The Lowry Letter®

Most of you know that we often cite the work of Brad McMillan and the investment research team at Commonwealth. They are important partners to our firm, and we are excited to announce that Brad will join us for a webinar on Tuesday, May 11^th at 4pm. He will be speaking exclusively to our clients and guests. If you have any questions for Brad, please send them our way.

The first quarter of 2021 is in the books and it was an interesting one for the markets. Indexes saw gains, but as with any period not all stocks participated in the improvement. Tech stocks were a drag for the Nasdaq and the Dow Jones led the way among large-company indices.

This is normal activity for long-term investors. Last year’s leaders may be this year’s laggards. The timing of these shifts is as unpredictable as ever and the case remains strong for diversification’s role in managing risk. There is more in the Quarterly Market Update found here

No April Foolin’ here- just the eclectic mix of information that you enjoy.

Please note: The stock market and our office will be closed on Friday, April 2nd in observance of Good Friday.

Are you zoomed out? We have taken a little break in our remote event schedule, but will resume in April and would love to know if there are any specific areas that you would like to learn more about.

Last Saturday marked the official beginning of spring. As with the new year, we have an opportunity to make new goals and recommit to old ones. Brad McMillan discusses some of the economic news we can expect as we move into the new season and his expectation. Despite a hard year and a hard winter, things will get better. 

We continue to be encouraged by the progress of Covid vaccinations across the United States. Recent positive movement in consumer confidence and better-than-expected jobless claims are signs that the economic recovery will proceed apace.

Some other interesting items are below. 

We have a diverse group of clients and we love hearing what you think of The Lowry Letter®. If there are areas where you would like more information, please let us know.

 

It’s time to change up our format just a little bit, which you may notice below. We may still do the occasional “Ask the Joes®,” but will shift many of those questions toward our new YouTube series “Ask the Joes® (and Cale)”

We’ve established a YouTube channel to provide periodic, short videos on interesting topics. Please subscribe to receive updates and let us know if you have any ideas for future topics.

Our first video, on cryptocurrency, is available here. 

This is the time of year for tax preparation and we often receive questions about the timing of tax forms. Investment custodians like National Financial Services (NFS) have until February 15th to provide preliminary 1099s showing estimated information for taxable accounts. This is not considered final and you should not file a tax return until the official 1099 is issued. While the final 1099 is often the same, waiting will prevent the need to amend a filed return. Because NFS has received a mailing extension from the IRS, final tax forms will be provided no later than March 15th. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Don’t forget that Sunday is Valentine’s Day! It’s not too late to find a winning way to show appreciation for your significant other. Locals can find something tasty from our @Bearkery friends at theplantshoppe.com.

The major market indices reached new highs this week, moving beyond January’s up-and-down start to the year. You can read more about recent performance in our January Market Recap here.