Episode #18: The Energy Sector

The energy sector represented nearly one-third of the S&P index in the 1980s, but now it is less than 2% and 2020 may be a decisive turning point for energy sector stocks.

Forty years ago, the energy sector represented nearly one-third of the S&P index, and it remained at 15% in the 1990s. Now, however, there are zero energy sector stocks in the top 25 of the S&P 500, reflecting decreasing demand for oil and traditional energy. However, 2020 may prove to be a turning point due to the rise of clean energy stocks, where there has been significantly higher research and investment in recent years. Jay Pluimer explores the energy sector’s prospects for the coming years in this episode.

Always check back next week for more Flourish Insights with Jay Pluimer and don't forget to check out our insights blog at https://www.flourishinsights.com

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Episode #17: The Small Cap Recovery

Small cap companies, which are public companies with market capitalizations under $2 billion - and as low as $300 million - make up a large portion of the U.S. stock market. The Russell 2000, which is the primary benchmark for small cap companies, is showing a strong recovery in Q4. The Russell is up 23% in October and November, as opposed to the S&P 500, which is up 8.5% thus far in Q4. Why the difference? In this episode, Jay Pluimer explains the three factors driving the uptick in small cap stocks in the current environment.

Always check back next week for more Flourish Insights with Jay Pluimer and don't forget to check out our insights blog at https://www.flourishinsights.com

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Why Emerging Markets?

Having a diversified investment portfolio includes meaningful exposure to Emerging Markets because they support higher expected long-term returns.

Emerging Markets represent 13% of the global economy and frequently have the highest economic growth rates. It’s important for a diversified investment portfolio to include meaningful exposure to Emerging Markets because they support higher expected long-term returns. Proactive investments in Emerging Markets is the most effective way to gain access to important markets including China, South Korea, India, and Brazil. In fact, dominant themes of these markets are driving global economic growth. Join Jay Pluimer as he dives into this topic in this week’s episode.

Always check back next week for more Flourish Insights with Jay Pluimer and don't forget to check out our insights blog at https://www.flourishinsights.com

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Episode #15: Post-Election Markets

The make-up of our federal government won’t be finalized for several weeks, but the notion of a divided government often leads to a “goldilocks” scenario of strong economic growth.

Although the make-up of our government will not be finalized for a few more weeks, we can already begin to identify important economic and investment themes for the next few years. If we assume a divided government, with a Democratic President and House combined with a Republican Senate, we may also assume a “goldilocks” scenario of strong economic growth. In this episode, Jay Pluimer discusses what we can expect to see over the next few years, including proactive national efforts to battle COVID-19, provide additional fiscal stimulus, build more predictable global relationships, invest in infrastructure, and battle climate change.

Always check back next week for more Flourish Insights with Jay Pluimer and don't forget to check out our insights blog at https://www.flourishinsights.com

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Episode #14: Active Versus Passive Investing

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Episode #13: Home Bias & Poor Diversification

Beware your investing biases and don’t forget to double-check your mutual fund holdings.

In this week’s episode, Director of Investments, Jay Pluimer discusses the dangers of investor bias and lack of diversification in your portfolio. Home Bias means that investors tend to invest more heavily in Domestic Stocks and Bonds. Doing so can lead to missed opportunities from international and emerging markets equities growth.

These missed opportunities coupled with portfolio overlap can lead to vulnerabilities and lack of diversification in your portfolio. Portfolio overlap can often be overlooked because it requires taking a deep dive into the holdings across your mutual funds and ETFs. It is possible that you may own shares of the same stock across multiple funds and ETFs. If this is the case you could be investing in one particular equity too heavily.

If you are unsure about your diversification across markets or across your equities owned, take a closer look. Or speak with an advisor who can give you a solid portfolio review.

We are always here to take your call and provide you with a portfolio review. To schedule your discovery meeting please contact us at flourishwealthmanagement.com/contact

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Episode #12: Why Should I have Bonds Now?

Historically, there have been two reasons to own bonds: risk reduction, and a combination of income and price appreciation. What’s different right now? We’re currently in a unique environment, where it’s important to adjust your expectations related to owning bonds and to change your approach to investment management in order to reach your goals.

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Episode #: Fiscal Stimulus and Market Movements

Fiscal stimulus is an economic game-changer, and it can impact the stock market in several ways. The Federal Reserve has been very aggressive during the coronavirus pandemic, providing monetary stimulus to support banks, bonds, money market funds and even stocks. More recently, stock market levels dropped when talks of another stimulus bill slowed.

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Episode #10: How to Invest in ESG

If you’d like to get started investing in ESG in order to create a more values-focused portfolio, there are many opportunities available to you. At Flourish Wealth Management, we help our clients identify the themes most important to them and build a customized portfolio to match. You can get started today by taking our ESG survey.

Always check back next week for more Flourish Insights with Jay Pluimer and don't forget to check out our insights blog at https://www.flourishinsights.com

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Episode #9: What is ESG?

This investment strategy allows you to align your values with your dollars, while influencing corporate behavior, too.

Investing isn’t all about dollars and cents - it’s about your values, too. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance investing, and it allows investors to create a virtuous cycle by building a portfolio that serves their social goals, while also influencing the way companies do business. It includes three broad pillars and twelve key themes, which are growing in popularity among today’s investors.

Always check back next week for more Flourish Insights with Jay Pluimer and don't forget to check out our insights blog at https://www.flourishinsights.com

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