Reviewing the 1st Quarter of 2022

It’s hard to believe we are already a quarter of the way through 2022 and what a quarter it has been.

Last week our friends at East Bay Investment Solutions published their investment commentary for the first quarter of 2022. They note that the global economy is being impacted by several items including the continuation of Covid – 19, geopolitical fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Federal Reserve tightening monetary policy to stave off inflation. These issues have made for tough markets, but volatility is normal and should be expected.

Taking a balanced approach, there are optimistic signals and reasons for caution:

The quarter was negative for both stocks and bonds, with commodities and inflation-protected bonds serving as the only bright spots. Time will tell where the markets and the economy head from here as we gain clarity on inflation, the war in Ukraine, the Fed’s policy stance, and Covid.

You can read their full Quarterly Investment Commentary – Q1 2022 here or watch a recording of their presentation below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJXUFPeet8

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