Insights

Last Friday’s unemployment report was stronger than expected.  200,000 new jobs were created last month, and the overall unemployment...

The Federal Reserve met Tuesday and decided not to do anything.  They were probably influenced by a slightly better employment report...

Economically, not all that much happened in October.  On September 30th the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) said that we were...

Summary No two ways about it – the third quarter of 2011 was difficult.  The stock market declined all three months.  July was the month...

I've been trying to put my arms around the financial events of the past two weeks.  Clearly the employment picture in the United States...

The market has been fast all week, meaning that just as soon as you write finish writing something the market changes and what you wrote...

Summary Stocks rallied sharply in the last week of the second quarter to finish relatively flat.  The quarter had started strong for...

Here is a short comment on the markets, because what I really want to do is comment on funds: The global economy is slowing down.  We...

I wanted to do a quick update before I head to Chicago for the Morningstar Conference.  I will post a longer report with my thoughts on...

A few thoughts: 1.  Forecasting the markets near term path is difficult under any circumstances.  That said, when the Federal Reserve...

Summary Stocks posted another gain during a very volatile first quarter of 2011.  The U.S. stock market surged to a gain of more than...

As you are no doubt aware, on March 11th an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale occurred just off the northeast coast of Japan,...

March 16, 2011 Editor’s Note: Mark started writing this most recent update on March 10th but as the events in Japan unfolded we decided...

I wrote back in December that rising bond yields threatened the cyclical bull market in stocks.  Over the next seven weeks bonds...

Summary The U.S. stock market posted its second consecutive double-digit quarter as more investors became convinced that the economic...