Insights

As the Fed maintains its stance on higher interest rates, the short end of the fixed income yield curve has adjusted to reflect this likelihood.  After a prolonged period of bond yields hovering between zero and one percent, we now have the opportunity to invest in high-quality bonds with short maturities that yield above five percent. 

Despite the ongoing global challenges, the stock market has shown impressive resilience in 2023. The S&P 500 Index has returned over 14% year-to-date, and the MSCI's All Country Worldwide Ex-U.S. Index is up by more than 8%.

Not done yet. That was the message Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivered at the June 14th Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Despite opting to pause on increasing rates for the first time in fifteen months, Powell indicated that more increases are likely in the future.

Investing in your 20s is an excellent way to prepare for a secure financial future. You’ll also have the benefit of time to diversify your investments, which can help you manage risk. Investing in your 20s also gives you the opportunity to save for short-term and long-term goals, like buying a home or saving for retirement.

We are pleased to announce the return of our summer hours! Howland Capital will close at 1:00 pm on Fridays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This effort is to promote a healthy work/life balance for our hardworking team.

Trusts can be a great planning tool for all sorts of circumstances, particularly now with the ability to create very flexible trusts. With tax season upon us, it seems like an appropriate time to describe the tax implications of one type of irrevocable trust called a grantor trust, sometimes referred to as an intentionally defective grantor trust (IDGT).

With the rapid increase in short-term interest rates, we are finding better opportunities to earn income from the fixed income component of portfolios. In fact, the yield on short maturity bonds currently exceeds that on intermediate and long maturity bonds. This phenomenon exists because the yield curve is inverted, as investors predict short rates will fall in the coming years as the Fed eventually shifts from a tightening to an easing policy.

It was a tumultuous quarter for global equity markets, punctuated by elevated inflation, an increasingly high stakes war in Ukraine, and the sudden and shocking threat of a good, old fashioned banking crisis. And to think, we still have three quarters of the year left!