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There is rarely any dissension over the assumption that future investment results are shaped by present-day conditions. Underpromising, or assuming future returns will fall below historic averages, may appear unduly pessimistic. Yet, adversity is best confronted when it is expected. With prudent expectations and some guidance, your investment portf...

Jessica Jackley, cofounder of KIVA, the world’s first microfinance website, shares her unique wisdom on financial inclusion and social justice. Jessica highlights stories and lessons from her book, Clay Water Brick: Finding Inspiration from Entrepreneurs Who Do the Most with the Least, as well as experiences from her own life as an entreprene...

A rising generation of clients in their 20s and 30s turned to Jim Steiner, president of Abbot Downing, and asked him to share his insights, both as a parent and a wealth management leader. Through four memorable stories and thoughtful questions, Mr. Steiner reflected on matters of career, philanthropy, family, and leaving a legacy. He beg...

After falling from over $100 a barrel to its low point of $26 in February 2016, prices for crude oil have now risen to about $50 a barrel. While that’s nearly a 100 percent increase, oil is still comparatively cheap. But the current state of crude oil also necessitates a look at other investments that move with the price of oil—directly...

Traditional economic theory teaches that humans will make rational decisions when presented with all the facts and appropriate alternatives. Research shows, however, that in many instances investors make irrational decisions driven by our prehistoric “lizard brain.” These are the reactions developed over many years to promote survival a...

Unlike prior recessions and monetary responses, the attempt at economic recovery following 2008 was decidedly different. Through the Federal Reserve’s zero interest rate policy (and strong guidance that rates would stay low for an extended period of time), the Federal Reserve forced investors out of low risk assets and into risky assets. The ...

The United Kingdom’s “Brexit” vote to leave the European Union (EU) triggered a heightened level of market volatility that had several implications for stocks, bonds, currencies, and commodities. The vote will lead to long-lasting negotiations between the British government and the EU, and periods of geopolitical, economic and glo...

Corporate America is doing it, so why shouldn’t individual and institutional investors do it too? In this case, it refers to creating a so-called “fortress balance sheet” that provides protection and downside risk management by holding excess cash and cash alternatives to retain liquidity. The king of this conjectural fortress is ...

Inflation is almost always a topic of discussion when thinking about and planning for the future. This paper explores the many factors that affect the inflation rate, whether an uptick in inflation is helpful or harmful, and the cyclical forces that could push toward higher inflation. Despite all the theory and prognostication, no one knows exactly...

Once a niche market within the investing environment, the idea of vision investing—the integration of values-alignment, investing with impact, and ESG into an investment process—has gone mainstream. In this special report, learn more about investing with a purpose and the challenges that are emerging as this landscape evolves.