In
March, the Federal Reserve decided to reign in its plan for raising rates this
year, reducing the expected number of rate increases from four to two.
The
Federal Open Market Committee came away from its most recent meeting projecting
an interest rate hike of .50 percent, down from the original projection of 1
percent. According to the article’s author, the Fed is waiting for tighter
credit spreads and higher inflation expectations before making additional increases.
In
the short term, we believe this news could be good for the bond market, permitting
income investors an attractive entry point to invest at potentially higher
yields. In the domestic credit market, longer maturities in investment-grade
corporate bonds offer attractive spreads, supported by both corporate
fundamentals and the Fed policy.
Despite
the fact that manufacturing in the U.S. has experienced a downward slide in
employment numbers, it produces approximately 65 percent of S&P 500
earnings. There are signs that U.S. manufacturing output is growing thanks to
domestic demand, touting 3.3 percent growth over the past year. It is our
belief that further growth, low unemployment and inflation near the 2 percent
target could prove to be a catalyst for the Federal Reserve to move interest
rates higher.
For
more information on how the latest market trends may impact your retirement
income strategy, feel free to give us a call.
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “Looking
for yield in all the right places: A post-FOMC playbook” from Columbia
Threadneedle, March 21, 2016.]
[CLICK HERE to read the article, “Rumors
of the industrial sector’s demise are greatly exaggerated” from Columbia
Threadneedle, March 28, 2016.]
We
believe markets like certainty, but that’s something we lack in abundance
thanks to this topsy-turvy election year. Oil prices continue to fall, and the
only certainty is that they can’t keep falling forever.
In
the fixed income market, many portfolio managers are recommending that
investors resist chasing yield, diversify their holdings and seek out solid,
risk-adjusted returns. According to the
article, “5 Rules for Avoiding Bond Portfolio Purgatory”, “Consistency
of results is far more important than absolute returns in any given year.”
View
the provided link to read the article, “5 Rules for Avoiding Bond Portfolio
Purgatory” from Forbes, March 23, 2016: http://www.forbes.com/sites/investor/2016/03/23/5-rules-for-avoiding-bond-portfolio-purgatory/#1d9a5fe97029
We are an independent firm
helping individuals create retirement strategies using a variety of insurance
and investment products to custom suit their needs and objectives.
This material has been prepared for our firm and contains general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies that may help you work towards your financial goals. Please understand that I cannot make any promises or guarantees that you will accomplish such goals. All investments are subject to risk including the complete loss of principal.
This material has been prepared for our firm and contains general information to help you understand basic financial planning strategies that may help you work towards your financial goals. Please understand that I cannot make any promises or guarantees that you will accomplish such goals. All investments are subject to risk including the complete loss of principal.
Throughout,
we may generally discuss different financial vehicles; however, nothing contained
herein should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any financial
vehicle, nor should it be used to make decisions about your investments.
The information contained in
this material has been obtained from third party sources believed to be
reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed; it is not
intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions.
If you are unable to access any of the news articles and sources through the links provided in this text, please contact us to request a copy of the desired reference.
If you are unable to access any of the news articles and sources through the links provided in this text, please contact us to request a copy of the desired reference.
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