Category Archives: Investment insight

Thoughts to help you make better investment management decisions.

Stocks Don’t Follow the Economy’s Lead

Perhaps more than at any other time, global economic conditions are influencing outlook from investment professionals willing to offer a forecast of the market direction. Economic data reveals significant headwinds that will likely limit Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and … Continue reading

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A Quick Way to a 50% Loss

People often wonder whether it is a good or bad time to be in any particular investment market. Hindsight makes it seem like there are clear indicators either way. Our friends in the advisor consulting group at Russell Investments have … Continue reading

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Stocks are undervalued, stocks are overvalued ― depending on direction you look

The significant lack of consensus outlook for U.S. stock markets comes largely from the direction at which differing parties view the market. Those looking forward, basing market valuation on estimated future company earnings believe that markets could be 25+% undervalued. … Continue reading

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The Key to Investing Success — Don’t Look

William Bernstein is unquestionably more intelligent than the average investor. He was a practicing neurologist before he turned his attention to investment management and authoring books about investing and global economic history. Jonathan Clements, a long-time Wall Street Journal personal … Continue reading

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The ‘Sad Conclusion’ of Do-it-Yourself Investing

In The Investor’s Manifesto, William Bernstein particularly puts down the idea that individual investors can successfully manage individual stock portfolios. “Trading individual stocks is like playing tennis against an invisible opponent; what you don’t realize is that you are volleying … Continue reading

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Think twice before shifting to ‘safe’ investments

Gary Brooks’s monthly column in The News Tribune was published today. http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/18/1231727/think-twice-before-shifting-to.html It examines perceived safety of bonds and gold as choices to manage investment risk. Two notes you might find hard to believe: Since 1945, government bonds have had … Continue reading

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Successful Tendencies of Brain-Damaged Investors

I read some interesting research findings today in market commentary from a mutual fund firm, O’Shaughnessy Asset Management. Behavioral finance research is a growing topic on college campuses. Much of this work can help us understand decision making when risk … Continue reading

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Coming Tax Changes Create Incentive to Act Now

Most of us prefer to think about taxes only once per year. However, with significant changes coming in 2011, tax considerations of financial planning and investment management will be prominent for the remainder of 2010. Taxes on income, capital gains … Continue reading

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Managing Risk; The Most Important Part of the Plan

Each of us thinks about the risks that we take in our own way. Some people have no difficulty taking risk in their personal lives but are more risk averse in their financial decisions. Others are just the opposite. We … Continue reading

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If you can’t predict, at least prepare

When we make investment and financial planning decisions for clients, most often we are not able to predict with any certainty how markets will behave, how or when personal or business situations will change, or the timing and impact of … Continue reading

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