Posts by jmgfinancial
Market Rotation?
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY February 2025 After posting strong returns in January, U.S. stock indexes fell back in February. Investors worried about lower economic growth potentially coming from tariffs, inflation, and rising geopolitical tensions. However, foreign developed and emerging market equities and U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs) had positive returns for the month. Uncertain U.S.…
Read MoreTariffs
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY January 2025 Equities opened the year higher as market optimism carried into 2025. For context, the S&P 500 just finished the best two-year performance period since 1997-1998 with a total return of greater than 25% for each of the last two years. While positive investor sentiment continues, another strong year for the…
Read More2024 in Review
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY December 2024 Stocks trended lower in December as the S&P 500 retreated from all-time highs. Investor optimism declined following the Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) December meeting. As expected, Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced a cut in the fed funds interest rate by 0.25%. However, Powell’s commentary on future rate cuts had a more tempered tone. The Fed…
Read MoreJMG Announces Support for Wellness House
We hope this message finds you and your families safe and healthy as we wrap up another eventful year and look ahead to what’s next. Since 2020, our firm has committed to making a meaningful donation to a charitable organization based on employee recommendations. Each employee has the opportunity to suggest a charity that holds…
Read MorePost-U.S. Elections Takeaways and Implications
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY November 2024 The S&P 500 had its best month of the year, rising 5.9%. The gains reflected investor optimism that a second Trump administration will favor businesses, but with the hope that the President-elect will take a more moderate stance on trade tariffs. All eleven market sectors ended November higher, led by…
Read MoreWhy Did 10-Year Treasury Yields Increase After the Initial Fed Interest Rate Cut?
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY October 2024 Equities began October on an upswing due to a better than expected September jobs report. Based on economic data early in the month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 hit record highs. However, investors began moving away from risk equities as disappointing earnings data from big tech…
Read MoreJMG Announces New Principal
We are pleased to announce that Eric Berkowitz has been promoted to Principal at JMG Financial Group. Eric has been instrumental to the recent growth of the firm. “I have benefitted greatly by the supportive culture of our firm that prioritizes giving back to our clients while also investing in career growth. Doing right by all…
Read MoreAfter the Fed Rate Cut: Soft vs. Hard Landing
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY September 2024 Both stocks and bonds generally had strong performance in September, in part driven by monetary and other stimulus in the U.S. and China. Going forward the balance of risks has shifted from inflation to whether the economy can achieve a soft landing as the world navigates increased geopolitical uncertainty. The stock…
Read MoreRates are Falling: Should you consider Bonds over Cash?
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY August 2024 The S&P 500 closed August near an all-time high and recovered from a sell-off early in the month. For the month, the S&P 500 rose 2.4%. Market volatility increased at the beginning of August. Many markets experienced a broad “risk off” trade leading to declines in U.S. and Japanese equities.…
Read MoreAsset Allocation – Positioning for Rate Cuts
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY July 2024 At the beginning of August, global equity markets experienced a broad “risk off” decline. The ten-year Treasury yield fell to 3.78%. Japanese equites were down about twice as much as other developed markets as the Bank of Japan announced rate hikes. In our opinion, what is driving the sell-off is…
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