Posts by Katherine Liola

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for February. Both U.S. and international markets dropped sharply at month-end, as the coronavirus continued to spread across the globe. While the declines are worrisome, previous outbreaks, like Zika and SARS, have resulted in similar outcomes. As such, the markets’ response to the coronavirus can…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for January. The year started with a slight setback, with both U.S. and international markets down. Some of this poor performance was driven by fear over the coronavirus. Although the virus is something to watch, it’s not likely to be a long-term risk. Indeed, economic…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for December. It was a great close to 2019, with U.S. markets up more than 20 percent and international markets showing double-digit gains. Job growth was strong, and, for the ninth month in a row, income and spending went up. New home sales were at…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for November. It was another great month for U.S. markets, although international markets didn’t fare as well. Still, the news was positive given the worrying headlines on the Hong Kong riots and the ongoing trade dispute. Here in the U.S., consumer confidence remained at a…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for October. It was a great month, with U.S. markets doing well and international markets doing even better. This positive news was surprising, given the impeachment inquiry, weak job growth, and declining business confidence. Still, major sectors of the economy remain strong. Consumers continue to…