Macro & Market Perspectives

The Wall Of Worry: Markets Face More Questions Than Answers

Letter From The Editor, John Norris

Years ago, the rock group Greenday had a pretty massive hit with the song “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” It is a good one, and one of the very few rock songs I can sing somewhat on key when doing karaoke.

Although the tune has nothing to do with the current state of the markets, if for no other reason than it came out in 2004, I suspect more than a few investors were pleased when September ended this year. After all, the 3rd Quarter of 2026 was another roller coaster ride of geopolitical uncertainty, economic head scratching and monetary policy recalibration.

The economy hasn’t been creating a lot of jobs, but businesses don’t seem to be firing a lot of people either. Inflation hasn’t come down the way anyone would like, and the Federal Reserve raised the overnight rate during the quarter. The conflicts in Ukraine and now Iran seem to be playing havoc with the world’s energy markets. When will they be over?

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Third Quarter Equities

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The fourth quarter of the year unfolded with a noticeably different character than much of what investors experienced in Q3. While volatility never fully returned in a sustained way, markets displayed more complexity beneath the surface, with broader participation…

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4th Quarter Key Takeaways 2025

THE SHUTDOWN  The U.S. government officially “shut down” during the 4th quarter of 2025, and the U.S. economy didn’t fall apart. While plenty of people across the country felt impacts from the government impasse, it seems Washington D.C. might have been hurt worst of all.1 That isn’t terribly surprising.   MARKETS…

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Due to the Federal government shutdown from October 1 through November 12, 2025, the investing public didn’t have access to a significant amount of pertinent economic data. After all, if the workers who compile things like the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the…

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As we look back on 2025, one theme stands out clearly: markets once again appeared more resilient than the prevailing mood. Global conflict, elevated interest rates and persistent questions about economic durability continued to dominate headlines. Yet, much like the…