(770) 344-0172
(770) 344-0172
Jan 30, 2018
You see, many forecasts made by the media at the beginning of 2017 were ultimately proved wrong. The Trump administration, as volatile as it may be, was not synonymous with stock market volatility. Equally surprising to some, bonds performed better than expectations and inflation was largely kept in check. We’re not here to hand out “Fake News Awards” like President Trump, but we’d be remiss to not acknowledge the misses by many pundits over the past year. We’d be equally misguided to buy too deeply into such surface-level posturing in 2018.
Truthfully, in times like these we find solace in our approach—frustrating as it may be to readers. There’s something comforting in answering questions about the next 12 months with a calculated and informed vagueness. At Narwhal, we’re at a cozy cross-section between knowledgeable and non-committal when it comes to a market call for 2018 and that’s not new positioning. We’re happy to be in that spot. That’s home for us.
If you want a case for a bull market, we can give you that. Did you know that practically everyone—the U.S., Europe, China, Russia, etc.—bested estimates for GDP growth last year? Did you hear about these corporate tax cuts? That money has to go somewhere, right? Government spending could spur the economy through infrastructure and all of this should trickle down to consumer spending. This is all good stuff and it could all come into play.
Want to be a bear? We don’t blame you; you’re overdue! Corporations have used cheap access to cash to buy back stock and accomplish very little since the financial crisis so why would they actually deploy cash from a tax cut now? Isn’t that upside—if there is any—already priced in? Expectations have risen for the economy as a whole and represent a higher bar than in years past. Further, bullishness by some sentiment measures (like Investor’s Intelligence) is approaching highs not seen since 1987.
The newsletter can be found in its entirety here.
President
Andrew’s career with Narwhal began as an intern during the summers of 2008 and 2009. He was hired in a full-time capacity in 2011. Andrew oversees the strategic direction of the firm and enjoys a role split between portfolio management, client engagement and operations. He previously served on the Advisory Board for the Mercer University Student Managed Investment Fund and completed the Charles Schwab Executive Leadership Program as a member of the 2019 class. Andrew and his wife Amanda live nearby in Marietta with their two kids.
At Narwhal Capital Management, you’re more than just a portfolio, and it’s not all about the numbers. Let’s start with a meeting about your needs and future goals.
