ESG factors play an increasing part in the investment selection and management process at companies like PFA and across the industry. Investors ultimately aspire to confront Environmental, Social and Governance issues in three ways: Focusing more investment on companies that lead the way on ESG issues; Withholding investment in companies operating in ways contrary to […]
Summary Market Review We bid a fond farewell to 2020 with hopes that 2021 might be a ‘quieter’ year. January, however, had other designs. During the first week of the month, protesters stormed the United States Capitol, leading to violence, the disruption of the presidential election certification, and several deaths. Nevertheless, the inauguration of Joe […]
The huge economic slowdown in 2020 has created planning situations unlike we’ve ever dealt with. The stimulus payments from the CARES Act, paid out in the spring of 2020, were actually advance tax credits on your 2020 return. Obviously, in the spring of 2020, no one had filed their 2020 tax returns. The IRS calculated […]
Last week, Congress approved about $1.9 Trillion dollars in additional fiscal stimulus funding, meant to provide greater distribution of COVID vaccines and testing, to increase the amount of unemployment assistance is available to workers, and to put money directly into the pockets of U.S. consumers. Much of the run-up in stock prices since the 2020 […]
Looking at markets and the economy today, it’s remarkable how different things feel than they did one year ago. Hope surrounding widespread distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and piles of fiscal and monetary stimulus have many economists projecting some of the most significant growth in 2021 that we’ve seen in decades. By contrast, the spring of […]
Executive Summary Market Review 2020 was a year of tremendous change and disruption. The year started with a SARS-like virus, first detected while spreading in China, being diagnosed in the US in January. February saw rapid movement in the virus taking hold, and featured political intrigue, with the impeachment of President Trump. Into March, the […]
“Play craps.” That was the advice from my friend Lou. I’d just confessed to him my level of anxiety of being in the casino and not really knowing what I was doing at the tables. I knew the basics of Blackjack but I was no expert. I’d heard of newbies like me being chastised for […]
For at least six years now, Craig and I have been alternating the responsibility of writing up our “year in review.” Somehow, I drew the short straw, and got stuck with 2020. Just my luck. I get to review the year that everyone’s trying to blot from their memory. Sure, it started nicely enough. Winter […]
If you’re not familiar with the term ‘FinTech’, you probably will be at some point soon. Financial technology (that’s what FinTech means) has progressed massively since the year 2000, and will likely continue to grow exponentially in capability and scope. Online banking, digital transactions, robo-advisors and cryptocurrencies are all significant new contributors to the FinTech […]
