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Soft Landing? Hard Landing? What Landing?
Soft Landing? Hard Landing? What Landing? “Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or anticipating corrections, than has been lost in the corrections themselves.” – Peter...
Read MoreWould You Rather?
My kids often play the game, ‘would you rather’ where they will pose interesting (and often challenging!) questions around preferences of one thing versus another. Quandaries like, ‘would you rather be able to see 10...
Read MoreIs Stock Investing Akin to Gambling?
When being interviewed for my latest book The Compound Code: An Expert Guide to Trading Stocks & Options, I was asked a question I get posed frequently: is stock investing a form of gambling? To be...
Read MoreTrade In Your Crystal Ball for a Time Machine
Turn the dial back just a few months to the week before Christmas 2022 and you will be reminded of all the red ink flowing from the markets. At the time, given the usual rear view mirror commentating and prognosticating, most financial pun
Read MoreHow Not to Be Wrong
In the great work, How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg, the author gives countless examples of how statistics – either presented with sincerity or intentional spin – can cause the reader to draw mater
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My Name is Bond, Good Bond
when interest rates were sub-1% in the US (and in many European countries, actually negative), bonds were in a massive bubble for several years – akin to the internet bubble for stocks in the late 1990s and early 2000s. As with all bubbles
Read MoreThe Real Lessons from the Silicon Valley Bank Failure
Every few years there is a high-profile business implosion, from Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) in the 1990s to Lehman in the 2000s to the most recent demise of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB Financial Group, SIVB). Behind each of these blo
Read MoreYou Gotta Be There
“Company Up 62% in a Few Weeks!” “Stock Rips Over 90% Higher from Its Recent Lows!” If you saw headlines like these, you would think you were reading about some penny or meme stock. ...
Read MoreThe Importance of Portfolio Construction – On Building an Investment Program That Can Survive The Wo
Here is the lesson from this and other similar periods in history: spend less time trying to predict the unpredictable (short-term stock price swings, macro-economic events like unemployment figures and their short-term impact on stock pric
Read MoreFocusing On What Matters, What You Can Control
So, if you should not be in the prediction business - nor make important money decisions based on TV commentators who know nothing about your particular situation - then what should you focus on in the year ahead? The answer: things over wh
Read MoreThe Cost of Staying on the Sidelines
In the October edition of the Coastwise newsletter, we discussed the potentially large costs of trying to time the market – of being on the sidelines when inevitable material market rallies occur. Case in point, since the market lows in Oct
Read MoreThe Cost of Opportunity
As humans we tend to way underestimate the opportunity costs associated with taking various actions. We are keen to calculate the benefit of doing something, but often fail to accurately reflect what the true cost is for having taken that a
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Volatility Reigns; Inflation Remains Unchecked.
Stocks were mixed last week amid wide intra- and inter-day price swings, as technology shares bore the brunt of the downdraft.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.15% for the week. Meanwhile, the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Boost Early in Week Keeps Markets Ahead
A powerful two-day stock rebound cemented a positive week for investors as a new trading month began.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.99%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 1.51%. The Nasdaq Composite index increased 0...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: U.S. and U.K. See Financial Turbulence
Rising recession fears and uncertainty in the bond and currency markets sent stocks to new 2022 lows last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 2.92%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slumped 2.91%. The Nasdaq Composite...
Read MoreI Had a Dream
In honor of “Throwback Thursday” I am revisiting an article we published on 01/22/19, as the market plunged into the abyss the prior month based on perceived Fed policy mistakes at the time. I believe the content is...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Fallout From Powell Comments Continues
Last week, Fed Chair Powell said the U.S. would not tame inflation without economic pain. This week heightened recession fears and sent stocks broadly lower.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 4.00%, while the Standard &...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: White Hot Inflation Report Alarms Investors
A hotter-than-expected inflation report sent stocks sharply lower last week as investors faced the prospect of more aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve for perhaps a longer period.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Markets Upbeat, Despite Gloomy Inflation Talk
In a holiday-shortened week of trading, stocks posted healthy gains despite more tough talk on monetary policy from Fed officials.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.66%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 3.65%. The...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Markets Sag, Job Numbers Soar
The overhang of Fed Chair Powell’s Jackson Hole speech the previous week carried over into last week as investors recalibrated stock valuations amid a seemingly more assertive monetary policy stance.The Dow Jones Industrial...
Read MoreGetting the Most Out of your Financial Advisor
When people think of a Financial Advisor they often fixate on short term portfolio performance. But is this the sole purpose a well trained Advisor can serve? Or even the most important? To be sure, just as a great personal trainer can add
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Powell comments spur sell-off on Wall Street
A comprehensive sell-off on Friday following comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell drove stocks to losses for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 4.22%, while the Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 4.04%. The Nasdaq Composite...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Markets Tap Brakes, But Hold Fast Against Downbeat News
Stocks tumbled on Friday, sending stocks to a weekly loss after an otherwise quiet August week of trading.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped -0.16%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.21%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Have Warmer Week as Inflation Cools
An improving inflation outlook buoyed investors’ spirits last week, helping lift stocks to solid gains.The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2.92%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 3.26%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Mixed Week For Markets; Jobs On The Rise
Stocks turned in a mixed performance last week as investors struggled with headlines suggesting that the Fed was unlikely to soon ease up on its current monetary tightening policy.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.13%, while...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Markets Rally; Earnings Better Than Expected
Undaunted by another Fed rate hike and news of a contracting economy, the stock market rallied last week on better-than-expected corporate earnings.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 2.97%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...
