Market Trends & Outlook

The Bear Market Is Over. Or, Is It Just Hibernating?

The bear market is over. While that statement fills the mainstream media, it remains a hotly debated question in every media forum. It is an interesting point considering that it was just in June we were answering the question of “when will this bear market end?”

A Playbook for Investing in Structurally Higher Inflation

Consumers have already begun making decisions based on higher prices. There will be big winners and losers which makes stock picking a very important portfolio position for the next 12-24 months. Not every company is well suited for the environment we are in, and the most relevant brands will be taking market share. That’s where our team is focused from a stock selection perspective.

Paul Volker And 1982. Why Now Isn’t Then.

Jerome Powell isn’t Paul Volker, and this isn’t 1982. As of late, market analysts are stumbling all over themselves, trying to outdo each other on the “why this time is different” related to the Federal Reserve’s ongoing inflation fight. One of the more interesting comparisons came from the always uber-bullish Tom Lee of FundStrat.

Paul Volker And 1982. Why Now Isn’t Then.

Jerome Powell isn’t Paul Volker, and this isn’t 1982. As of late, market analysts are stumbling all over themselves, trying to outdo each other on the “why this time is different” related to the Federal Reserve’s ongoing inflation fight. One of the more interesting comparisons came from the always uber-bullish Tom Lee of FundStrat.

Long Term Returns Are Unsustainable

Long-term returns are unsustainable. I realize that is a bold statement that flies in the face of mainstream analysis. How often have you seen the following chart presented by an advisor suggesting if you had invested 120 years ago, you would have obtained a 10% annualized return?

Long Term Returns Are Unsustainable

Long-term returns are unsustainable. I realize that is a bold statement that flies in the face of mainstream analysis. How often have you seen the following chart presented by an advisor suggesting if you had invested 120 years ago, you would have obtained a 10% annualized return?

July Market Recap from HANDLS Indexes: A Ray of Sunshine in a Bleak Year

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.

Jim Cramer Says Fed Pivot Means Buy Stocks?

Of course, such sentiment is not surprising given that over the last decade, investors have repeatedly been beaten into submission to buy stocks when the Federal Reserve is easing monetary policy. Such was a point we discussed in “Pavlov’s Dogs & The Ringing Of The Bell:”

Newsletter

Don't miss

The Fed’s Dilemma: Why Rate Cuts Could Trigger a “Crack-Up Boom”

The crack-up boom happens when everyone tries to get out of a losing currency and into “hard assets” like gold, real estate, and other real things.

Rate Cut Hype Fuels Growth: August 2025 HANDLS Monthly Report

Suffice to say, all of this reinforces a timeless investing principle: diversification pays off over the long haul.

How Leading Consumer Brands Have Emerged Stronger Since 2019

The last five years have been among the most intense stress tests in modern business history.

The Market’s “Lost” Moment: How Many Seasons Can This Rally Run?

For months, investors have been scaling what feels like an endless wall of worry. Each concern that gets resolved seems to spawn new uncertainties, yet the market has continued its relentless climb higher.

Can Markets Keep Their Cool? July 2025 HANDLS Monthly Report

Politics Trumps the Numbers, Can Markets Keep Their Cool?