Nasdaq Weekly Guest Spotlight: Sandip Bhagat
Whittier Trust Chief Investment Officer, Sandip Bhagat, was recently featured in the Nasdaq Trade Talks Weekly Guest Spotlight. His professional insights and analysis of the current state of the U.S. Market were provided in an Interview format: Coming into this year, there was speculation of a potential recession. Why do you think the economy has been […]
Market Insights – Third Quarter 2024
The Big Central Bank Dilemma The U.S. economy and capital markets continued to surprise investors through the first half of 2024. The year began with high hopes that the rapid disinflation of 2023 would continue in an orderly and uninterrupted manner. This in turn spurred optimism that the Fed would be able to cut rates […]
Market Insights – Second Quarter 2024
Watch this video of Sandip Bhagat, our Chief Investment Officer, discussing the latest market insights. Relative Value… Opportunities or Mirages? The dramatic melt-up in stock prices during the fourth quarter of 2023 continued into early 2024. Fears of an impending recession continued to recede and economic activity exceeded expectations. Job growth is now down to […]
Market Insights – First Quarter 2024
Watch this video of Sandip Bhagat, our Chief Investment Officer, discussing the latest market insights. Slow… But Steady The last four years have felt like one endless blur of unprecedented events … all unfolding in rapid succession. And 2023 was no different; it was perhaps even more extraordinary than the previous three years. The surprises […]
Market Insights – Fourth Quarter 2023
Rising Interest Rates The speed and magnitude of economic developments in recent years have been nothing short of remarkable. The last four years have felt like one endless sequence of unprecedented events in rapid succession. 2023 has been almost as extraordinary as the previous three years. Much like the spectacular spike in inflation, the pace […]
Market Insights – Third Quarter 2023
De-Dollarization Financial markets defied expectations as fears of a sharp and imminent recession failed to materialize. The S&P 500 index gained 16.9% in the first half of 2023. The Nasdaq 100 index soared 39.4% to lead the stock market rally. And even the lagging Russell 2000 index of small company stocks showed belated signs of […]
Market Insights – Second Quarter 2023
A Bump in the Road? 2023 began on a positive note. Prospects of a resilient economy and moderating inflation raised hopes for a soft landing and propelled stocks higher. Consumer spending was robust and GDP growth seemed to be in line with levels seen in a normal economy. But much like the experience of the […]
Market Insights – First Quarter 2023
Focus on Recession … or Recovery? The market turmoil of 2022 couldn’t have been in sharper contrast to the benign conditions of low inflation, easy money and high growth seen in 2021. Persistently high inflation in recent months has led to tighter monetary policy and slower growth. The Fed has raised rates by more than […]
Market Insights – Fourth Quarter 2022
Foreign Contagion Risks and the Policy Path The U.S. economy continues to show remarkable resilience in the face of stubbornly high inflation and tighter financial conditions. Core inflation, which is more influenced by the sticky components of rents and wages, remains elevated even as headline inflation recedes at a glacial pace. The Fed has already […]
Market Insights – Third Quarter 2022
The End of Easy Money Introduction The market turmoil in 2022 so far is in sharp contrast to the heady mix of stimulative policy and low volatility in 2021. In 2022, persistently high inflation has led to tighter monetary policy and slower growth. The Fed has raised rates from 0 to 2.25%. It is on […]