Twenty-nineteen was a banner year for most asset classes and fixed income was no different. Broad bond market annual returns, as measured by the US Aggregate Bond Index, were the third highest in the last 20 years and occurred even with rates at relatively low levels.

Despite having its challenges, 2019 was extremely kind to equity investors. When we take a step back and think about the year, it is a stern reminder not to get caught up in the over-sensationalized media and concentrate on company and industry specific fundamentals.

2019 proved to be an exceptional year for investors, as all major asset classes posted positive returns, led by strong equity markets on the back of continued economic growth and easy money.

After four years of discord in Washington D.C., the 2020 elections are at hand – and could bring changes for the economy and policy.

U.S. equities didn’t waiver as fears of a weakening consumer were cast aside, the Fed remained firm on their monetary policy stance and investors may want to look to Europe for opportunity, this and more in this month’s CIO note.

With the Fed concluding their "mid-cycle adjustment" and the U.S. economy showing signs of new life, risk markets are poised to perform well through the remainder of 2019.

As of the end of the September quarter, the S&P 500 price index was up almost 19% year-to-date. While impressive, it is the result of calendar timing following the substantial decline last December. The trailing twelve-month price return is 2%. The sideways move in the market is consistent with the sideways move in earnings per share (EPS) since the June quarter 2018.

The record U.S. expansion continued its advance in the just-completed quarter, although economic growth does appear to be weakening more than what was expected just a few months ago. A key risk to the outlook in our view, is that the slump we are seeing in the manufacturing sector spills over to the consumer.