At the beginning of the year, Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s chief investment officer, projected slow but sustained growth for 2019. While markets have been volatile, leading many to worry that the end of the recovery is near, the upward trend has continued.
Now, Brad examines several factors that could impact where we’re headed for the remainder of the year:
- The fundamentals driving the economy, including job growth and business investment
- The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy
- Political risks at home and abroad, including the trade war and Brexit
This expansion cycle has been longer than usual, and the supporting trends are starting to show signs of weakness. But most indicators still point to a continuation of what we experienced in the first half of the year: slow but steady economic growth and moderate market appreciation.