Market Update

The S&P 500 is having its worst start to a year since 1939.  Almost all major sectors are sitting on year-to-date losses.  Fixed income, the traditional ballast of a diversified portfolio, is also off to a historically rough start for the year, the worst since 1842.  Treasuries, corporate bonds, and municipals have all declined this year.  Holding cash carries its own risk with inflation sitting at multi-decade highs. 

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Employment Update

Market Minute

May 2022 – Scott Rosenquist, CFA®

The latest employment data release showed continued strength in the U.S. labor market. The number of jobs added in the month of April was 428,000, higher than expectations of 400,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%, just above the pre-pandemic level of 3.5%.  The gains were broad-based led by leisure and hospitality (+78k) where employment there remains down 1.4 million from pre-pandemic levels. What does this mean for monetary policy?

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