2020: COVID. Working from home. School from home. Anxiety. Stress. Protests. Shootings. Americans inciting violence against other Americans. Blue, Red, Republican, Democrat. Sometimes it feels like the chaos is too much. 

Hands down, 2020 has been the worst year I can recollect. I remember fondly how we all had great plans for 2020. On New Years Day I was crawling out of an ice cold swimming pool after taking a newly created tradition polar plunge. With a bloody mary in my hand (now warming up in the hot-tub), I was excited about my 2020 business plan, the trips we were going to take for the kids spring break and the wonderful warm nights of summer. I felt like you could taste the general optimism in the country. 

Enter COVID-19. The World Turned Upside Down. (Yes that was a Hamilton reference) 

We have now been asked to make the impossible part of our daily lives. COVID 19 has now killed over 200,000 Americans and it seems the numbers continue to click upward and when does it end? Families have been forced to decide between virtual learning or in-person and left wondering if the right choice has been made. Without listing everything you already know, the year 2020 has been flipped completely upside down, and in the middle of all of this chaos and stress we will have an election to choose the next President of the United States. 

This election year has so far been the most divisive and contentious election I have ever experienced. Is the noise in Washington D.C. translating to market volatility? This piece is a good reminder to not only tune out some of the daily noise that is all too often a tool used to sell news stories and invoke passion and sometimes even fear, but to zoom out, step back and take a macro look at things to help ground you with the big picture. I admit that I myself sometimes get caught up watching my screen as the market ticks up or down and wonder if the day will end in the red or the green. If your time horizon is longer than 1 hour, 1 day or even 1 year, then focus not on the hourly ticks but the big picture. 

Elections can bring uncertainty. Uncertainty can bring chaos and volatility. The market typically does not like uncertainty so I would expect more volatility in the coming months. 

In the daily chaotic storm we are experiencing in this country, I remain cautiously optimistic that blue skies are ahead. I was on a business call today and the gentlemen stated he thinks New Years Eve is going to be the biggest party simply because the year is ending. I believe it! If we all take a moment, take a deep breathe and focus on the macro we will all get through this year and New Years Day 2021 I plan to be dragging myself out of a freezing swimming pool, grabbing a bloody and jumping in the hot tub, planning on how awesome 2021 will be. 

Leave a comment and tell me what you think. 

I have decided to link you an article from The Capital Group. You may remember, I spent the better part of 10 years of my career with Capital Group and will always appreciate their outlook on everything from the economy to the markets and even this election.

In summary: focus on the long-term, take a deep breathe and read this excellent piece:

How elections move markets in 5 charts

If you are not having frequent conversations with your wealth or investment advisor about market strategies, investment management, or financial planning opportunities, you should be, especially in a market like this!  Momentum Private Wealth Management  specializes in Wealth Management as well as Comprehensive Financial Planning. Feel free to reach out to Austin directly at 512.416.8085 or austin@momentumpwm.com. You can also find out more information about MPWM at: www.momentumpwm.com .

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