David Cohen

Despite a banking crisis that occupied the attention of the financial world in April, the broad securities markets turned in a ho-hum performance during the month. The Core Large Cap Equity category delivered a 0.9% return, driven by strong returns in dividend-paying equities. Meanwhile, the Core Fixed Income category generated a 0.6% return in April.

The broad securities markets enjoyed a strong March, with equity and fixed income markets alike delivering healthy returns. The Core Large Cap Equity category delivered a 7.3% return for the month, powered by a rebound in beaten-down large-cap technology stocks. Meanwhile, the Core Fixed Income category generated a 2.6% return in March, benefitting from reduced inflation expectations and declining interest rates.

After a strong rally in January, both equity and fixed income markets took it on the chin in February. The Core Large Cap Equity category returned -4.0% as the Federal Reserve’s monetary tightening policy drove concerns about a potential economic slowdown. On the fixed income side, ongoing inflation concerns pushed interest rates higher, dragging the Core Fixed Income category to a -2.8% return.

In the wake of a challenging year, markets provided a respite for income investors in January. The Core Large Cap Equity category delivered a 9.2% rally, powered by a rebound in beaten-down technology stocks. On the fixed income side, signs of moderating inflation pushed down interest rates, driving the Core Fixed Income category to a 3.3% return.

Capping a brutal year for income investors, both the equity and fixed-income markets lost ground in December. The Core Large Cap Equity category returned -7.8% while the Core Fixed Income category delivered a -0.8% return. Concerns about inflation and the impact of the Federal Reserve’s tightening policy on future economic growth continued to serve as headwinds for both equities and bonds.

Financial markets rallied across the board in November, with the Core Equity Large Cap Equity category returning 5.5% for the second month in a row. Unlike in October, fixed-income markets joined the rally, with the Core Fixed Income category rebounding 3.7%

After a tumultuous September, the equity markets rebounded in October, with the Core Large Cap Equity category delivering a healthy 5.5% return. Rising interest rates continued to push bond prices down, however, and the Core Fixed Income category lost 1.2%.

Markets picked up in September where they left off in August, with rising interest rates wreaking havoc on stocks and bonds alike. For the month, the Core Large Cap Equity category returned -10.1% while the Core Fixed Income category lost 4.2%.

Markets enjoyed a strong start to August, continuing a rally that saw rising asset values across the board in July. Alas, the second half of the month proved more challenging for investors, with prices of stocks and bonds suffering steep declines. For the month, the Core Large Cap Equity category re-turned -4.7% while the Core Fixed Income Category came in at -2.9%.

Markets shook off the 2022 doldrums in July, with every income-oriented asset category tracked by HANDLS In-dexes gaining positive returns. MLPs rebounded from a dismal June to return 12.7% for the month of July, bring-ing year-to-date return to 23.5%. With the Utilities category gaining 5.4% in July to bring its year-to-date returns to 5.0%, MLPs and Utilities are the only categories to have earned positive year-to-date returns through July.