Recent Articles from Todd Hauer
Optimism abounds in local real estate
(Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts. Read Part 1.) The recent Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Investor Pulse Poll had some interesting findings. Denver investors sense improvement in their local housing market, and at least three in 10 believe real estate will be the best-performing asset class over the next three years. In […]
The optimism of Denver investors
The recent Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Investor Pulse Poll shows that most Denver area investors with at least $100,000 in investable assets are optimistic about the prospects for their portfolios, growth of the Colorado, U.S. and global economies, and their ability to reach their personal fi...
A barbell investment approach
The Morgan Stanley Global Investment Committee (GIC) has increased the strategic allocation to equities at the expense of fixed income, while keeping cash and alternative allocations roughly the same. The GIC recommends a shift toward international equities. The US has led the global recovery, but now other equity markets appear to offer similar or more […]
Understanding your credit score: Part Two
Since lenders will typically compare your credit scores from the big three credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—your first move should be to obtain current copies of your credit reports and review them for accuracy. All U.S. consumers are entitled to a free credit report each...
Understanding your credit score: Part One
Not surprising, the financial standards imposed by lenders are considerably more stringent today than they were in the go-go days prior to the housing crisis. And to qualify for a refinancing at today’s historically low interest rates, you need to demonstrate a good credit history and a respectabl...
The attraction of foreign bonds
As yields on high-quality bonds have slipped in the United States, more investors are turning to foreign bonds and foreign bond funds to boost portfolio yield potential and provide greater diversification. In the past decade, there’s been substantial growth and maturation of world bond markets. Th...
A great solution to the housing market blues
Pity the beleaguered American homeowner. In the past five years, he has seen the value of his home drop by an average of 33 percent, according to S&P Case Schiller. Thankfully, there are other types of real estate that have had more attractive returns in recent years. In fact, REITs, or real estate investment trusts, […]
All that glitters…
Historically, precious metals have been influenced by a different set of value drivers, creating the potential for effective diversification. There are opportunities for suitable investors in gold, silver, platinum and palladium that may complement investments in equities, fixed income or other as...
Fiscal Cliff 101
The critical need to raise the debt ceiling will be the “catalyst for short-term measures to avoid falling off the fiscal cliff,” according to Morgan Stanley’s Government Affairs Office in Washington. Morgan Stanley believes one likely outcome will be adoption by the lame-duck Congress of a six-month extension of the status quo (“kick the can”), […]
Top 10 ways to prep for the “fiscal cliff”
With political pressures affecting the economy, investors should be watching carefully and be even more vigilant in reviewing and adjusting their asset allocation and overall portfolio strategy.
Here are 10 strategies to help navigate the uncertain landscape
Seeking the secular growth trend
At times, we like to take a step back from the more tactical, short-term look at the markets and focus our attention on identifying themes in the global economy that we may want to participate in as investors. Secular growth trends typically entail demographic shifts, innovative or disruptive technologies, changing consumer preferences or additional resource […]
How the geopolitical landscape affects your investments
In addition to the ever-present market risk investors must face, we are presently subject to heightened event risk due to political instability, especially in the energy-rich Middle East where the geopolitical landscape remains tenuous. This might require investors to adjust their portfolios asset allocation to adapt to these heightened risks. Recently, I invited foreign policy […]