George Hosfield, CFA, discusses Ferguson Wellman's quarterly strategy titled, "Inflation's Flame Flickers," which addresses the narrow market leadership, the impact of higher interest rates on inflation and how assets are priced at this stage of the economic cycle.
George Hosfield, CFA, discusses the firm's quarterly strategy titled "Stalemate," which highlights the Fed's ongoing battle to tame inflation along with our views on the health of the banking industry and capital market expectations for the balance of the year.
Director and Chief Investment Officer George Hosfield, CFA, discusses the Fed raising interest rates, peaking inflation and our view on equities and volatility across all asset classes in our Investment Strategy titled, “Balancing Act.”
In this quarter’s Wealth Management Insights video, "Practical Estate Planning for Real Families," Samantha Pahlow, CTFA, AWMA®, explains that estate planning doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective and can evolve over time to help protect your family, preserve your intentions and reduce potential conflicts.
In 2026, we expect investment in artificial intelligence (AI) in the U.S. to nearly double. This will bring AI infrastructure spending to roughly $760 billion, with spending expected to exceed $1.0 trillion next year, eclipsing the total budget for the Defense Department.
Private credit has become one of the fastest growing segments of global capital markets. Once viewed as a niche alternative investment strategy, it has evolved into a significant source of financing for small and middle market companies.
After spending the last 36 years in Pioneer Tower, this week, we moved into our new Portland office location just two blocks away in Fox Tower. This comes with significantly different views, and while the view out our window has changed, the economic landscape and investing environment we work in took scant notice of our change of address.
Bond markets have sold off sharply in recent weeks as investors react to rising oil prices, renewed inflation concerns and growing global fiscal pressures. The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield recently moved above 5.1%, reaching levels not seen in more than two decades and reigniting concerns about the impact of higher rates on both stocks and bonds.
For many families, 529 plans have had a simple role: saving for college in a tax-advantaged account. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed on July 4, 2025, expands that role at the federal level by broadening how 529 assets may be used for K-12 education and certain post-secondary credentialing programs.
Jason Norris, CFA, was interviewed on Boise Public Radio about the U.S. economy and recent market activity.
Over the last seven weeks, the historic upward trajectory of semiconductor stock prices has given some investors flashbacks to the “bubble peak” of 2000. While these comparisons make dramatic news headlines, they largely neglect the backdrop that fueled the events of nearly 30 years ago.
The numbers coming out of the first quarter earnings season were, by any historical standard, staggering. Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta, the four largest cloud and technology platforms, accounted for $650 to $700 billion in capital expenditures (capex) for 2026. That is nearly double what the same group spent in 2025, and larger than the GDP of most countries. The AI infrastructure buildout is no longer a promise; it is a fact inscribed in balance sheets.
In this quarter’s Wealth Management Insights video, "Impediments and Benefits of a Current Estate Plan," Mary Lago, CFP®, CTFA, explains that although people often delay estate planning due to common psychological and practical barriers, creating a thoughtful, up-to-date plan provides significant benefits.
The 152nd Kentucky Derby is being run this Saturday, and earnings reports are coming in like Secretariat in 1973. Roughly 60% of the S&P 500 companies have reported to date and results so far have been strong.
In this quarter’s investment strategy video, "Assessing the Shocks," George Hosfield, CFA, explores how the market has developed in 2026 due to factors such as interest rates and inflation.
Aside from the three-week extension of a brittle ceasefire in the Middle East, the news this week was focused on SpaceX’s pre-IPO filings, Kevin Warsh’s Congressional testimony, and blowout earnings among semiconductor companies.
Fifty years is a long time for a company to stay in business. For those in the technology industry, it’s an eternity. Entire categories have been born, scaled, and rendered obsolete in less than a decade.
The 2026 Washington State Legislative Session was quite active for a short 60-day session. Despite the short session, multiple changes were made regarding the Business & Occupation tax, Sales tax, Estate tax, and Capital Gains tax.
As expected, the March inflation report came in hot. Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.9% month over month and 3.3% year over year - the largest monthly move in nearly four years.
While headlines remain dominated by geopolitical developments and ongoing conflict abroad, a steady stream of economic data continues to provide valuable insight into the U.S. economy’s underlying health.
Opening a Washington office had long been a goal for Ferguson Wellman. In 2021, as businesses globally grappled with remote work transitions, we established our first office in the state.