Read MoreOn The Importance of Dividends
Having some exposure to growth stocks is certainly viable if you have a long enough time horizon to withstand the inevitable material ups and downs along the way. But maintaining a core holding of dividend paying stocks is prudent for a var
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Markets React to Dim Forecast, 2Q Reports
Stocks rallied last week as investor spirits lifted thanks to a better-than-expected start to the second-quarter earnings season.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.95%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 2.55%. The...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Friday Rally Stems Week of Losses
A record-high inflation report, the prospects of a more aggressive Fed, and growing recession fears sent stocks lower– though losses were pared by a Friday rally.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.16%, while the Standard...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Rally Despite Mixed Data
In a holiday-shortened trading week, stocks rallied despite mixed economic data and vacillating energy prices and bond yields.The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.77%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 1.94%. The...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Stocks Rally, Despite Recession Concerns
Prospects of cooling inflation powered a rally in stock prices last week despite growing recession concerns.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 5.39%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 climbed 6.45%. The Nasdaq Composite index...
Read MoreWeekly Market Insights: Fed Rate Hike Triggers Market Dip
Stocks moved lower last week as recession fears deepened following a Fed hike in interest rates and weak economic data.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4.79%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 dropped 5.79%. The Nasdaq...
Read MoreOn The Importance of Strength and Adaptability in Investing
So where does the idea of being adaptable apply to one’s investing approach? As with most things in life, it all starts between the ears. Regardless of intelligence levels, behavioral patterns tend to be repeated over and over. In effect, m
Read MoreThe Sun Will Come Out: What a Market Recovery Will Look Like
Half the years in which a bear market occurred, the market actually finished up on the year. For example, in 1987, the market finished the year up 2% after being down 34% intra year. In 2009, the market closed up 23% after being down 28%
Read MoreBond. Carnage Bond.
Less than 2 short years ago when US interest rates were hitting historical lows, and there was talk that a key interest rate benchmark might actually go negative, I warned that in the coming years, losses in bonds from the then inflated
Read MoreJim Cramer Is Not Your Financial Advisor.
Jim Cramer. Smart guy. Successful money manager. Great TV personality. Not your Financial Advisor. He says it himself in so many words at the beginning of each show when he declares that he is there to entertain and to teach.
Read MoreHow To Survive A Bear Attack
My 11-year-old daughter, who is quite industrious and forward thinking, announced recently her intention to cultivate a set of friends for camping who are not particularly speedy. “When a bear attacks, I don’t need to be as quick as the bea
Read More2021 recap: Lessons (Re) Learned
Each year the stock market brings new events, challenges, and opportunities, but the underlying themes and fundamentals are often very similar to lessons past. As the saying goes, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Here are s
Read MoreWhat The Fed!
Day after day for weeks, months, financial analysts and pundits debated mightily what the Fed would say about tapering and interest rates at its most recent meeting. It was as though the fate of our economy, if not all humanity, hung in the
Read MoreCW Newsletter October, 2021
Bring Out Your Dead: The Shock of Anticipated Events There is a great scene in the classic movie Monty Python and The Holy Grail where 2 castle guards are standing casually in front of an entrance. The camera pans to what appears to be...
Read MoreCW Newsletter September, 2021
The Stock Market is Rigged – In Your Favor You will often hear investors refer to the stock market being “rigged” as a basis for not investing in equities. They are suggesting that stocks are somehow manipulated or...
Read MoreIt’s Not Right! It’s Not Fair!!!
I hear this phrase regularly from my kids when they are explaining how inequitable it is that one of them gets something and another doesn’t or some similar grievance. You also hear a similar refrain when it comes to the current...
Read MoreCW Newsletter July, 2021
Inputs, Outputs, and Results A few years ago, I attempted to swim the English Channel. Having just completed an Ironman triathlon, I was at one of my leanest points, my weight hovering around 165 lbs. I was also seeking an athletic...
Read MoreCW Newsletter June, 2021
“When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. Because of all the things in the world, you are only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chances of finding...
Read MoreOne Question Every Financial Advisor Should Ask
At Coastwise, if we could ask a new client only one question, it would be: “What is your time horizon?” Put another way: “When do you need the money back?” With this information, we can determine the risk, asset...
Read MoreThe Anatomy of Investor Gray Matter
I was warming up in the gym the other day on a spin bike and a TV show about doctors (Grey’s Anatomy) came on. I didn’t have the volume up so I could not hear what they were saying, but as soon as the scene shifted to an...
Read MoreHappy 1 Year Birthday Market Melt Down
“The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the crowd or against the crowd.”– Warren Buffett A year ago this...
Read MoreThe Call Is Coming From Inside The House – Assessing Real Risk
I recently had a COVID test with my two young kids. They had a lot of fear and anxiety going into the test, visualizing a swab protruding into their brains for minutes on end. Of course, the test turned out to be a nothing burger, and...
Read MoreCoastwise Welcomes Patrick Fischer
LA Jolla, CA (December 10, 2020) Coastwise Capital Group, LLC is pleased to announce Mr. Patrick Fischer will be joining our team as a Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager. Coastwise is proud to add a team member with such an...
Read MoreHow Not To Be Wrong (As Often)
A couple years ago I read a great book, How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking. The basic theme of the work is that humans tend to either intentionally, or subconsciously, interpret numbers and facts in ways that lead...
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