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January 1, 2022

by | Jan 1, 2022 | Quarterly Letters

Dear Client: Returns for the major stock indices and the current bond and money market yields are as follows: Index         2021Dow Jones Industrial Average   20.84%S&P 500   28.71% Fixed Income Yields        1 year5 year10 year30 yearMunicipals0.19%0.60%1.05%1.54%US Treasuries0.38%1.26%1.51%1.90% Fidelity Government Cash Reserves Money Market Fund0.01% Happy New Year!  The equity markets delivered impressive results in 2021 as long-term investors were again rewarded.  We experienced three declines of 5% in the S&P 500 index, reaching no greater than a 6% decline.  The market rose steadily, similarly to 2019, in broad-market support.  All of the sectors comprising the S&P 500 appreciated more than 10%.  Small, mid, and large company indexes performed in excess of 20%, as did growth and value stocks.  It was difficult to NOT make money in equities this year.  The bond market, on the other hand, had negative returns. The Total Bond Market Index was down 1.86% in total return.  The real rate of return factoring in the current inflation problem made fixed income especially painful in 2021.  For many reasons, the equity markets continue to attract demand, and asset prices have been rising everywhere.  As an investor, I cut my teeth in a golden era of investing (the late 90s).  Back then, the market delivered five straight years of 20%+ returns.  Similar to now, market participants were making money seemingly ‘hand over fist.’  Many portfolios had gravitated away from diversification, and many market newbies had portfolios littered with the latest high-flying stocks.  Moreover, they were often leveraged in margin and excessively overweighted in the hottest flavor (technology sector).  That generation of investors heard the scary words “it’s different this...