Archive for the
‘Quarterly Commentary’ Category

    The rapidly evolving conflict in Iran has had major short-term ramifications on commodity prices, expectations for inflation and Federal Reserve action, and the stock market in recent weeks. Crude oil prices have spiked with the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.  While the US is now a net exporter of oil, a supply [...]

    On Wednesday April 2, President Trump announced a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs, marking one of the most aggressive shifts in U.S. trade policy in over a century. As global markets digested the implications, volatility surged, with the S&P 500 falling by more than 10% in two trading days — its steepest daily [...]

  Market Update and Economic Developments • International stocks, as measured by the MSCI EAFE, were up 1.94% in February and outperformed large US company stocks by 3.24% for the month, continuing strong relative performance year-to-date. German, United Kingdom, and French stocks led performance while Japan lagged developed international markets. This recent strength of developed [...]

  Market Update and Economic Developments • Markets ended a bumpy month higher, with commodities, bonds and global equities notching gains despite uncertainty in international trade, interest rates, and the future of AI. Freshly inaugurated, President Trump wasted no time rolling out dozens of executive orders and policies to implement his campaign promises, with markets [...]