WrapManager's Wealth Management Blog

"What can be sustained?" is the big question asked by Nuveen Asset Management’s Chief Equity Strategist Bob Doll. "U.S. equities struggled last week as the S&P 500 was down approximately 1%. The weak jobs report released on Friday seems to indicate that the U.S. remains mired in a muddle-through economy. After a couple of months where signs were more positive, recent data is disappointing. Although the first quarter was relatively strong, we anticipate that the first and second quarters will average out to the 2% to 2.5% real growth we have been forecasting, with nominal growth under 5%." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Nuveen Asset Management [+] Read More

Bob Doll, Chief Equity Strategist at Nuveen Asset Management, opines on the latest from Cyprus and other weekly events. "Equity averages sagged slightly last week. Strength later in the week made up for earlier weakness as the equity rally paused for the Cyprus crisis. We (and the consensus) perceive Cyprus as mainly a local problem and believe it supports our view to remain cautious with Eurozone weightings." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Nuveen Asset Management [+] Read More

Louis Navellier takes a look at a few key economic indicators including inflation, retail sales, jobless claims and industrial production. "Last week, the S&P rose 0.6% for its 10th weekly gain in the first 11 weeks of 2013. The Dow Industrials ended a 10-day winning streak (the longest since November 1996), including eight straight all-time highs, and the S&P 500 peaked at just two points below its all&time high. Even more encouraging, the VIX (volatility index) remains extremely low, so the stock market’s rise has been relatively smooth. In addition, inflation fears may drive more investors out of bonds, lifting stocks further." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Navellier & Associates, Inc. [+] Read More

Federated Investors’ Senior Portfolio Manager, Philip Orlando, goes in depth with the latest economic and corporate news affecting the stock market. "Over the past four years, the financial markets have shrugged off a mixed, but improving, economic picture, while largely ignoring the ongoing fiscal-policy dysfunction in Washington. Focusing instead on the resilience of the U.S. economy and a powerful rebound in corporate profits, stock investors have driven the Dow Jones Industrial Average to an all-time record high on the fourth anniversary of the Great Recession’s market’s trough, while the other major equity indices are not far off." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Federated Investors Inc [+] Read More

Nuveen Asset Management’s Chief Equity Strategist, Bob Doll, takes a look at the European and U.S. Political Decisions that lie ahead. "Last week U.S. equities continued to rise and the S&P 500 increased approximately 2% as fundamentals moved in a positive direction. The U.S. household deleveraging seems to have advanced to a stage that will allow the pace of growth to accelerate later this year. The Fed is unlikely to tighten policy prematurely. The European Central Bank (ECB) is willing to be the lender of last resort, which has dramatically diminished the risk of contagion throughout Europe. China appears to have passed the worst of the growth slowdown phase." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Nuveen Asset Management [+] Read More

Nuveen Asset Management’s Chief Equity Strategist, Bob Doll, provides his thoughts on the outcome of the sequestration vote in Congress. "U.S. equities advanced marginally last week, as the S&P 500 increased its gain to approximately 6.9% for the year. Markets were in a holding pattern during February, with minimal change in global equities or credit spreads and a slight rally in bonds. Broadly speaking, U.S. markets outperformed world markets and the dollar rallied." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Nuveen Asset Management [+] Read More

Louis Navellier reviews the recent M&A and stock buyback activity and what’s fueling this uptick. "The S&P 500 rose for its seventh consecutive week, but by only 0.1%. The Dow came within 1% of its all-time high, and the S&P 500 traded within 3% of its all-time high, but each day’s closing in the S&P was remarkably flat - in a narrow range from 1517 on Monday to 1521 on Thursday. Maybe traders are trying to dope out the market’s long-term direction before mounting an assault on new highs." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Navellier & Associates, Inc. [+] Read More

Roosevelt Investment’s January 2013 investment commentary looks towards 2013 and the themes they suggest watching. "A cloud of political uncertainty hovered above the markets in the fourth quarter of 2012. Fortunately, an accommodative Fed and some decent economic indicators cast a bit of sunshine and prevented major sell-offs. Looking ahead, the debt ceiling negotiations could present a serious challenge both to lawmakers and the markets over the coming months. Nevertheless, reasons for cautious optimism exist. Easy monetary policy and economic improvements may trump political instability." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Roosevelt Investment Group [+] Read More

Wentworth Hauser’s latest investment commentary reviews the recent tax legislation, the modestly growing economy, sub-par employment rate, housing market recovery and China. "As we enter 2013, the United States is faced with both short- and long-term challenges. Over the short term the U.S. must address the revenue shortfall and spending excesses that result in budget deficits. The employment problem of the past five years is due to below average GDP growth of the current economic recovery. The second challenge is long-term reform to the nation’s entitlement programs of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and some fifty other welfare benefits." Download Full Commmentary Here Get Free Research Reports about Wentworth, Hauser & Violich [+] Read More