Summary of the Fed’s Statement: As expected, rates were held steady and the Fed reaffirmed its dovish forward guidance. The statement was largely unchanged from the June edition, acknowledging the pick-up in economic activity but noting “The path of the economy will depend significantly on the course of the virus.” Powell repeated this point in his post-statement press conference, pointing to high-frequency data which indicated slowing growth as virus cases spike. The Fed will continue QE asset purchases of Treasury and mortgage bonds at least at the current pace. Notably, Fed officials did not adopt forward guidance linking any future…

Background 2019 closed out another year of US equity (S&P 500) outperformance vs. its non-US counterpart, (MSCI ACWI ex US). In fact, the S&P 500 has outperformed the MSCI ACWI ex US index in eight of the last ten calendar years. This persistence may lead investors to question the relevance of maintaining a globally diversified equity portfolio. Notwithstanding this recent US outperformance, there are multiple factors to consider, including similar extended periods of non-US equity outperformance in the past, differences in sector compositions within the indexes, the impact of the US dollar, and narrow leadership within the US markets. Recent…

Please find the next blog in our monthly series that provides a review of the prior month’s market data, the state of the economy, and the global financial markets. Global Economy: Economic data is reflecting a recovery from the pandemic lows, supporting continued risk-asset strength. Nonetheless global optimism may be fading. With virus cases still rising in many regions worldwide, including a significant growth in the US, volatility re-emerged in June. The bull case rests on the efficacy of fiscal and monetary policy support, the economic recovery maintaining momentum, the avoidance of further “second wave” infections, and the ability of…

This is our next blog in a series about how to plan and care for our aging loved ones. In this article we discuss the emotional and social aspects of our capital and the legacy we wish to pass onto future generations. Our clients and their parents have spent most of their life accumulating wealth and want to retain as much as possible to pass onto future generations in a tax efficient manner. When one hears estate planning, this is generally what they think of – the financial side. We obviously know the importance and spend a good amount of…

This is our next blog in a series about how to plan and care for our aging loved ones. In this article, we list and briefly describe the legal documents that you should have for your senior loved ones. As always, we recommend having them in place well before they are needed. Legal Documents: Advance Health Care Directive – Also known as a living will, this provides instructions on what kind of medical treatment is wanted, or not wanted, if our loved ones become ill or incapacitated. Durable Financial Power of Attorney – This document names someone responsible for asset…