If you don’t like volatility – in politics, the economy, or life in general – 2020 is not the year for you. Surprisingly, though, recent volatility in the stock market has been decreasing. Volatility is generally measured by the VIX index, which uses real-time S&P 500 index bid/ask quotes. As you might imagine, the VIX...Read More

We’re halfway through another week of lockdowns and quarantines, and it seems some portion of the population is entertaining themselves by buying stocks.  The optimism in the stock market over the last three weeks leaves many of us scratching our heads.  No matter the news (today we learned that the U.S. economy shrank by an annualized 4.8%...Read More

This week we crossed the line from simple stock market selloff to complete financial market panic. Stocks kept dropping with even the usual bargain hunters staying away. The rush for cash started, which means even U.S. Treasury bonds were being sold. Surprising? Yes. Alarming? No. This initial stage of panic will pass. U.S. Treasuries remain the safest investment option...Read More

Despite what seem to be ever-increasing risks in the global economy, the stock market continues to push skyward.  While this may be a sign of economic resilience, it is just as likely to be a sign of people trying to get on board the gains train.  Even those who find the stock market risky, after...Read More