Insights
Investment Markets
Market commentary, periodic reviews and Perspective Moments, plus the investing principles behind MCF portfolios.
Investment Markets
August 2026 Market Commentary
Markets mostly advanced in August as strong corporate earnings, continued artificial-intelligence investment, and resilient business activity outweighed softer labor and consumer data. The S&P 500 gained 2.7%, International Developed equities gained 2.5%, and Emerging Market…
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Investment Markets
July 2026 Monthly Market Commentary
Markets finished July with mixed results as strong corporate earnings and continued investment in artificial intelligence were offset by slower economic growth, renewed energy-price pressure, and a more divided Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 was approximately flat for the month…
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Investment Markets
2026 Mid-Year Review & Outlook
The first half of 2026 was a good reminder that successful investing requires distinguishing between sensational headlines and the long-term forces that drive portfolio returns. At the beginning of the year, investors questioned whether the U.S. economy could avoid recession…
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Investment Markets
Geopolitical Update: United States, Israel, and Iran
Tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran have escalated following coordinated U.S.–Israel military strikes on Iranian strategic infrastructure, military compounds, and political leaders. While the situation remains fluid, the primary market implications center on…
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Investment Markets
Scanning the Horizon – Capital Markets
I am not surprised with the three-year 80%+ gain of the US equity market (SP 500)! Corporate profits and labor productivity gains were fairly well forecasted in our outlook from early June of 2022: we stated that inflation was transitory rather than structural (CPI hit a 9%…
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Investment Markets
MCF Perspective Moment: Tariffs & Market Volatility
In case anyone hasn’t noticed, tariffs are back in the news and so far, wreaked havoc on capital markets. If the first Trump term took a chisel to trade policy in 2018, primarily on China, then the second term has picked up the sledgehammer. Mexico, Canada, China, and Europe…
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