There’s always something happening in the financial markets and yesterday was no different. I was actually sitting down to write a bit about the numerous questions I’ve received regarding what to do investment-wise related to the Trump Administration. Then the market opened, popular stocks started getting hammered, and the news flow increased dramatically. This event seemed more pressing so we’ll get to investment implications related to President Trump next week…

I don't get sick very often and I can't recall the last time I was sick on a Monday and Tuesday. Since that's when I write these weekly blog posts, this is unfortunately all I have the energy to come up with. Enjoy the week and I'll be back to you with a post next Tuesday. - Brandon  

Before beginning I have to take a moment to comment on the fires raging in SoCal. The pictures and stories are horrifying. All this evokes memories of our past fires in and around Sonoma County – lives and property lost, local and regional economic impacts, and lingering psychological imprints. All of that is happening down south, just more. My heart and prayers go out to everyone who has been impacted, and to the brave souls fighting the fires. On to this we…

The fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024 ended with a depressing slump but otherwise continued what had been a strong year for US stocks. Foreign stocks perked up occasionally, as did US bonds, but our domestic stock market was the clear standout in terms of generating performance. The expanding AI industry, Fed policy, and inflation once again played important roles during the quarter and year while election outcomes in November reset expectations. Here’s a roundup of how…

Counting today we have ten market days left in the year – it’s crunch time. This calendar compression isn’t new but is still hard to get comfortable with. I’m spending these last days double checking that RMDs have been taken on schedule, Roth conversions and other transfers are completed, portfolios are properly balanced, and that appropriate losses get harvested for tax purposes. There’s been less of the latter this year, fortunately. Stocks have done well and b…

“What’s past is prologue”, according to Shakespeare. Contrast that with how past performance isn’t a guarantee of future results, according to our common industry disclosure, and you’d be correct in wondering why we spend so much time talking about history. I mean, are we trusting it as a guide for the future or not? I’ve always liked the middle ground quote from our American Shakespeare, Mark Twain, about how “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes”…