The S&P 500 Total Return Index gained 8.55% for the second quarter and is up 15.25% for the year. The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 0.8% during the same quarter and is down 0.8% for the year.
The stock market’s strength during the latest quarter was driven by signs of robust economic growth and a return to more normal economic activity. The Federal Reserve Policy is now in focus as investors are expressing concern about rising interest rates and inflation.
Previous periods of market volatility have demonstrated that trying to time the market is a difficult and typically underperforming pursuit. For long term investors, simply staying invested is the most prudent investment strategy. In addition, we encourage investors to manage risk by staying in their asset allocation range and maintaining a diversified portfolio.