pivot, sparking a rally in both stocks and bonds.… Read More
2023 stands in sharp contrast to 2022. In 2022, stocks and bonds declined by double digits. Investor sentiment suggested more of the same for 2023. Download Full-Size PDF: Click Here On-The-Mark-December-2023_-Three-Surprises-in-2023-1
A basic guide to the potential tax implications (and advantages) of donating to charity There’s financial incentive for Americans to give generously to charity: when you donate to an IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) public charity, including Fidelity Charitable, you are able to take an income tax charitable deduction.… Read More
Last week’s retail sales report surprised to the upside, with total retail sales increasing 0.3% m/m on a seasonallyadjusted basis in November. Excluding auto and gas, retail sales increased 0.6% m/m, up from 0.1% growth in October. Download Full-Size PDF: Click Here weekly_market_recap-12-18-2023