Trajan's Tactical Tips

A blog for everyday financial tips, Trajan news updates, and more

Male and female are brainstorming investment finance ideas
Investing

Ways Women Investors Differ from Men Investors

In finance, most investors are men. However, the number of women pouring money into investments is rising and it’s important to understand their differences. Both genders aim to grow wealth, but their approaches and concerns can vary – a lot.

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Cartoon of woman balancing up and down arrows
Investing

FEBRUARY 2024 Market Review

The equity markets posted a strong February based on solid earnings releases for 2023 and the perception that the FOMC’s next move will be to reduce short-term interest rates. Now, while we welcome the commencement of a “goldilocks environment,” a significant looming risk factor makes us more nuanced in the future trajectory of returns across most risk assets.

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Illustration of investor looking through binoculars
Investing

What Happens After A Strong Year In the Stock Market?

The S&P 500 surged over 26% in 2023. Even bonds showed signs of life, rising almost 6% as interest rates declined late in the year. Everyone wonders what comes next. While we can’t predict the market’s short-term direction, if we let history be our guide, a strong return one year doesn’t mean bad returns the next year.

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Image of seller expecting higher price
Investing

January 2024 Market Review

The markets were mixed as we entered the New Year in January, with stocks and bonds posting diverging returns for the month. We are taking a more sober outlook for consumer spending, business investment and thus, business earnings.

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Turning OUTLOOK 2023 to 2024 text on wooden cube blocks.
Investing

2024 Market Outlook

In January, many experts release market predictions, although their accuracy is often questionable. However, we do not engage in making predictions. Instead, our approach involves estimating the risk premium that we anticipate earning if the assets are held over the course of a market cycle.

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Illustration of a business man riding the markets
Investing

2023 Markets: The Year In Review

Markets continued to rise in December with the anticipation of lower interest rates. Major equity indexes saw annual returns ranging from about 16.2% to 44.1%. The S&P 500 had a total return of over 26% in 2023, higher than the 50-year average of 11.2%. Will these trends continue in 2024?

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Image of piggy bank taking off like a rocket
Investing

November 2023 Market Review

The markets took off in November, fueled in part by a drop in intermediate/long term bond yields that served as “rocket fuel.” The trigger? Good news on the inflation front.

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Investing

October 2023 Market Review

Our nation’s propensity to spend more than we receive from tax revenues is nothing new. But its effects are becoming more apparent – including how expensive it is to borrow and the outlook for future equity and bond returns.

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