Despite a relatively strong year for the S&P 500, with YTD returns hovering north of 15%, we have seen challenges across more diversified portfolios in both equities and fixed income. While U.S. large cap, driven largely by a few select mega-cap companies, have led the overall performance for asset classes since October 2022 lows, investors have faced a rather muted environment in 2023. Since February of this year, most major asset classes have continued to trend sideways as U.S. large cap has moved modestly higher. 

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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Over the last year, economic headlines have been bleak. From the national debt ceiling debate to fears of a potential banking crisis, we’ve watched interest rates go up right alongside talks of an economic downturn. But as we turn the corner into the second half of 2023, Americans have been left to wonder, “Where is the recession everyone has been talking about?”

In our latest video discussion, recorded on July 12, 2023, JNBA Chairman and CEO Richard S. Brown talks with three members of our Investment Committee: Mark Rosenkranz, an Investment Strategist, and John Foster and Michael Bilotta, both Sr. Advisors and Investment Strategists.

They talk about how, despite the negative sentiment, the economy has been fairly resilient and currently offers a bevy of opportunities in various asset classes. They also discuss the benefits of setting aside the noise and instead staying vigilant while devising a flexible portfolio to endure the economy’s unpredictable peaks and valleys.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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From turmoil with regional banks to bonds and treasury bills providing higher-yield competition for stocks, one way to describe how many investors are feeling right now is “comfortably uncomfortable.” Negative investor sentiment as we started 2023 set the bar relatively low, and both stocks and bonds are performing better than expected. But market volatility continues.

In this 11-minute podcast, JNBA Director of Client Services Cärin Viertel talks with Senior Advisor and Investment Strategist John Foster, PPC®, and Investment Strategist Mark Rosenkranz, CFA®, about the latest economic news and what it could mean moving forward. Now that we’re in the middle of the second quarter, in addition to keeping an eye on broader economic indicators, the JNBA Investment Committee is focused on two larger pillars – low unemployment and higher corporate profits – as the rest of the year unfolds.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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Just over a month into the new year, 2023 has provided investors with some long-sought good news. After a challenging 2022, both equities and bonds are off to a solid start, Europe and China are stimulating the global market, and the Fed may be coming close to the end of its tightening cycle.
 
 While this has created positive market headlines, we’re likely to see continued volatility ahead. In this nine-minute podcast, JNBA Director of Investments David Webb and Investment Committee member and Senior Investment Strategist John Foster discuss how different economic factors could shape the markets as we move further into 2023.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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If we could summarize 2022’s market performance in one word, it would be “frustrating,” with negative returns across almost all asset classes, from equities to bonds. Inflation, relentless interest-rate hikes by the Fed, and supply chain distortions from the war in Ukraine and the pandemic all led to a perfect storm of uncertainty, volatility, and a tough slog for investors.

But what did the year teach us about how the economy and markets could shape up in 2023? In our latest video discussion recorded on January 11, 2023, JNBA Chairman and CEO Richard S. Brown talks with three senior members of our Investment Committee: Michael Bilotta and John Foster, both Senior Advisors and Investment Strategists, and David Webb, JNBA’s Director of Investment Management.

They look at which elements of last year’s challenging environment are persisting as we begin 2023, including continuing talk of a possible recession. But they also cover some of the potentially positive aspects of the new year that could be cause for optimism.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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After an awful start to the year, the market has handled a bevy of bad news over the past few months in a much more encouraging way. Add to that several elements that could be catalysts for further improvement, including the most recent inflation report, and we’re asking ourselves: Could we be seeing the makings of a year-end rally?

Generally, the markets deliver the highest returns in the first few quarters after a midterm election. The latest jobs report and the November 10 inflation numbers are also steps in the right direction. And, historically, the market’s seasonal performance improves the last quarter of the year.

In this 10-minute podcast, JNBA Director of Investments David Webb and Investment Committee member and Senior Investment Strategist John Foster talk about whether investors could receive an end-of-year gift.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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As we head into the final quarter of 2022, investors continue to navigate a challenging environment that has seen stocks down 25 percent and bonds dropping 14 percent as the Fed battles inflation and world events remain somber. By any measurement it has been – to paraphrase the title of a popular children’s book – a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year – at least thus far.

In our latest podcast episode, JNBA’s Investment Committee takes an in-depth, 18-minute look at the previous quarter’s performance and what might be on the horizon as we head toward 2023.

JNBA Director of Investments David Webb and Investment Committee members and Senior Investment Strategists John Foster and Michael Bilotta discuss everything from how companies continue to batten down the hatches to the possibility and timing of a recovery.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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The economy is trying to tell us something, but its messages are mixed.

GDP fell in the second quarter, the second straight decline of negative real growth, which many investors have interpreted as a strong recession signal. While the National Bureau of Economic Research considers many different economic variables and hasn’t officially labeled it a recession yet, many investors are scratching their heads as the market has bounced sharply off its June lows and the economy continues to expand payrolls, creating almost three million new jobs in the first half of the year.

So what could all these fluctuating economic signals mean? In this eight-minute podcast, JNBA Director of Investments David Webb and Investment Committee member and Senior Investment Strategist John Foster discuss how to make sense of these mixed messages.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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By nearly any measure, the first half of the year has been extremely challenging for investors, with negative returns across all asset classes. But even as the bumpy ride continues, silver linings are emerging.

In our latest video, JNBA Chairman and CEO Richard S. Brown, Director of Investment Management David Webb, and Senior Advisors and Investment Strategists Michael Bilotta and John Foster discuss what JNBA’s Investment Committee is looking for now that earnings season is here. In this 14-minute conversation, the team covers everything from inflation to the threat of recession to bond returns, and potential opportunities for investors to turn lemons into lemonade.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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The Fed’s interest rate hike last week was the largest in nearly 30 years and resulted in a mixed bag for investors. Fears of inflation have dampened consumer sentiment, which continues to contribute to market volatility. Despite the markets entering bear market territory, the climate is also delivering higher bond yields, which could mean better opportunities for investors, and sets the table for potentially better performance moving forward.

In our new podcast episode, Director of Investment Management David Webb and Senior Advisor and Investment Strategist John Foster discuss what the rate hike – as well as earnings season and the mid-term election cycle – could mean for investors for the second half of the year.

DISCLOSURE
The previous presentation by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”) was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from JNBA or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither JNBA’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. JNBA is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the podcast or video podcast content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of JNBA’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at jnba.com.

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