By: Matt Garrott The S&P 500 finished November with the largest weekly gain in 6 years.  What does this tell us about the market?  Maybe it tells us that the October sell-off was an overreaction.  More likely it tells us the same thing the October sell-off told us:  No one can predict short-term [...]

By: Matt Garrott Our message to remain true to your financial plan and focus on long-term goals rather than today’s headlines is a familiar one.  Cynics may wonder why our commentary is so plain and treats common sense as not-so-common.  We don’t forecast GDP.  We’re not trading in reaction to Tweets.  You don’t [...]

By: Matt Garrott We are often asked, particularly by prospects, for investment ideas – something outside the box that goes up like a stock and protects on the downside.  All they want is 10% annual returns with no negative years.  No such thing exists or we’d have been trick or treating in St. [...]

By: Matt Garrott The S&P 500 is up 10% year to date.  Does it feel like it?  While the US stock market is having a strong year and the economy flexes its muscles, long-term investors may be feeling left behind.  Why?  Domestic stocks are up double digits, but a portfolio of 60% stocks [...]

By: Matt Garrott The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, recently passed away with an $80 million estate… and no will.  The news follows in the footsteps of other celebrities (Prince comes to mind) who never found the time to complete their financial plan.  Most of our clients aren’t cashing royalty checks, but the [...]

By: Matt Garrott I have a bold prediction to make.  Yes, I know I talk all time about how Fairway isn’t in the prediction business and that basing any long-term financial decision on a forward-looking prediction is a fool’s game, but I’m going to do it anyway: I predict that the 10-year return [...]

By: Matt Garrott It’s July and in Cleveland the sun is finally out.  The summer sun brings with it the potential for sunburn.  Sunscreen is essential to avoid the pain and potential long-term damage from getting burned, but when it works we don’t really notice its positive effect.  Having bonds in a portfolio [...]

  By: Matt Garrott One of my favorite investment reads is The Route to Performance by Oaktree Capital’s Howard Marks.  Marks starts by disputing the argument that more risk means more return, “If you want to be in the top 5% of money managers, you have to be willing to be in the [...]

By: Matt Garrott It’s clear that 2018 will not be a repeat of 2017.  Low volatility, a steady march up and to the right, and a general disregard for headline risk were last year’s calling cards.  2018 seems jittery by comparison, but is actually a more normal market.  Historically, drawdowns have been slower [...]

By: Matt Garrott The stock market fell back to earth at the end of February as CNBC trotted out its ‘Markets in Turmoil’ chyron.  For all its gyrations, as of the end of February the S&P 500 was up about 1% for the year – hardly turmoil territory.  […]