Markets
Back in our February blog post we commented on the stock market plunge after a surge in January, and here we are again. Unfortunately, the back-and-forth market swings and uncertainty are a new normal. For all the market growth that we saw, 2017 was actually an unusual year. On only 8 days in 2017 did the market see more than a 1% change, up or down, and whatever happened in political or international news did not seem to bother the market.
In 2018 the market has seen many more ups and downs, reacting to any and all happenings here in the U.S. and around the world: the trade wars, border walls, Trump’s tweets, Fed interest rate hikes, you name it. This year, the market has seen more than 60 days of a more than 1% change, positive or negative. This week alone, the Dow Jones saw its best single-day gain of over 1000 points, just days after the market's worst-performing Christmas Eve in history. There’s a lot of “noise” out there right now as to why we are seeing so much instability, and the implications it has for market activity in the near future.
Our best advice to clients right now: sit tight. Our investment philosophy has you well-diversified and your plans are tailored to your time horizons and comfort with market risk. We will weather the storm! The market saw over 25% growth in 2017, and while we don’t think 2019 will be nearly as spectacular, when all is said and done this year has only taken a small bite out of the stellar returns from last year.
Please reach out to Debbie if you have any questions regarding your investments, need for short-term cash, or asset allocation, and we will make sure you have peace of mind through this roller coaster ride.
Congratulations Irina, CFP®!
It’s easy to get bogged down in the doom and gloom of politics and markets, but we have some exciting news to share.
Our team member Irina Gabidullina is now officially a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™!
After years of experience in the field and months of studying, Irina passed the rigorous CFP® Board exam last month. We are thrilled to now have two CFP® professionals here at Gallant Financial Planning, and we are excited to enhance our robust services to our clients. Irina uses her experience and education (including a master’s degree in International Economics, and the Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor designation) to develop and monitor our client investment portfolios.