Commentary

September marks the ten-year anniversary of what is now commonly referred to as the “Great Recession.” It is truly hard to believe ten years has passed since the failure of Lehman Brothers and the onset of fall in the financial markets that saw the Dow Jones reach 6,547 – a […]

After experiencing one of the longest periods on record of sustained gains without a pullback, the stock market is (finally) taking a pause. While short-term volatility can cause stress for long-term investors, we believe periods such as these are healthy in the context of a longer bull market. Interestingly, this […]

The post-election rally in the equity markets and subsequent market highs has prompted some clients to ask us, “Why not sell now at the market high, and buy-back after the drop”. The question makes sense after all; as a logical person knows: what goes up, must come down. But this […]

In the first few weeks of the new administration there has been much discussion around financial de-regulation and a return to the principles of Reagan-era unrestricted free-market policy or “Reaganomics”. Of particular focus is repealing or easing many of the laws enacted after the 2008 financial crisis, laws intended to […]

Last evening our nation cast their votes to elect the 45th President of the United States. We can all now breathe a sigh of relief that this long election cycle is behind us. In our October 5th commentary titled “The Election”, we touched on the initial knee-jerk reaction that often […]

With just over one month to go until the presidential election, the political rhetoric continues to provide a dramatic backdrop to the investing and economic environment. At Greenwood Gearhart, we have received calls from clients and friends of all political persuasions asking: “What in the world are we going to […]

INVESTMENT, RISK, AND MYTHS OF ASSET ALLOCATION. One of the most thought-provoking topics we discuss with clients is that of asset allocation. These discussions are prompted as much by our views on the topic (which contrast with conventional wisdom) as they are by the challenges of the current investment environment. […]

The record poor performance of the first two weeks of 2016 has prompted many clients to ask “what’s going on?” Concerns about China, oil, geopolitical tensions, the Fed, and corporate earnings have prompted the latest round of angst and fear amongst some market participants. It’s understandable; after all, it has […]

In our previous commentary we assessed the 2015 economy in the context of both long-term positive underpinnings and short-term challenges. Since then, we have traveled to Florida, Washington, London, Paris, and Munich attending conferences focusing on monetary policy and the consumer industry. Attending these conferences, we believe, provides our firm […]

March of 2015 marks the sixth year of the most hated bull market in American history. Our nation’s media, as well as the fear-mongering market-timers who sold at inopportune 2009 levels, have chosen to repetitively focus on the negatives, even amongst increasingly positive developments. Although the crisis of 2008-2009 left […]