August 2025
July 2025: Capital Markets Commentary
Investment Insights
July 14, 2025
Q2 2025 Quarterly Perspectives
» Tariffs Define the Quarter
» Market Performance Snapshot
» Signs of Economic Stability Emerge
» Tensions Erupt in the Middle East
» Big Beautiful Bill
» Looking Forward
June 16, 2025
May 2025: Capital Markets Commentary
» Trade Tariffs
» Markets
» Moody’s Downgrade U.S. Debt
» Corporate Earnings
» Inflation & The Fed
May 13, 2025
April 2025: Capital Markets Commentary
» Tariffs Trigger a Market Selloff » How Will Tariffs Impact the Economy? » Inflation & The Fed
May 8, 2025
Navigating the Trump Tariff Tornado:
Three Ways Meeder Private Wealth Turns Market Disruption into Opportunity
March 10, 2025
February 2025: Capital Markets Commentary
» Trade Tariffs Take Center Stage » Market Performance Recap » Cracks In the Foundation? » Key Differences: Late 2021 and Today » Looking Forward
February 14, 2025
January 2025: Capital Markets Commentary
» Tariffs Ignite Inflation & Growth Concerns » Consumer Sentiment Declines » Labor Markets Remain Solid » The Fed Pauses » January Barometer » China Disrupts Competition in A.I. Race
December 17, 2024
November 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» Market Rally Continues » Federal Reserve and Economic Outlook » Manufacturing and Services: Divergent Trends » Inflation and Housing Market: Mixed Signals » Consumer Sentiment Moves Higher » Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Risks
November 12, 2024
October 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» 2024 Election Update » Labor Markets » Market Performance Review » Inflation Moderates » Slower GDP Growth » ISM Levels Diverge
September 16, 2024
August 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» Market Performance » Inflation and the Fed » Labor Market Cooling » Yield Curve and Interest Rates » Housing » Institute of Supply Management » Looking Forward
August 12, 2024
July 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» Economy Slowing » Labor Market Update » The Federal Reserve
June 17, 2024
May 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» Mixed Signals » Inflation » The Federal Reserve » U.S. Economy » Labor Markets » Looking Forward
May 14, 2024
April 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» The Federal Reserve » U.S. Economy » Market Performance » Labor Markets
March 14, 2024
February 2024: Capital Markets Commentary
» U.S. Markets » International » The Federal Reserve » Inflation » Labor Market » Business Activity
December 14, 2023
November 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» Market Update » Interest Rates Falling » Labor Markets Softening » Economic Growth Surprises
November 14, 2023
October 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» Market Update » The Fed Pauses » Signs of Softening » Another Regional Bank Failure
September 15, 2023
August 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» Market Update » U.S. Economic Update » Fed Meeting in Jackson Hole » Impact of Rising Rates » New Asset Requirements for Banks
August 15, 2023
July 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» U.S. Loses AAA+ Credit Rating » Federal Reserve Raises Rates » U.S. Economy Still Strong » Inflation Eases as Consumer Debt Increases
July 12, 2023
Fed Rate Cuts May Not Be So Bullish For Stocks
» With the U.S. inflation rate now below the Federal Funds rate, the Fed’s tightening cycle may come to an end this year. » Investors expect rate cuts before the end of the year, while the Fed anticipates no cuts until 2024. » Many investors believe the stock market will perform well after the Fed starts cutting interest rates. History tells us this is not necessarily true. Since 1970, more than half of the Fed’s first cuts were followed by declines of more than -20% by the S&P 500 Index. » Soft landings are easier said than done. Historically during recessions, the Fed underestimates the increase in unemployment by 2.5%.
June 13, 2023
May 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» Narrow Leadership in Large-Caps » Performance Disparities » Fed vs. Market Expectations
May 10, 2023
April 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» Fed Update » First Fed Cut Historically Precedes Equity Weakness » U.S. Economy Slowing » Labor Markets
March 10, 2023
February 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» Inflation Remains High » All Eyes on the Fed » U.S. Labor Market Still Strong
February 16, 2023
January 2023: Capital Markets Commentary
» U.S. Equity Breadth Strengthens » Fed Closer to Containing Inflation » U.S. Labor Markets Remain Tight
January 13, 2023
Q4 2022 Quarterly Commentary: President’s Perspective
It is safe to say that investors are happy to see 2022 in the history books after experiencing one of the most challenging years of investing in recent memory. Much of the uncertainty and volatility occurred from inflation levels not seen in 40 years and the Federal Reserve’s unprecedented increase in interest rates to combat the high inflation. Investors with stock market exposure to the S&P 500 index experienced a decline of -18%, the worst-performing year since the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. On the other end of the risk spectrum, fixed-income investments typically achieve positive returns when stocks experience downturns. Although it is common for the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond index to have intra-year declines in negative territory, there have only been five years where the index has produced a negative total return since 1976. This year the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index total return fell more than -13%, making it the worst-performing year for the index. The next worst-performing year occurred in 1994 when the index fell nearly -3%.
