LGT's Profit Sense

In the investing markets world, the news from mid-Q4 2020 brings a rare positive light to the year characterized by levels of extreme volatility. During the end of October the markets were essentially solely focused on the US Presidential elections.

Growing up the youngest of three children was certainly an adventure, always having built-in babysitters, usually embracing the role of punching bag, and learning every sport my siblings took up were just some of the “perks” of being the youngest. In almost all aspects of life, especially sports, my comparison, or benchmark, would always be my five-years-older brother.

We made it to mid-September of a year uniquely defined in just about every facet of life. From a personal well-being standpoint, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of over 193,000 individuals in the US in just over 200 days. With hope of a vaccine on the horizon, individuals are keeping a close eye on development and action plans for administration once approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The broad market has been under extreme pressure over the past year, which has led to the Federal Reserve board and the Federal Open Market Committee deciding to lower the target federal funds rate. There are many different tools that are affected by the rising and falling of the target federal funds rate.

At the beginning of the year there was a unique buzz about the future that was almost tangible, creating a somewhat definitive certainty that shifting to “2020 vision” would lead to prosperity in any applicable aspect of life.

When payday comes, where does your money go? A good rule of thumb is to pay yourself first, meaning put a reasonable percentage of your earnings from each paycheck into a separate savings account. This is the first step to building up your savings account for short- and long-term saving goals.

As the deadly coronavirus swept the world, many took precautionary steps to keep themselves and loved ones healthy. Physical well-being is at the forefront of day-to-day living and naturally what we prioritize in reaction to catastrophic events alike – washing hands, wearing a seat belt, wearing sunscreen.

Earlier this year my wife and I embarked on an adventure with our 3 ½ year old niece and nephew – the Ft Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. As a Christmas gift to them (more so probably to their parents) we spent the day viewing all the livestock, indulging in top-quality fried foods, and cheering on the participants in the afternoon rodeo competition.

As the month of May rolls on and life continues to return to “new normal” for some, the questions seem to mount by the hour for those keeping up with the markets. Previous updates have stressed the extreme volatility at play since the COVID-19 breakout, along with the economic downfall that has shown only more glaring signs of turmoil as US businesses have sputtered at re-opening.

Creating a plan and sticking to it can be one of the most difficult tasks with regards to financial planning. From the very beginning there is a challenge: where to start? There are multiple starting points, differing financial aspirations, and a countless amount of essential expenses that vary from person to person. Decisions must be made early in order to start moving towards the goal, and decisions will shift as life changes.