WrapManager's Wealth Management Blog

Wentworth Hauser’s latest investment commentary reviews the recent tax legislation, the modestly growing economy, sub-par employment rate, housing market recovery and China. "As we enter 2013, the United States is faced with both short- and long-term challenges. Over the short term the U.S. must address the revenue shortfall and spending excesses that result in budget deficits. The employment problem of the past five years is due to below average GDP growth of the current economic recovery. The second challenge is long-term reform to the nation’s entitlement programs of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and some fifty other welfare benefits." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Wentworth, Hauser & Violich [+] Read More

Astor Asset Management’s January 2013 investment commentary reviews 2012, looks towards 2013 and provides commentary for their portfolio strategies. "After a turbulent December due to Fiscal Cliff concerns, we have started the year on a much better note. With a deal being reached at the 11th hour, equity markets shot higher to start the year and have slowly crept higher while chopping around in a tight channel. The bond, currency, and commodity markets have seen a lot of action so far this year with rates initially spiking in the first week of the year and tapering off recently." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Astor Asset Management [+] Read More

Nuveen’s latest commentary focuses on the three major issues facing congress at the moment: Raising the debt ceiling, funding the U.S. government and surviving sequester. "Last week U.S. equity averages were up roughly half of one percent. The most significant economic statistic was the trade deficit - which widened substantially compared to expectations - taking close to half of one percent off of GDP for the fourth quarter. We assume some of that will be offset in December." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Nuveen Asset Management [+] Read More

Niemann Capital Management’s latest commentary reviews the dangers of something many investors unfortunately do all too often: chasing past performance. "No matter how often we money managers tell investors that short-term performance does not guarantee similar results in the future or complete a full market cycle, investors still can’t help themselves from getting distracted by alluring short-term performance. It’s like seeing a really attractive person walk by and suddenly forgetting that your significant other has been there for you time and time again. The diversion from the big picture is known as Shiny Object Syndrome, or SOS." Click here to read the full article. Get Free Research Reports about Niemann Capital Management [+] Read More

Federated Investors’ November commentary gives their take on recent and upcoming events in the market and economy, as well as a recap of the Strategic Value Dividend portfolio’s performance. "Through the month of November, the Strategic Value Dividend portfolio proceeded on its way to achieving its objectives of providing a high-level of current income, long-term capital appreciation driven by dividend growth and lower downside risk. The portfolio finished with a gross dividend yield that measured 4.96% in line with its 5.0% target. This was significantly higher than the 2.28% yield of the broad market S&P 500 Index, as well as the 4.00% yield of the Dow Jones Select Dividend Index that aims to reflect the domestic dividend-paying universe." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Federated Investors Inc [+] Read More

Roosevelt Investments' November commentary reviews the latest corporate earnings, investor sentiment, and outlooks for the fiscal cliff and tax changes in 2013. "After a strong September, the stock market ceded ground in October and ended the month about 2% lower than where it began. Third quarter earnings were disappointing as many companies struggled to achieve more than modest revenue growth. Guidance for future growth was lackluster given macroeconomic pressures from Europe and China in addition to fiscal cliff-related uncertainty. Housing data continues to point toward recovery, while the employment picture remains mixed." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Roosevelt Investment Group [+] Read More

“Transfer-on-death (TOD) designations provide a simple, direct process for transferring assets to named beneficiaries, bypassing the probate process. While this simplicity is attractive, it can also have drawbacks. That’s why it’s important to understand both the pros and cons.” Download the Report Here [+] Read More

Wentworth Hauser’s latest emerging markets investment commentary looks at the situation in several different countries and how global central bank actions affect them. "The world stock markets continue to be strongly influenced by a plethora of macro factors. While past negative news gave ample reason for investors to worry, positive actions kindled an equivalently strong rebound in world markets. The world's central banks continue to fuel strong stock market advances as conventional and non-conventional measures are being used in an attempt to offset a distinct lack of credible fiscal policy initiatives in developed countries. The Federal Reserve Bank initiated the latest quantitative easing program (QE3) involving the large scale acquisition of mortgage-backed securities in an attempt to somewhat offset the anticipated recessionary effects caused by the previously discussed advent of the "Fiscal Cliff". Incidentally, the US economy might be able to better handle the onset of this event as residential real estate appears to have bottomed and employment statistics are showing signs of improvement." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Wentworth, Hauser & Violich [+] Read More

Richard Hirayama, portfolio manager of the Wentworth Hauser International Equity strategy, examines central bank actions and what it could lead to. "The world has benefited substantially from three decades of declining inflation which reduced costs and stimulated economic growth. However, synchronized credit creation and money printing by the major central banks may ignite inflationary forces similar to the 1960’s and 1970’s. Stagnant subpar global economic growth of 3-3.5% in an environment of rising inflation expectations could breed stagflation. The central banks would almost certainly not permit inflation to rise above 4-5% for a sustained period of time but an inflation advance from 2% to 3% is a 50% increase which could motivate investors to seek out inflation-hedging assets such as equities and WHV’s energy and materials investments for potential protection against purchasing power degradation and paper money devaluation." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Wentworth, Hauser & Violich [+] Read More