Being a Counterintuitive Investor – Do Stock Markets Follow GDP?
Category: Investing
It turns out GDP growth rates and stock market performance are not highly correlated in the way we would expect.
Beyond Traditional Investments
Category: Investing
Are alternative investments right for you? Matt Moklestad shares some things to consider when looking into this asset class.
Beyond Traditional Investments Video
Category: Investing
Are alternative investments right for you? Matt Moklestad shares some things to consider when looking into this asset class.
Breaking Down the Banking Headlines: Part One | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
With the banking industry and markets continuing to be leading topics in the news, many investors are asking, “What is going on? Is this something to be worried about? Should I be taking action?” In this special edition of Financial Perspectives, Matt Abels and Michael Westphal provide context and insights to those questions. Tune in next week for part two, where we’ll be joined by Jim Plagge, President and CEO of Bank Iowa.
Breaking Down the Banking Headlines: Part Two | Financial Perspectives
Category: Investing
With the banking industry and markets continuing to be leading topics in the news, many investors are asking, “What is going on? Is this something to be worried about? Should I be taking action?” In this special edition of Financial Perspectives, Matt Abels and Jim Plagge, President & CEO of Bank Iowa, provide context and insights to those questions.
Can Your Lifeboat Stay Afloat
Category: Investing
Celebrating Saying Goodbye Day
In our family, we have a tradition in which, the night before our kids’ birthdays, we pause for a moment to recap the last year by reminiscing about their successes and failures. It dawned on me that these are the same feelings investors experience and learn from on their financial journeys.
Changing with My Aging
At age 30, I have time to recover from an extended market correction. But, what about when I approach retirement? How might my plan and asset allocation need to change?
Chart of the Month – December 2023
Category: Investing
This year, we have seen a runup in several large names, mostly in the technology space. They have been dubbed the “Magnificent Seven” by financial news publications. Why might this matter to an investor?
Chart of the Month – Feb 2022
Category: Investing
Market declines are never enjoyable in the moment. But these kinds of intra-year pull backs are normal when looking at market history.
Chart of the Month – Feb 2023
Category: Investing
Recently, a client asked me about sectors. What are they? And how do they fit into a portfolio?
Chart of the Month – February 2024
Category: Investing
Chart of the Month – Jan 2023
Category: Investing
It's natural to sit down at the end of the year and reflect on what happened. Here is a short recap of what happened in the markets and the world in 2022.
Chart of the Month – January 2024
Category: Investing
Chart of the Month – July 2022
Category: Investing
Sooner or later, we're likely going to see demand cool off. The big question is how quickly inflation alters consumer spending and how quickly that pulls back inflation.
Chart of the Month – July 2023
Category: Investing
The latest consumer price index report has brought some positive news regarding inflation in the United States. Several factors played a role in the moderation of inflation.
Chart of the Month – June 2022
Category: Investing
There are nearly two job openings for every unemployed worker with labor statistics showing 11.4 million job openings compared to 5.9 unemployed workers as of April 30, 2022. This mismatch between jobs and workers means that workers have options, including leverage to ask for more pay.
Chart of the Month – June 2023
Category: Investing
This year’s stock market narrative is a tale of two markets. On one side, a handful of prominent technology companies is flourishing while on the other side, everything else is struggling to keep up. Here we will assess the data.
Chart of the Month – Mar 2022
Category: Investing
Are you feeling the pain at the pump? What is driving oil prices higher?
Chart of the Month – Mar 2023
Category: Investing
Is there conclusive evidence that one sector is better than another when it comes to returns?