The Seasons of the Market
The Clouds Part We have seen an interesting turn of events for the market, one that favored the bulls and rewarded those who did not abandon the strategies we recommend. Notably, upward momentum came in a month that historically has a ghoulish reputation. But as we point out shortly, reputation and reality do not always […]
Read Article2015 Q3 Review: Mindfulness And The Big Picture
Every week I participate in a discussion group that is currently reading and discussing the Majjhima Nikāya, or Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. The discussion is led by an American Monk who was previously a Zen practitioner. Recently we were discussing the topic of “Mindfulness” and I realized that it has many practical applications […]
Read ArticleAn Investment Roadmap
The Fed Blinks The September meeting at the Federal Reserve was eagerly anticipated by analysts, economists, and short-term investors because there was the real possibility that central bankers would finally boost the fed funds rate for the first time in almost 10 years. In case you missed it, the Fed chose not to raise rates […]
Read ArticleThe Dragon And The Big Bang Theory
This brief two-part summary covers two areas of interest: China and investor behavior. The first is China, which is on every investor’s mind, and explains how to invest there while avoiding most of the problems you’re hearing about. The second is a personal essay on having a successful investing mindset from a Hollywood executive producer, […]
Read ArticleDon’t Sweat the Headlines
Volatility Can be Managed In last month’s market commentary, we talked about looking past scary headlines. It’s easy to say when stocks are holding up or moving higher, but a jarring correction may create uneasiness. We are reminded of a comment by John Bogle, retired CEO and founder of the mutual fund giant, The Vanguard […]
Read ArticleHow to Read the Panicky Market
Some of the most entertaining times to be a long-term investor are those periods when short-term investors are looking over their shoulders for an excuse to sell. They’re convinced that the market is going to go down before they can get out, and so they jump on any bad news that comes across their Bloomberg […]
Read ArticleThe Patient, Disciplined Investor Sleeps Comfortably at Night
Looking past scary headlines…resiliency July saw markets collide with a whole bunch of unsettling headlines. Greece tiptoed across the default line. Stocks in China, which peaked in June, were badly battered in July. The Fed continues to telegraph that it wants to start raising interest rates sooner rather than later. Corporate profits are running into headwinds […]
Read ArticleThe Morgan Report 2015 Q2 Review: Greek Salad Hold The Euros
“I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.” –Alexander the Great Every day of our lives presents us with moments. Moments that can affect us for years to come. This past quarter presented itself with many moments that contrary to what some might be saying are not […]
Read ArticleMarket Commentary July 2015
An island of instability One month ago, I spent a considerable amount of time talking about the U.S. economy. I discussed the slow climb out of a deep hole and another speed bump earlier in the year. But there has been some good news – the economy seems to be exiting the funk it entered […]
Read ArticleMarket Commentary June 2015
Two steps forward. One step back. Did you know that the economic recovery is nearly six years old? That’s right – the Great Recession ended in June 2009, which means the economy pulled out of its nosedive and began to climb higher the next month. That is what the National Bureau of Economic Research, which […]
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