The S&P 500 Total Return Index finished up 8.93% for the quarter and is up 5.57% for the year. The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 0.62%% for the quarter and is up 6.72% for the year.
This has been a historically volatile year for the stock market. Investors are clearly focused on the spread of the COVID‐19 pandemic and the effect on the global economy. In addition, the U.S. election is sure to increase the level of anxiety for most investors, even though we typically view political events as having limited long term effects on market performance. Previous periods of market volatility have demonstrated that trying to time the market is a difficult and typically underperforming pursuit, compared with simply staying invested. Our experience leads us to believe that it is usually best to stick to the investing plan developed with your advisor when markets were calm.