Your Money

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates at the fastest clip since the 1980s, a regional banking crisis felled Silicon Valley Bank, and war broke out in the Middle East. The perfect backdrop for a stock rally? Apparently so.

The S&P 500 finished the year up over 25%, a hair shy of its all-time record back in January 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced over 15% to top 37,000 for the first time. And, a mania surrounding artificial intelligence and big technology stocks sent the Nasdaq Composite soaring nearly 45%, its best year since 2020.

Yet, half the sectors in the S&P500 had negative returns in 2023, and it may still be too early to declare a win over inflation. The extreme pessimism from a year ago has now moved to extreme optimism. At PRESERVE, we remain cautiously optimistic investors with an emphasis on portfolio diversification: stocks and bonds, companies large and small, foreign and domestic, public and private.

• Broad Market (S&P 500):  +11.7% 4Q  |  +26.3% last 12 months
• Small Companies (Russell 2000):  +14.0% 4Q  |  +16.9% last 12 months
• International Stocks (EAFE):  +10.5% 4Q  |  +18.9% last 12 months
• Emerging Markets (MSCI EM):  +7.9% 4Q  |  +10.3% last 12 months
• Bonds (Barclays Agg): +6.8% 4Q  |  +5.5% last 12 months

Personal video statements will begin going out next week.

U.S. stocks end a topsy-turvy year near records, defying bearish predictions
by Gunjan Banerji

Your Life

You’ve seen thin people from afar and think, “Wow. They look great. I wish I could be that thin.” Well, what you see is not always what you think it is. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important, but it should not be confused with being physically fit. Simply being thin does not protect you from health conditions related to a sedentary lifestyle. Fitness is key. (Strength training is particularly important for women, especially as we age.) As a matter of fact, studies show that even being overweight, the metabolically fit have no higher death risk than those who are fit and maintain a normal weight. This does not mean you need to abandon your weight loss goals if you are overweight. Maintaining a healthy weight puts less stress on your bones and joints and can improve energy levels. However, fitness should be your goal regardless of your body weight.

Does Thin Mean Fit?
by Lori Rice

Complexity Simplified

Trivia