Blog
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on August 19th, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
Much speculation in the financial media has been made as to why the Federal Reserve has not yet taken action on increasing interest rates. The Fed has claimed that sluggish commodity prices are a reason for their hesitation. The leading index for aggregate commodity prices, the Bloomberg Commodity Index, has lost -1.6% for the first half of 2015. In fact, it has lost every year from 2011 to now, making commodities the lowest performing major asset class over the last 5 years.
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on August 12th, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
Estate planning is often a source of stress for people as they near retirement. It can be complex and daunting, but having a solid estate plan can make a big difference for your loved ones. Here is the first tip to make the process a little clearer and less intimidating.
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on July 23rd, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
The Chinese stock market has been making a great deal of headlines in recent weeks. Unfortunately, the coverage has been about the turmoil on the exchanges. From June 12th to July 8th, the Chinese stock market dropped about 30%. The market has since rebounded, due to Chinese government action earlier this month. Then, in the last week of July the market in China crashed again. Perhaps a little background on the Chinese stock market will help explain why it has been so erratic.By Kevin Chambers
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on July 22nd, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
The 2008 crisis was one of the worst downturns in American economic history. News reports and financial media reports are teeming with differing opinions regarding how much the American economy has recovered. As the US presidential election heats up, there are sure to be some conflicting views on the strength and outlook for the health of the economy.
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on July 15th, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
A yield curve is a graph that shows the interest rates of bonds that have different maturities. The bonds are all the same credit quality. The curve is used to isolate the effect of the length of payment on interest rates. The most common yield curve commented on by the financial media is the yield curve for US treasuries. The US treasury yield curve is analyzed as a benchmark for interest rates in general. The yield curve shape can also give clues to what investors are expecting in the future.
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on July 8th, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
In our recent paper discussing the asset allocation of Foundations and Endowments [insert link], we pointed out how many of the largest Foundations and Endowments are investment “trend setters.” Many investors follow the moves, strategy, and advice of the financial minds that run these large institutions. This is also true for another pillar of financial institutions: pension funds. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is the largest pension fund in the United States. CalPERS manages over $300 billion and has made some pretty drastic investment decisions in the last 12 months.
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on March 25th, 2015
By Kevin Chambers
Some recent headlines indicate continued problems in Greece, so let’s review the current situation and possible outcomes.
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on September 10th, 2014
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on August 6th, 2014
Submitted by Headwater Investment Consulting on July 2nd, 2014
