Alternative Investments

We’ve expected a recession for more than a year now. Simply put…the Era of Easy Everything is Over. Expanding deficits and easy money (that have lifted the economy since COVID) are no longer with us. At the same time, tariff negotiations have created an unbelievable amount of uncertainty.

U.S. defensives and international lead.a

Compare corporate and municipal bonds, including risks, returns, and tax benefits. Learn which bond type fits your investment goals.

In nominal terms, the yellow metal set multiple new all-time highs this week, exceeding $3,300 an ounce for the first time ever on Wednesday. And on an inflation-adjusted basis, gold also notched a new record price, surpassing the longstanding record set in 1980.

Today we are going to look at some of the uncertainties in our world and then explore some ways to gain a little certainty.

The first quarter of 2025 marked a significant departure from the preceding two years, which had been characterized by an improving global economy and correspondingly positive market returns. Market performance in Q1 was dominated by abrupt, short-term policy shifts rather than longer-term economic trends, and tariffs became the foremost concern for market participants.

Retail sales surged as consumers seemingly bought ahead of tariffs while a volatile stock market experienced a sharp mid-week sell-off.

Stock markets have been rattled by trade war tensions and economic uncertainty driven by US tariff policies. Yet history suggests that equities have usually performed well in the aftermath of peak market volatility.

One day doesn’t make a trend, but wary small-caps investors may find some comfort in knowing the Russell 2000 Index jumped 8.50% on Wednesday

Cryptocurrency prices, including bitcoin’s, have been turbulent this year. That’s weighed on shares of miners. Some relief could be in sight.

With Congress out for the next two weeks for Easter recess and a short trading week in New York, it should be a quieter week – though tariff-related news continues to capture headlines.

The month of April will unfortunately go down in financial market folklore as being one of the more noteworthy on record.

In this article, we examine everything from the yield curve to CAPE ratios to gain a sense of where we are, and where we might be headed next.

As homeowner insurance rates rise, advisors share ways individuals can create a financial safety net should catastrophe impact their homes.

While we continue to feel the U.S. has structural investment advantages, we are mindful that the scope of the current administration's policy shifts may present challenges to our sustained economic momentum.

2025 has marked a striking reversal, with European stocks delivering exceptional returns that have handily surpassed US market performance.

Markets have had a wild ride these past couple of weeks, alongside chaotic tariff-related news, with volatility (and its policy triggers) most elevated in the bond market.

Some of the reasons, but not the only ones, why our trade deficits are so large is because government expenditures are too high and/or we are not collecting enough taxes.

Commodity markets face uncertainty from tariffs, global growth risks and geopolitics, but may show resilience. Tight supply and global stimulus support a constructive long-term outlook.

You probably noticed we are having one of those “weeks when decades happen.” Notice also, however, that we are still here. Your investments and businesses may be bruised but you’re still in the game.

Yield spreads are critical to understanding market sentiment and predicting potential stock market downturns. While yield spreads have widened, they remain well below the long-term averages. However, if recession risks increase due to tariffs, sentiment, or illiquidity, those yield spreads will widen further.

Last week’s data can be summarized by a volatile market reacting to tariff news and a backwards-looking inflation reprieve.

After starting the year on a high note with the S&P 500 index of U.S. Large Cap stocks posting an all-time high on February 19th, equities retreated during the second half of the quarter, officially falling into correction territory (down 10 percent) on March 13.

Spending cuts, tariffs and recession risk—Jan van Eck’s latest outlook breaks down what to watch and why he’s focused on gold, bitcoin, semiconductors and India.

Markets responded swiftly to President Trump’s recent announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs, with the S&P 500 falling more than 3% in a single day.

Concerns about a trade war have rattled markets so far in 2025, but we believe fixed income investors need to be patient, stay defensive, and see how things evolve before making any big decisions.

Global equities faced fresh challenges in the first quarter of 2025 amid growing trade-war concerns and developments in artificial intelligence (AI).

With the financial markets still wrestling with the tariff announcements from last week, one thing is still certain: uncertainty remains an integral part of the investment landscape.

Members of Congress from both parties were among the many caught off guard by last week's Rose Garden tariff announcement.

In an era when a select group of tech behemoths has dominated market returns, investors are growing increasingly wary of the concentration risk it poses.

Markets were jolted last week after President Trump announced sweeping tariffs, including steep increases on China, Japan, and the EU, leading to a 10.5% drop in the S&P 500 over two days—an event seen only during major crises in the past 75 years.

With a number of factors at play, the short-term pullback in gold will likely meet resistance to the long-term, unchanged fundamentals,

An enduring image from 2024 will be the capture of the SpaceX booster rocket by the Mechazilla robot arms on its return to Earth.

While there are no absolute winners in a trade war, there may be relative winners in the global stock market for investors to consider.

We’re adjusting our stance in response to rising risk while maintaining a disciplined view on long-term strategy.

While the path may have twists and turns, the destination seems clear; higher U.S. tariffs.

Many of us came into the year with highly concentrated portfolios, which now were faced with changing market conditions.

The international trading system is not perfect, but as we have said so many times, freer trade is better than no trade and tariffs are, typically, the worst solution to trade issues between countries.

Good news: Tariffs will not make the world end. American businesses will do what they do best, which is adapt. While the probability of a recession has increased, we always get through it and the best businesses thrive. Unless directly affected by tariffs, don’t change your personal plans that much.

Global markets are in freefall in response to President Donald Trump’s universal 10% tariff on all goods being imported into the U.S., with as many as 60 countries facing “reciprocal” tariffs on top of that.

The trajectory of small businesses often goes something this: a first-generation entrepreneur starts and grows a company. It could be a software company, but also a plumbing, electrical, or HVAC business.

The incremental tariffs were bolder than market expectations and ushered in new uncertainty.

If tariffs are imposed on gold and silver will their prices rise, fall, or stay the same? We explain facts and myths when it comes to gold prices and tariffs.

The tariff chaos continues … but the economy remains intact. For now.

We examine the April 2 tariff announcement from President Trump, outlining key proposals and the potential implications for trade and market sentiment.