As one of the oldest and best-known indexes the DJIA is not only a benchmark for the world’s largest stock market but, also, a barometer of global confidence. This chart details the DJIA’s performance since 1896. It’s interesting to note how the highs and lows have reflected the U.S. economy. Greater still is [...]
We recently completed and are happy to share with you Apollo's 2017 Mid-Year Investment Outlook. It incorporates q1 activity with projections for future economic, tax and political events. It is meant to be a general guideline - not specific advice/recommendations. Specifics (cash flow, tax, estate, etc) dictate how this information may be incorporated into one's [...]
In 1573 English farmer and poet Thomas Tusser gave rise to the now popular phrase “a fool and his money are soon parted” with this verse from Five Hundreth Pointes of Good Husbandrie: A foole & his money, be soone at debate: which after with sorrow, repents him to late. What makes us foolish with [...]
Leading up to the November elections nervous investors uttered variants of, “Everyone is saying the markets are gonna fall if Trump is elected.” Apollo’s view was usually a variant of, “Really? Who is this ‘everyone’ and why should we listen to them?” In hindsight the ‘Trump Bump’ has returned 11.6% to the S&P 500 companies [...]
Yesterday JPMorgan Chase & Co announced it sent some wealth management customers letters notifying them that they will be moved to the firm’s self-directed platform ahead of a pending Labor Department retirement regulation. Following their product-pushing brethren (banks, brokerage firms and insurance companies) it’s the latest move that puts themselves ahead of their customers. For [...]
Why limit poor investment decisions to the religious when the political need to do something stupid with their money? For the umpteenth time... 1) values are great 2) investing is for earning and protecting profits 3) #1 and #2 are mutually exclusive 4) re-read item #3
Back in November we wrote about the spin coming from Wall St ahead of the Dept of Labor's Fiduciary Rule. We were skeptical of the Wall St sales machine's intentions. It seems we were right to do so. In response to the Fiduciary Rule's delay and expectation it will be gutted (or completely killed) Merrill [...]
This so called “new religion” is nothing but a pack of weird rituals and chants designed to take away the money of fools. Now let us say the Lord's Prayer 40 times – but first let's pass the collection plate! We can always count on [...]
According to a recent study by caring.com just 40% of U.S. adults have a will (including only 36% of U.S. adults who have children under the age of 18). What’s more only 53% of U.S. adults have a healthcare power of attorney (“POA”). What’s the big deal? Without a will or similar trust agreement decisions [...]
How did the DJIA perform in 2016? What were the drivers? How does that compare over the trailing 10 years? Let's have a look...