Rockport Newsletters

The 3rd quarter marched on in continuation of the rally that started March 23rd. For the quarter, the S&P 500 index was up about 8%, even after the month of September that saw a decline of approximately 4%.

Where to start! At the end of Q1 the mood was pretty much as dim as it could be, and the markets had just finished off one of the worst quarters in history.

The world of financial planning and investments can be confusing…especially in times like these. Folks wonder where to go to get reliable help and advice.

Markets were in good shape until late February when fears over the Coronavirus spread and the economic impact it may have kicked in

The Federal Reserve had raised interest rates several times during the year and in December not only raised interest rates but also forecast 2-3 interest rate increases for 2019.

For the 3rd quarter the S & P 500 index was up 1.2% and is up 19% for the year!

The S & P 500 ended the quarter up 18.5% year to date. This has been the best first half of the year in terms of investment returns in over 20 years.

The Federal Reserve in January announced that further interest rate increases were not likely.

The trade war with China has gone from a “deal will get done mentality” to a much more unpredictable situation which will take more time to resolve.