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Equilibrium Markets in the Time of COVID

Category: Investing
By Guest Blogger
09/09/2021

Over the years, Foster Group has utilized a number of mutual funds and exchange traded funds managed by Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA). DFA was founded in 1981 on the idea of making academic investment research and empirically based portfolio management accessible to investors. In this article, Professor Kenneth French describes how markets responded to the events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

February 22, 2021 Financial Perspectives

Category: Investing
By Kent Kramer
02/22/2021
Every week it seems there is a new story about which investment, which “trade”, is making amazing money. Each new story brings a sense of urgency, act quickly before it’s too late. You can’t afford to miss out on this one. There are at least 3 important risks investors should pay attention to, some are urgent, some are important, some are both, some are neither.

February 8, 2021 Financial Perspectives

Category: Investing
By Kent Kramer
02/08/2021
After 3 weeks of GameStop stories, it seems like the game may be stopping or at least slowing down. The question remaining is who made money and is the market any worse for wear when the dust settles.

Fitch Downgrade – A Closer Look

Category: Investing
By Michael Westphal
08/02/2023

Fitch, downgraded US government debt from its pristine AAA rating to one notch lower at AA+. The Fitch downgrade serves as a reminder of the necessity of diversification, as no investment is entirely risk-free. 

Fitch Downgrade: A Closer Look | Financial Perspectives

Category: Investing
By Matt Moklestad
08/07/2023

Fitch downgraded US government debt from its pristine AAA rating to one notch lower at AA+. While this news may raise some eyebrows, it is essential to keep it in perspective. This week, Matt Moklestad and Michael Westphal have a conversation about its implications and the necessity of diversification.

Is Fear the Only Thing to Fear? | Financial Perspectives

Category: Investing
By Kent Kramer
04/10/2023

Fear can grab us and demand a response, such that fear itself can become the real danger. This week, Kent Kramer explores how fear and bad news can impact investing and some simple steps you could consider to avoid emotional investing.

Is the Stock Market a Glass Half Full?

Category: Investing
By Kent Kramer
02/08/2022

The month of January was marked by negative returns for global stock markets. But, as the well-worn phrase, “Is your glass half full or half empty?” implies, our view of, or the way we feel about the state of markets as investors, may be more related to our personal dispositions than what the numbers indicate.

Is Your Portfolio Tailored to Fit Your Needs, or Just ‘Off-The-Rack’?

Category: Investing
By Kent Kramer
11/18/2019
While the alterations may be small and subtle, they make a big difference when it comes to comfort and fit. Our experience is better. For an investment thought experiment, think of the “off the rack suit” as the broad market; we simply take what we get off the shelf with no alteration. Now think of Foster Group as the tailor and the alterations as portfolio personalizations called factor allocations.

January 11, 2021 Financial Perspectives

Category: Investing
By Kent Kramer
01/11/2021
2020 had some very real rollercoaster moments – the question for markets and the economy is whether there is any reason to think they won’t hold up during and after our latest ride?