June 13th, 2022 officially marks the S&P 500 reaching bear market territory (a decline of 20%) from its previous high that was achieved earlier this year in January, but it had flirted with this level in mid-May several times. Almost six full months into 2022 and the global markets - bonds and stocks alike - have witnessed double-digit declines. One of the few sectors positive for the year is energy - driven in a significant way by the war - yet the impact to most consumers has resulted in higher inflation, higher out-of-pocket costs for most goods, and paying prices north of $5.00/gallon at the pump. Not ideal!
Some considerations on these topics for your review can be found here - as always, we welcome your feedback.