December 14, 2022
Capital Markets Commentary
» Fed Language Softens » Impact of Inflation » Employment Remains Strong
November 15, 2022
Capital Markets Commentary
» Equity Markets Post Strong Performance » Fed Continues to Hike » U.S. Economy Showing Mixed Signals
October 26, 2022
3Q22: Private Wealth Commentary
Each of the past quarters we’ve been highlighting one of the key attributes of Meeder Private Wealth SMAs. This quarter we want to focus on the importance of utilizing a solution that is actively managing for taxes. For many investors, last year was a great year regarding market returns. However, there was a surprise when they received their tax bills. In fact, the amount of non-payroll taxes paid last year was twice the amount paid in 2021 and the highest amount in decades.
October 13, 2022
Q3 2022 Quarterly Commentary: President’s Perspective
The S&P 500 Index reentered bear market territory after reaching a low of nearly -25% from its high set in January. The widely followed index has fallen -23.9% year-to-date. The prices of U.S. growth stocks have been hit hard as investor demand plummeted, as buyers now focus on value stocks given the rising interest rate environment. Bond investors were still not able to avoid volatility either. The Bloomberg Aggregate Index is now down -14.6% for 2022. This is the worst year combined on record for the S&P 500 and the Bloomberg Aggregate Index, as both posted negative returns after three quarters this year.
September 16, 2022
August 2022: Capital Markets Commentary
In this Capital Markets Commentary we will review topics such as inflation, the Federal Reserve, and U.S. manufacturing.
August 22, 2022
Monthly Commentary: July 2022
July provided investors some relief, as performance was very positive during the month for domestic equity markets. The S&P 500’s monthly return of more than 9% shaved off nearly half of its 2022 bear market decline. The same was true for the Russell Midcap and Russell 2000 Indexes, rising more than 9% and 10% respectively. All the S&P sectors climbed higher in July, with technology stocks leading the rebound.
August 4, 2022
Capital Markets Update: Q2 2022
It was a challenging quarter for investors. High inflation, slowing growth and rising global interest rates negatively impacted global equity and fixed income markets. The equity market officially fell into bear market territory (down more than 20%) and “low risk” bond markets registered losses.
July 25, 2022
Fixed Income Commentary
The second quarter of 2022 was the second worst performing quarter in the history of the Bloomberg Aggregate Index. Learn more about how we are navigating our fixed income portfolios during this volatile time as the Fed continues to raise rates and the U.S. economy nears a potential recession.
July 14, 2022
Q2 2022 Quarterly Commentary: President’s Perspective
The S&P 500 Index officially reached bear market territory after finishing the second quarter down more than -20% from its all-time high set on January 3rd. It was the worst first-half performance for the S&P 500 since 1970. Bonds, represented by the Bloomberg Aggregate Index could not escape the carnage either as they also finished June down more than -10% YTD.
June 7, 2022
Monthly Commentary: Early June 2022
This month the S&P 500 Index reached a drawdown of more than -19% from its all-time high reached back in December, as fears over the Fed’s ability to contain inflation remain widespread. At the end of May, the total return of the S&P 500 Index had fallen more than -12.7% year-to-date. Bond investors, which are usually sheltered from this type of volatility, also experienced negative returns as rising interest rates caused bond prices to fall. The widely held Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index was down -8.9% year-to-date.
May 18, 2022
Monthly Commentary: Early May 2022
Performance of the S&P 500 Index struggled in April and declined over -8%, bringing the total year-to-date decline to almost -13%. Concerns about rising inflation contributed to the selling of stocks, as those with higher multiples were especially hit hard. Investors rapidly sold their positions in these companies in favor of those with more solid fundamentals given the uncertain economic outlook.
April 12, 2022
Private Wealth Capital Markets Update: Quarter One 2022
It was a difficult quarter for investors as equity and fixed income allocations experienced negative returns. In our quarterly review, we discuss inflation, the recent yield curve inversion and likelihood of a recession.
March 1, 2022
Private Wealth Commentary: The Impact of Geopolitical Events on Capital Markets
We have received many questions on the current market and how to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While the Russian invasion is top of mind for investors, these geopolitical events have proven to be short-lived and unpredictable. In a review of previous market shocks, we see that the market has largely shrugged off the geopolitical events.
February 25, 2022
Gauging the Impact of Geopolitical Events on the Capital Markets
We have received many questions on the current market and how to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While the Russian invasion is top of mind for investors, these geopolitical events have proven to be short lived and unpredictable. The longer term implications are difficult to quantify with any degree of certainty. Our team seeks to sift through the noise and focus on what matters, which can be challenging when markets experience high volatility.
February 15, 2022
Capital Markets Update: Russia invades Ukraine
Russian soldiers invaded Ukraine, attempting to overtake the country by air, land, and sea in an unprovoked attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia could not feel “safe, develop and exist” due to, what he called, threats from Ukraine. The countries of NATO viewed this aggression as senseless and unacceptable, causing them to rally around the Ukrainian people. Several countries are also providing military equipment and humanitarian aid to help Ukrainians defend themselves.
January 25, 2022
Capital Markets Commentary: January 2022
The S&P 500 Index posted a total return of +28.7% in 2021 but pulled back -5.1% in the first month of 2022.The bond market, as represented by the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index suffered a decline of -1.5% in January. U.S. small-cap stocks were the worst performers of the domestically, falling more than -9.6%. Investors that shifted their allocation toward value stocks weathered the market’s downturn far better than those that remained in growth stocks. The energy sector continued to be the best performing sector by far, rising 18.8%. Oil was a main driver of the energy sector’s out-performance, as WTI rose more than 14% in January alone.
Search
Filters
