It’s my first day back from vacation, and I’m thinking I should take time off more often. Not only did we get some great posts here from my colleagues (thank you, all!), but my absence apparently allowed markets to hit new all-time highs. With investors getting excited, many expect the run-up to continue, despite the fact that I am now, metaphorically, back in the office. Sentiment is increasingly positive, and the fear of missing out is becoming a powerful driver for nervous investors to get back in the market. But should they?

Brad here. Today we’ll get an update on the municipal bond market from Nick Follett, manager of fixed income on our Investment Management and Research team. Over to you, Nick.

Brad here. With so much unknown in our world, it seemed the perfect time to discuss how to position a portfolio for uncertainty. Today, Christ Stuart, a senior investment research analyst on our Investment Management and Research team, will do just that. Take it away, Chris.

Brad here. Today's post on the growing disparity we're seeing between growth and value stocks is brought to you by Peter Roberto, an investment research analyst on Commonwealth’s Investment Management and Research team. Take it away, Peter.

Brad here. Today’s post on the recent volatility of the U.S. dollar comes from Anu Gaggar, senior analyst on the Investment Management and Research team here at Commonwealth. Take it away, Anu.

Not too long ago, Brad wrote that the dollar is not going away. While that may be true, we are seeing considerable volatility in its value. What’s going on—and what does it mean for your investments? Of course, there is no crystal ball to answer such questions, but we can certainly take a deeper dive to better understand what is happening and how to deal with it.

The good news is that the second wave of infections looks to have peaked and turned back down in the past two weeks. Case growth is down significantly from the peak, and the case growth rate has ticked back down to the lows seen in mid-June. Two weeks ago, we discussed the peak of the second wave, and this decline is the next step. The data indicates that, in most states, outbreaks are being contained.

We’ve reached that point in the election cycle where I've started getting questions, from both sides, about the effect of the upcoming election on the markets. “Surely,” the question goes (and note that it is not really a question), “if Candidate X wins, the market will tank for the following reasons . . .”

Brad here. In today’s post, Sarah Hargreaves, an investment management analyst on our Investment Management and Research team, discusses whether the coronavirus pandemic has pushed sustainable investing to a tipping point. Over to you, Sarah.

Brad here. Today, Rob Swanke, an analyst with Commonwealth’s Investment Management and Research team, takes a look at the benefits and the risks of preferred stock as a source of yield in a portfolio. Over to you, Rob.

Brad here. Today's post on why the stable value fund is becoming a more common investment option in retirement plan menus comes from Michael Geraci of Commonwealth's Retirement Consulting Services team. Take it away, Michael. 

In today’s uncertain economic environment, interest rates have declined, and the Fed has expressed its commitment to keeping them low. This environment has put pressure on money market funds yielding close to 0.1 percent, which has affected those retirement plan participants seeking preservation of capital. Many of these same participants are close to retirement and cannot afford to lose a significant portion of their retirement portfolios, but they’re also seeking returns to keep pace with inflation.