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July 1, 2020

Dear Client: Returns for the major stock indices for 2020, and the current bond and money market yields are as follows: Index2nd QuarterDow Jones Industrial Average  -9.55%S&P 500   -4.04% Fixed Income Yields1 year5 year10 year30 yearMunicipals       0.21%0.46%0.86%1.70%US Treasuries        0.15%0.29%0.66%1.41% Fidelity Government Cash Reserves Money Market Fund0.01% So far, 2020 has been quite a tumultuous year; and we are only halfway through!  As we all know too well, the decade-long bull market came to an abrupt halt in February as COVID-19 created a nearly unprecedented type of fear and great uncertainty.  In the fog of the times, traders panicked and pushed the markets down 33 percent from the all-time highs.  As we remember, there were no easy answers for investors.  In March, we wrote that everything we have ever understood about investing is not to panic, and not to overreact.  We know that trying to time the market is difficult, and just when the fear is at its highest, the markets can turn quickly without pause; and sure enough, March 23rd marked the beginning of the best 50-day rally in market history.  As the markets recorded their best quarter since 1998, the age-old contrarian axiom to “buy when no one wants them and sell when everyone wants them” again proved to ring true.  We have again been reminded that truly buying low is always difficult because the fear and uncertainty are at their highest and this time was no exception. Undoubtedly, we live in unusual times, and with investing it is no different.  These markets have many of the most respected voices on Wall Street voicing an array of differing...