In case you’re in a hurry, here are three things to know right now. First, CD and 1-yr treasury rates are back to where they were 15 years ago, and Appleton Group has access to a national marketplace of some of the highest rates available nationally. For investors wanting to balance the potential for higher returns with a whole lot more predictability, we’ve got you covered. Second, with a lot of crosscurrents in the economy and the markets right now, we’re taking a neutral posture with most of our flexible strategies which are holding 50-60% cash. We’re not invested close to where we’d prefer to be, but we believe it’s a prudent posture right now. Third, the Fed’s new motto might be: “Darned if you do, darned if you don’t.” And that’s the problem – with only one tool in the toolbox, doing more of what didn’t work last year doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

In case you’re in a hurry, here are three things to know right now. First, 2023 is off to a solid start for both the markets and our managed strategies across the board. That’s not surprising since markets had put in a floor back in early December and we’ve been invested more assertively since then. Second, last week’s blockbuster employment number was a real shocker – more than a half million jobs created last month despite massive planned layoffs in the tech sector. You’d think that’d be good news, but it’s not – it means that the Fed is going to have to keep hiking rates in an attempt to slow down inflation. And lastly, if you wanted me to give you one reason for the Fed and Congress to do everything possible to get inflation under control, I’ll do you one better. I can give you 31 trillion reasons.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

In the first two episodes of my podcast in the new year of 2023, I laid out both an optimistic case and a pessimistic case for the markets, one for the bulls, and one for the bears. Now it’s time to lay out how we think investors should approach the coming year with both scenarios in-mind. Because here’s the important bit that needs to be said: it's VERY possible that BOTH scenarios unfold one after another.

As fiduciaries, it’s our obligation to present both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios for 2023 objectively and without bias. And as fellow investors and participants in a western-style free market economy, we certainly would prefer an optimistic case for the markets in the New Year. Who wouldn’t?

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

With 2022 now behind us, it’s time to look forward to what the New Year could bring. And as is often true, there’s a powerful optimistic case to be made for the bulls, and a very convincing and pessimistic case to be made on behalf of the bears.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

It’s been our tradition for the week before Christmas to share my wish list that I send to Santa ahead of Christmas Eve. I believe with all my heart that Santa IS real, of course, but he works his magic through us as his elves in sometimes mysterious ways. I never ask for the gift of presents under the tree but instead for whatever non-material things may be missing from our lives.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

Recent data is definitely showing confirming evidence that inflation has peaked and now the process of what we’d call “dis-inflation” has started. And as a result, we’re a LOT closer to our intended targets in every single strategy – which means that we’re nearly fully invested and are taking advantage of recent support for both equities and fixed income.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

Just like there are traditional, hybrid and electric cars, there are three very similar investment strategies that we offer: traditional strategies (also known as “buy & hold,”), flexible strategies (which are novel and cutting edge in that they automatically adjust as market conditions change), and hybrid strategies that combine both traditional and flexible strategies together into a single diversified portfolio. 

I want to talk about the hybrid strategies for a bit, because we really think they’re worth considering for nearly every investor right now.

It’s been our tradition during Thanksgiving week to turn away from the news of the markets and the economy to focus on what this week is all about, gratitude for all of the great things that we have in our lives and for the things that money just can’t buy.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).

This morning’s read on inflation showed real progress being made in stabilizing prices, albeit still at higher levels than a year ago. But any progress is welcome and the markets are responding nicely.

Mark Scheffler, AIF®, hosts this Three Minute Trend Talk™, highlighting current investment and economic issues, clearTREND® recommendations for the positions used in all Appleton Group managed portfolios, global investment trends, and more (select 1080p HD for best resolution, 720p HD for slower connections).