Posts by Steve Lennart
JMG Announces New Principal
We are pleased to announce that Eric Berkowitz has been promoted to Principal at JMG Financial Group. Eric has been instrumental to the recent growth of the firm. “I have benefitted greatly by the supportive culture of our firm that prioritizes giving back to our clients while also investing in career growth. Doing right by all…
Read MoreAfter the Fed Rate Cut: Soft vs. Hard Landing
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY September 2024 Both stocks and bonds generally had strong performance in September, in part driven by monetary and other stimulus in the U.S. and China. Going forward the balance of risks has shifted from inflation to whether the economy can achieve a soft landing as the world navigates increased geopolitical uncertainty. The stock…
Read MoreRates are Falling: Should you consider Bonds over Cash?
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY August 2024 The S&P 500 closed August near an all-time high and recovered from a sell-off early in the month. For the month, the S&P 500 rose 2.4%. Market volatility increased at the beginning of August. Many markets experienced a broad “risk off” trade leading to declines in U.S. and Japanese equities.…
Read MoreAsset Allocation – Positioning for Rate Cuts
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY July 2024 At the beginning of August, global equity markets experienced a broad “risk off” decline. The ten-year Treasury yield fell to 3.78%. Japanese equites were down about twice as much as other developed markets as the Bank of Japan announced rate hikes. In our opinion, what is driving the sell-off is…
Read MoreJMG Financial Group named as one of the Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors in 2024
JMG Financial Group has once again been named as one of the Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors! Go to the InvestmentNews article here. The Best Places to Work for Financial Advisors is an annual award presented by InvestmentNews. InvestmentNews and JMG Financial Group are wholly unaffiliated. Full disclosure information concerning the award can…
Read MoreLeadership Changes
Yonhee Choi Gordon is retiring from JMG Financial Group after an illustrious 38-year career at the firm, during which she began as an entry-level assistant in 1986. Her career has been unique by several standards, evidenced by her being one of the first Korean-American women to rise to the C-suite in the RIA industry. As…
Read MoreMid-Year Commentary
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY June 2024 The S&P 500 had another strong month in June, led again by the artificial intelligence-linked (AI) stocks, while the broader equity and bond markets experienced mixed results. The strong AI earnings came from Oracle and Broadcom along with news Apple was integrating AI technology into future iPhones. Tech stocks pushed…
Read MoreWhy Did Stocks Pull Back in April?
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY April 2024 Stocks ended April lower as benchmark indices endured their first downturn in several months. Throughout April, investors had to factor in the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) apparent intent to hold interest rates at a two-decade high, the track of inflation, and geopolitical risks from the escalating wars in the Middle East…
Read MoreEarnings Growth Is Broadening Outside the Magnificent Seven
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY March 2024 In March, the equity rally continued, aided by familiar factors such as solid economic growth, generally as-expected inflation data, AI enthusiasm and bullish Federal Reserve (Fed) guidance. Broadly speaking, economic and inflation data, while slowing, met investor expectations of stable growth and easing inflation. In mid-March, updated Fed interest rate…
Read MoreInvestments in U.S. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMMENTARY February 2024 Stocks ended February on a high note with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 notching all-time highs. Technology companies, particularly those linked to artificial intelligence (AI), helped drive stocks. Inflation data released at the end of the month was in line with expectations, which also supported stocks. February’s gains marked…
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