Insights

4th Quarter 2021 Market Outlook

In our research, we expect supply chain issues will impact the North Pole in 2021.  The Elves are working to make chips for video games, plastics for toys and rubber for bicycle tires.  With unemployment paying more than Santa, many Elves are slow to return to work. Ships with parts and screws for assembly lines are backed up in the North Pole port. Shipping across the globe is affected by labor shortages. Unloading containers is taking longer than usual. Reindeer pulling sleighs from the port are demanding more pay.

If you plan on giving your kids Christmas presents, you may want to order the gifts earlier than Black Friday as shortages continue.

What will the end of 2021 look like for the financial markets?  In the third quarter, the markets showed mixed results. The S&P 500 still squeezed a gain for the quarter of .58%.  This is not the high-flying performance we have seen in recent quarters. It came with volatility.  The DOW and NASDAQ finished slightly lower for the quarter. 

Santa’s issues are not isolated.  Investors are wary of supply chain issues, rising inflation, ongoing virus concerns and difficulties finding labor.  Despite these challenges, we see opportunities.  We remain confident in long-term planning and diversification.

On the Personal Side:

My home is filled with strange noises. The sounds of laser beams, spaceships exploding, chomping on ghosts and yells of joy and disgust come from our basement.  The addition of an old Galaga arcade game to our basement has led to frequent time-hops to the 1980s.  I’ve found the old, nostalgic arcade games are as addictive for adults as they are for children.  Evan holds the highest scores in both Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga. She also yells the loudest while playing.    

What is the perfect gift for our 16th wedding anniversary?  Nobody would recommend taking Evan to a financial conference to celebrate this milestone.  On Friday, Evan and I traveled to Miami for our first financial conference since 2019.  Sounds romantic, right? 

Lila is living her best 7th grade life.  I am happy to report she does not take part in the TikTok antics encouraging children to vandalize their schools.  She has a cell phone but tends to not even bring it along with her most of the time.  She loves dance at a new studio.

Amelia shares her older sister’s passion for dancing.  I grew up with brothers. Hearing my daughters practice their routines together is a completely foreign experience to me. It is one of the small joys I have learned to appreciate about being a father.  When Amelia is not looking, I like to casually spy on her guitar lessons.  Her sweet voice belting out Wagon Wheel is a site to behold. 

As for me, I’ve found peace and quiet in my growing obsession with fly fishing.  The bulk of this fishing happens in the pond behind my home where I catch and release the same 2-ounce blue gill.  I think I am also developing a bit of patience considering the time I have spent untangling knots. 

On the Business Side:

Since the pandemic began in 2020, almost everyone in the financial profession focused on improving their own technology.  By design, we have long been leaders when it comes to technology.  During the pandemic, we took a different approach. We hired great people to serve our clients.  Despite nationwide hiring challenges, we added five new members to our team. It is a win for our refined hiring process and culture.

Our financial planner Ben deserves some recognition. In November, he will sit for his CFP® Certification.  He has been studying diligently for more than a year.  It is not an easy feat when you have a toddler at home.

Kam keeps our operations running smoothly.  She is on track for her Series 7 certification by early 2022 after passing her SIE exam in September.

Clients continue to compliment Anna’s ability as a jack-of-all-trades.  Her skills range from helping clients through our online portal to fixing fuses on our bus. She does it all with a smile.

Chris is our newest hire and is doing a complete career change.  He joins us from WFMY News 2 where he was a television reporter.  He is adjusting to the financial world and learning the way we help people.  His enthusiasm is infectious, and you may hear from him from time to time.

For better service, we ask you call the office directly at 336-540-9700 or email us at [email protected].

We have been working hard to create a more comfortable, simplified financial planning experience.

Social Media:

We want to connect with you more via social media.  Let’s connect on LinkedIn, follow my channel on YouTube or  follow my page on Facebook. We will be posting regularly on our blog as well, so be sure to check it out for personal finance advice, market insights and more.

Introductions:

We have the honor of working with families through a few generations.  This process takes patience with family members having different financial situations and concerns.  With the holidays approaching and families gathering, keep us in mind if we can be of assistance.  Wealth is built over generations and planning well can improve long-term financial outcomes.  If you have not spoken with your parents about their financial situation, now may be a great time to begin.

Online Access:

If you have already set up your account and would like to access your accounts, click here.

The Bus:

The bus has been out and about! People have been used certificates won in non-profit auctions, attended football games and hosted private events.  If you would like to use the bus, email [email protected] to For more information visit www.whythebus.com.

Featured Blog Post:

This past quarter MLI did a deep dive with Executive Stock Options.  Throughout the years we have seen stock options remain an enigma for many CPAs, attorneys, executives and other financial professionals.  We created a way to analyze them and put together a blog post.

Fourth Quarter Outlook:

Taxes, taxes, taxes.  If you spend any time watching the news, you will see plenty of updates from Washington, D.C. about taxes.  Congress delayed the debt ceiling until December 3rd. Congress is scheduled to close its last session of the year on December 10th. We expect the final answer to include higher capital gains and a higher maximum tax rate.  We will keep you updated on changes impacting you.

Further, we expect the residential real estate market and financial sector to stay strong.  Consumer spending should also remain strong if supply chains can meet the demand.  Inflation should continue the recent trend as employers increase wages to compete for top talent.  Vaccination rates are slowly rising and should serve to lower the spread of COVID-19, experts predict.  With widespread booster shots being administered, we hope the widespread death toll will be lower than last year.

For a more in-depth look dive into Fourth Quarter 2021 Markets, click here.

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

With gratitude,

Matt Logan

“The S&P 500 is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries.”

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 significant stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ.”

The NASDAQ Composite Index includes all domestic and international based common type stocks listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a broad based index.”.

“The views stated in this piece are not necessarily the opinion of Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and should not be construed directly or indirectly as an offer to buy or sell any securities. Due to volatility within the markets, opinions are subject to change without notice. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Past performance does not guarantee future results.”.

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