Interpreting the Market

  Over the last few weeks, the market continues to behave in a strong manner. In late August, the S&P 500 finally managed to eclipse its previous high level which was set last January. Since crossing this mark, it is also a positive beacon that the index has remained above the previous high. This is […]

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New Highs in the Market Indexes

It is very unusual for the market to have consecutive monthly gains in the summer months. Usually, market setbacks and monthly declines occur. There have only been 11 occurrences where the market has been positive from April through July.   August adds another month to the string. This string of gains could be a bullish indicator. […]

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Four Months in a Row

A Rare Occurrence Following the two down months of February and March, the S&P has strung together four consecutive monthly gains, if we include July. This actually marks the third year in a row when the April – July period marked gains for each month consecutively. Historically, this has been a rare occurrence. In fact, […]

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Market Overview 2018 2nd Quarter

Forceful headwinds have confronted markets in 2018, a sharp contrast to last year’s steady rise. As this year unfolds, it is evident that it has not been a smooth ride for investors. Even though the major US market indices have rebounded from selloffs and the S&P 500 managed a 2.7% gain for the second quarter, […]

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Nextera Energy

For the past year, one of the core investment positions for our clients has been Nextera Energy which owns Florida Power and Light. This company has expanded aggressively into the renewable power business. Nextera actually owns many of the windmills that you see throughout Oregon and Washington. They also have expansive solar farms. Power generated […]

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Estee Lauder

Amazon and Netflix are two companies changing the landscape of business. They are true economy disrupters. The stocks of these companies thrive on the concept of a total addressable market (TAM). Investors take an aspirational view as Amazon and Netflix hold the promise of servicing many more customers than they currently have. Estee Lauder is […]

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Lawns and the Market

The US stock market remains stable with limited downside risk. It doesn’t mean that we are in a bull mode with all of the indexes rising. In fact, before today the Dow was down for the year and the S&P was only up 1.4%.  Overall, the markets are digesting the gains from the last two […]

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The Line of Defense

The stock market has been struggling for most of this year. Mainly, it is trying to digest the gains from 2016 and 2017. During this time, it has been vital for the markets to hold critical long-term support levels. Looking back at 2018, initially, concerns over higher interest rates and inflation ruined the January advance […]

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Market Overview 2018 1st Quarter

The Curious Symbiotic Relationship “………if Boeing and Amazon are targeted with a new trade policy, these stocks could take down the entire market. If the market falls, then the nation’s wealth affect is threatened. If the wealth effect is threatened, then the government’s new, inflated budget goes by the wayside. If the budget deficit explodes […]

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A Bear Market Antidote

The US economy added 313,000 new jobs in March compared to consensus estimates of 200,000. This was a big surprise to Wall Street. Further adding to the robust showing was the labor participation rate which showed more than 800,000 Americans entering the workforce. Markets interpreted this news favorably and stocks surged. Unlike the February jobs […]

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