Material and commentaries published in the past may or may not be helpful in analyzing current economic or financial market activity. Please note publishing date when reviewing materials.  Please email [email protected] for our current thoughts or to reach an advisor.

 

Market Commentary

Insights

Cumberland Advisors Market Commentary offers insights and analysis on upcoming, important economic issues that potentially impact global financial markets. Our team shares their thinking on global economic developments, market news and other factors that often influence investment opportunities and strategies. Our readers appreciate its timeliness, depth of analysis, and quality of research.

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  • How North Korea Views the Situation on the Peninsula
     Author(s): George Friedman | Thu May 4, 2017



    George Friedman is chairman of Geopolitical Futures, which he founded in 2015. Prior to that he was chairman and leading professional at Stratfor. George and wife Meredith have been guests for a meal or two. He and I also greatly enjoyed his visit to Camp Kotok for a fishing adventure that…


  • The Mutual Fund Conundrum
     Author(s): Laura Mattia Ph.D., CFP® | Wed May 3, 2017



    With the close of Financial Literacy Month, we explore how limited financial knowledge can impact a household’s financial health. A high percentage of Americans don’t possess the necessary “financial literacy” to make good financial decisions[1] The increasing complexity of financial products is…


  • About Taxes!
     Author(s): David R. Kotok | Tue May 2, 2017



    Taxes: some quick bullets.

    Markets like lower taxes. People like lower taxes. Businesses like lower taxes. Devils always lurk in the details: those devils are put there by Congress.

    Congress will lose if it attempts to block a tax cut. Voters understand lower tax rates and want…


  • France and Europe Dodge Bullet, Yet Risks Still Ahead
     Author(s): Bill Witherell, Ph.D | Sat April 29, 2017



    Markets in France, Europe, and globally are rallying as they breathe a sigh of relief following the first round of the French presidential election on Sunday. The pro-business centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron came in first, beating the far-right National Front candidate, Marine Le Pen. This…


  • Quick Take on Munis and the Trump Plan
     Author(s): John R. Mousseau, CFA | Fri April 28, 2017



    The Trump administration unveiled their tax plan yesterday, with details to follow. It will take a while to work the plan through Congress but this is our quick take on how the plan affects municipal bonds and municipal finance.


  • Markets and Geography
     Author(s): David R. Kotok | Wed April 26, 2017



    Markets.

    We were fully invested in our US ETF strategies before the weekend French elections. We are still there and overweight financials (banks) and tech. In our volatility strategies we are also fully invested and have been for over a week. These VOL strategies are mathematically…


  • Taxation of Municipal Bonds?
     Author(s): Patricia Healy, CFA | Fri April 21, 2017



    Is there a threat to the municipal bond interest deduction?


  • Banks
     Author(s): David R. Kotok | Thu April 20, 2017



    As clients know, we have liked and continue to like exposure to banks. We favor the big banks and have a position in the PowerShares KBW Bank Portfolio Fund, KBWB, an ETF that captures the big banks. We also hold KRE and KIE.  We are overweight the sector. We will get to why in a minute.


  • Inflation, Fed, Interest Rates
     Author(s): David R. Kotok | Tue April 18, 2017



    I am scheduled to discuss policy-driven interest rates and other market forces on Bloomberg TV at 8 AM on Tuesday morning. In the meantime, here’s a rundown of the picture as we at Cumberland Advisors see it now.


  • Japan’s Stocks, Economy, and Currency
     Author(s): Bill Witherell, Ph.D | Thu April 13, 2017



    The recovery of the global economy has continued thus far in 2017, and stock markets have generally registered healthy advances. In the US the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, SPY, gained 5.62 year-to-date April 11 on a total return basis; the iShares MSCI All Country ex-US ETF, ACWX , gained 8.12%; and in…


 

 

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled."

Plutarch