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.”
Independence Day may evoke visions of fireworks and parades or perhaps memories of the 1996 summer blockbuster movie where aliens hovered over The White House. While no actual fireworks or aliens were involved, this past Tuesday was probably the most pressing “Independence Day” for our country’s central bank as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s political independence was put to the test.
As February draws to a close, so does our first quarter outlook season. We enjoy hitting the road and sharing our 2025 Investment Outlook with clients and colleagues, and are grateful for the chance to come together and look forward to what's ahead.
While market volatility has been highly-elevated in recent weeks with the almost daily change in the proposed tariff landscape, in this quarter’s investment strategy video we endeavor to provide a measured perspective on what lies ahead and how navigate the psychology of investing.
Equity markets surged on Monday only to come under pressure to close the week at a 1.5% loss. Absent a rally greater than 4% on Monday, this will be the first quarter since the summer of 2023 when investors have lost money in domestic stocks.
After last November's presidential election, it was widely understood that tariffs would be on the agenda for 2025. Early this year, however, markets largely shrugged off these concerns, viewing tariff threats primarily as a negotiating tactic rather than a serious economic risk.
This week, Portland residents braved the cold to venture outside and watch snow blanket the city. In contrast, January's inflation data was seemingly the opposite, rising higher month-over-month and year-over-year. While the snowfall might have been a pleasant surprise for some Oregonians, this inflation data was anything but for most investors and consumers.
The 2024 U.S. presidential election of Donald Trump has sparked optimism in the financial markets and corporate sentiment. While some of this enthusiasm may be attributed to the end of a tumultuous election, the positive market reactions in the immediate aftermath—including rising stock prices, declining bond yields and a strengthening dollar—suggest that domestic and international investors are responding favorably to Trump's proposed policies.
It’s been just over a month since the U.S. presidential election, and financial markets continue to be influenced by anticipation for the incoming administration in Washington D.C.
While standing in line at a local grocery store this week, waiting to purchase food for yesterday’s Thanksgiving meal, it was interesting to hear other shoppers mention the cost of their groceries to the store’s clerks.
As I was getting my blood drawn yesterday, the phlebotomist learned that I worked in finance and asked my opinion on the economy. Focused on the sting from the needle, I quickly replied that things look fine and that we’re not expecting a recession in the near term.
In a typical week, a .25 point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve would likely be the top economic story in the United States. This was not a typical week.
In October 2022, the S&P 500 hit a low of 3,577, which was 25% lower than at the start of the year. The Federal Reserve had just started an aggressive interest rate hiking cycle and 100% of Wall Street economists were calling for a recession by 2023. We believed otherwise.
As the calendar turned to the final quarter of 2024, there was plenty of economic and geopolitical news for investors to digest.
We present the fourth quarter 2024 Market Letter publication titled, “Awaiting the Score,” in which Chief Investment Officer George Hosfield, CFA, outlines the positive impact of receding inflation, renewed profit growth and the Fed’s monetary policy on investors. Krystal Daibes Higgins, CFA, discusses the skepticism and evolving debate around the ROI of artificial intelligence (AI). Lastly, Brad Houle, CFA, asks the question, “How Far, How Fast?” when it comes to the Fed’s rate cuts.
On Wednesday, the last significant economic data release occurred before the Federal Open Markets Commitee (FOMC) meeting next week. Overall, inflation appears to be tamed with the August Consumer Price Index (CPI) falling to a 2.5% growth rate compared to a year earlier, hitting a new three-year low.
In what is commonly known as their dual mandate, the Federal Reserve is charged by Congress to effectively promote both maximum employment and stable prices in the U.S. economy.
Last week, over 28 million unique viewers tuned into the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad opening ceremony in Paris, France, double the combined state populations of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The ceremony set the stage for the coming weeks of competition and allowed viewers to catch their first glimpses of the best athletes in the world. This week, investors were focused on a different stage: the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) press conference, which offered insight into the Fed’s future perspectives on inflation and employment.
Since the release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on July 11, the stock market has experienced a noticeable shift in leadership as the inflation rate continues to move toward the Fed’s target of 2%. Investors have been moving away from technology stocks, which have been the darlings of the market this year, towards small-cap and value stocks.
Next month will mark the one-year anniversary of the Federal Reserve’s last interest rate increase. For the last year, there has been much handwringing in the media about a pending recession.
Nvidia has become a daily fixture in tech news, but amid the constant buzz is a remarkable phenomenon with its unprecedented revenue and earnings growth.
