Posts by Ed Raffenetti
The Iran War, Policy Developments and the AI Evolution
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY March 2026 With the recent market volatility and economic uncertainty from the war in Iran and global geopolitical tensions, we first address recent events before providing our March 2026 market commentary. The War: From Initial Shock Toward Defined Objectives Multiple issues have been pressuring U.S. equity and bond markets. However, the Iran…
Read MoreCybersecurity Awareness: Defending Against Deepfake Fraud
“You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it lies another dimension – a dimension of sound, sight, and thought.” For Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone was a world of science fiction, horror, and unsettling “what ifs” and stories that lived outside reality. Today, however, we face a very real challenge: deepfakes. These are computer-generated videos,…
Read MoreFixed Income Update
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY May 2025 May proved to be a strong month for U.S. stocks as the S&P 500 had its best month since 2023, up 6.3%, rebounding from market lows in April in response to U.S. trade policy. Strong corporate earnings data and a solid jobs report supported equities. The month brought some progress…
Read MoreStrengthening Cybersecurity: Best Practices and Emerging Trends
Cybersecurity is a critical issue in the financial industry. As the reliance on the internet for both professional and personal activities has grown, so has the threat from hackers, cyber-criminals, and fraudsters. These malicious actors exploit unpatched software and use social engineering tactics to steal data. With the increase in targeted exploits and attacks, there…
Read MoreCybersecurity Awareness
Cybersecurity remains a hot topic in the financial industry. In the past few years, our professional and personal lives have become more dependent on the internet than ever. Hackers, cyber-criminals, and fraudsters are exploiting unpatched software, or using social engineering to steal your data. With targeted exploits and attacks on the rise, everyone wants to…
Read MoreComments Regarding Silicon Valley Bank and Charles Schwab & Company
Comments Regarding Silicon Valley Bank and Charles Schwab & Company What Has Happened? Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was a “bank of choice” for many venture capital and startup companies to deposit their cash balances. SVB used those deposits to make loans and purchase U.S. Treasurys to earn interest income. As the economic environment has become…
Read MoreA Pause in Disinflation
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY February 2023 After a strong January, both stocks and bonds had negative returns in February. January presented investors hope of easing inflation, but February revealed increasing inflation pressures. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index rose 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively, the most since last June. Overall,…
Read More2022 In Review/2023 Views
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY December 2022 The positive momentum of October and November for stocks and bonds faded in December. Global central banks signaled that they were still committed to aggressively hiking rates. Economic data showed clear signs of slowing growth, and several negative earnings announcements raised concerns of an earnings recession in 2023. In December,…
Read MoreEconomic Reversals – Hints of a Cooling Economy
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY November 2022 Following comments by Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell, stocks and bonds rallied in November. The S&P 500 rose for the second straight month, up 5.6%. Foreign developed equities and emerging markets also rebounded with strong gains of 10.9% and 14.0%, respectively. Emerging markets had their best monthly performance since…
Read MoreFixed Income Yields
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY October 2022 October saw stocks close higher, the first monthly gains since July. The S&P 500 rose 8.1% and foreign developed equities gained 5.5%. However, emerging market equities fell 4.0%, in part, due to the Chinese Communist Party granting President Xi Jinping a third five-year term as president and general secretary. This…
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