Market Thoughts for October 2019

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Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for September. It was a pretty good month, with U.S., international, and emerging markets all up. These results were surprising given the month’s events, including a drone strike on a Saudi oil complex and the impeachment inquiry of President Trump. Still, the fundamentals remained solid.…

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Market Thoughts for September 2019

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Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for August. It was a tough month for markets, with fixed income the only bright spot. There was a lot of volatility, with markets down between 4 percent and 6 percent on three occasions. What drove the declines? Politics. The U.S.-China trade war heated up,…

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Market Thoughts for August 2019

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Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for July. It was a mixed month. U.S. markets rose and fixed income went up, but emerging markets pulled back. In the U.S., second-quarter growth beat expectations, buoyed by the consumer. People were willing and able to spend, a trend that is likely to continue.…

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Daily Practice

Several weeks ago, eight adolescents ranging in age from 12-14 tied as champions for the National Spelling Bee. An incredible feat! I have always been someone thankful for (and dependent on) spell check. I still remember when I was in fourth grade losing in one of the early spelling bee rounds when I was given…

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Market Thoughts for July 2019

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Commonwealth CIO Brad McMillan provides his 2019 midyear market outlook. Growth has been solid this year. Consumers remain confident, and business continues to hire and invest. Indeed, markets have responded to these positive conditions, as they are once again close to new highs. If the economy continues to grow and the fundamentals remain solid, which…

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