Tag Archives: Leslie Calhoun

Optivest – 3Q2017 Economic Update

U.S. & World Economy by Mark:

Economy: The Trump “sugar rush” is over, yet we have landed on an economic sweet spot for inflation (approximately 2%). This combined with modest worldwide GDP growth, near full employment, and cautious hope on tax reform has lead global financial markets (both stocks and bonds) to end the first 6 months of 2017 with near YTD highs. Surprisingly, we’re also in a climate of lower volatility than one would have expected – the lowest in 50+ years according to Wall Street Journal – given the drama highlighted by the “news” and the media. However, first half of the year bets on higher inflation and domestic company growth have gone unrewarded as commodities (led by oil), managed futures, and small cap stocks have all underperformed this year so far.

By year-end we suspect that this current economic balancing act will have selected a specific direction: either there will be a belief that pro U.S. business policies will start (and work) and inflation/higher interest rates will resume; or hopes will peter out and our flattening yield curve (combined with high valuations) will lead to the next downturn in the economy and financial markets. We are not willing to make that “all or nothing” market call and thus we remain well balanced and positioned to accept either outcome. Continue reading →

Optivest 2Q2017 Economic Update


U.S. & World Economy by Mark:

While the upticks in both U.S. sentiment and the stock market are in part a reflection of the optimism over President Trump’s pro-growth plans, there is more to the story. The other main contributor is the collective recognition that we finally have a moderately growing global economy with few weak spots. The U.S. was the cause of the global financial crisis of 2008, the first to bottom and the longest to recover. The rest of the world’s GDP expansion has been years shorter and is still catching up to our higher valuations. Secondly, after five quarters of Wall Street corporate profits dropping (the last quarter was 3Q2016), the first and second quarters of 2017 look positive with a deliberate buildup of inventories on optimism. However, that is largely behind us now as the financial markets often project six months or more in advance. The failure to address Obamacare – even with a Republican majority – makes the rest of Trump’s business-friendly agenda much less certain leaving global growth as the remaining reason for bullish optimism. We expect the markets’ sentiments have shifted from “tell me” to “show me” which will cause the financial markets to back and fill until the second half of 2017 becomes clearer.   Continue reading →

Second Quarter Economic Update

2016 Economic Update

Financial Markets Review by Mark:

First Quarter 2016 Review –
What a wild first quarter! After the stock and corporate bond markets had one of the steepest sell-offs during the first 7 weeks of the year (and the S&P 500 was down over 10%), the markets rebounded to end the quarter virtually unchanged for the year. As frustrating and scary as this was, Optivest clients were aided by our defensive start, purchases on dips and continued advances on our REIT holdings, which collectively resulted in one of our best quarters ever.

U.S. Economy –
The year started off with one of the biggest “false alarm” market scares in years. Worries increased about global slowing/recession, deflation, Chinese devaluation, falling profits, excessive emerging market debt and corporate defaults due to cheap oil. The usual “safe haven” investments – gold, U.S. Treasuries and Swiss Franc – rallied, gaining momentum born from fear. Finally, oil appeared to bounce at about $28/barrel enticing “bottom fishers” who first gave the equity and commodity markets a push, then a retest of the bottom, followed by a 7 week rally ending right back where they started the year. “Safe haven” price gains have held while all of the worries remain, indicating future volatility.
Continue reading →