Investment Management

Investment Management

Shifting Financial Leverage Poses Economic Risk

We believe the 2008 financial crisis was caused by too much leverage, specifically in the financial sector. The average total debt held by S&P Financials was approximately six times their equity. In the US today, banks have done their part in deleveraging and this ratio is now approximately one for one. The Federal Reserve’s response to the crisis was to lower rates to essentially zero to encourage spending and borrowing to stimulate the economy. Both businesses and the government seem to have quickly seized the opportunities created by cheap debt.

Posted By Schultz Financial Group Inc.
May 13, 2019

Investment Management

Bond Prices and Interest Rates

It is important to understand how a rising-rate environment impacts bond prices. A principle of finance is that when interest rates go up, bond prices go down.

Posted By Alyssa Dalbey
December 19, 2018

Investment Management

Monitoring Inflation and Inflation Expectations (Phillips Curve)

For the first time since the data collection began in 2002, there are more job openings in the US than there are people unemployed (see chart below). We are currently in the second-longest economic expansion in our history, and if it continues through July 2019, it will become the longest. This has led to a period of prolonged job creation, which has driven down the unemployment level below four percent.

Posted By Alyssa Dalbey
August 14, 2018

Investment Management

Muni Bonds: How to Determine the Taxable Equivalent Yield

In general, tax-free investments, such as municipal bonds, have lower yields due to their tax-exempt status. When evaluating municipal bonds as a possible investment, you must use the taxable equivalent yield. This is because the taxable equivalent yield is the return required on a taxable investment to make it equal to the return on a tax-exempt investment.

Posted By Alyssa Dalbey
May 26, 2018

Investment Management

Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR): The New LIBOR

SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate) interest rates are beginning to accompany LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) across banking institutions in America, with many institutions implementing as of Q2 2018. The move from a LIBOR-only base rate market marks an important step in correcting rate fixing between banks. This blog post explains rate fixing, the difference between SOFR and LIBOR, and the implications of this new rate.

Posted By Alyssa Dalbey
April 30, 2018

Investment Management

SFG’s View on Energy Diversification

It is important to insulate your portfolio against inflation while also maintaining diversification. Investing in energy covers both of these areas. Trying to forecast the price of energy is like watering your yard during a rainstorm — it’s a waste of time. For example, oil prices change not only due to supply and demand, but also as a result of US dollar fluctuations, geopolitical tensions, and more. This blog post focuses on recent technological developments within and how to capture exposure to energy.

Posted By Russ Schultz
April 24, 2018