10 Mar

Volatility Returns

Posted by hancockp Categories: Markets Bear Markets Volatility Stocks Bonds coronavirus Alternatives Hedge Alternative

March 7, 2020Printer-Friendly VersionVolatility has returned to global financial markets. As seen in figure 1 below, the Volatility Index (“VIX”) has spiked to the highest level since 2015. However, looking further back, the VIX is nowhere near the Great Recession of 2008-2009. History proves that volatility in financial markets is nothing new. However, since early 2009, the US markets have enjoyed a low period of volatility.Coming into 2020, the US Stock market was naturally elevated after a decade long decline in the VIX (figure 2). Price to Earnings (P/E) ratios were also elevated (figure 3). As seen in this chart, in the past high levels of P…

Read More
14 Jan

The Grand Monetary Experiment

Posted by hancockp Categories: Markets Federal Reserve Monetary Policy 2015 Outlook 2014 Review Stocks Bonds Alternatives Stock Market Currencies Economy

January 14, 2015Printer-Friendly Version“And so the miracle of the debt supercylce meets a logical end when yields, asset prices and in the increasing amount of credit place an unreasonable burden on the balancing scale of risk and return. Too little return for too much risk” – Bill Gross, January 2015Markets By The Numbers – 2014 In ReviewStocksGlobal stocks ended the year up 4.2%. There was quite a dispersion between U.S. stocks and international stocks as international developed and emerging market stocks recorded losses for the year. Continued concerns regarding slowing growth and a risk of deflation in the Euro-zone impacted international developed stocks. Slowing…

Read More