Economic Overview – November 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF Summary: Figure 1. Inflation
Market Commentary – November 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF Recession looms – But “it’s always darkest before the dawn”1 Overview After recording their worst first half in more than 50 years, US stocks fell 4.8% in the third quarter bringing the full year decline to 24.9% (see Figure 1, below) before an October rally pushed the S&P 500 […]
Advocacy & Impact – July 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF Proxy Season 2022 Yields Two Majority Votes First Affirmative filed nine proposals this year, and we are pleased to report significant outcomes. Of the four proposals that went to a shareholder vote, two achieved majority support and two garnered over 30%. We were also able to withdraw three proposals […]
Economic Overview – July 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF GDP Returns to Trend, Surging Inflation, Open Jobs, and Consumer Confidence Wanes Summary: GDP had recovered from the COVID pandemic. However, current indicators – consumer confidence, surging interest rates, hiring slowdowns – may presage a recession. Watch out for high inflation and its effects on a generation that has […]
Market Commentary – July 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF What’ll it be? Soft Landing, Stagnation, Hard Landing, or Stagflation “History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but it often Rhymes.” – Mark Twain Overview Stocks recorded their worst first half in more than 50 years, with the S&P 500 plunging 20.6% (see Figure 1, below). However equity valuations have become more […]
ESG Investing: Building A Sustainable and Socially Responsible Investment Practice with Theresa Gusman
Listen on Apple Podcasts The Weighing Machine with Rusty Vannemann, CFA CMT Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing has grown in popularity as people become more aware of sustainable and responsible investing. Investors are increasingly interested in companies that are offering values-aligned investing and want to incorporate socially responsible investing into their portfolios. In this episode, […]
Advocacy & Impact – April 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF The Stars Align for a Blockbuster Proxy Season We are delighted to report that concerns that a new SEC rule designed to restrict shareholder proposals on ESG issues have been overshadowed by overwhelming evidence that efforts to restrict the shareholder voice have backfired. A changed landscape at the Securities […]
Market Commentary – April 2022
Click Here to View Full PDF Nowhere to Hide “It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn who has been swimming naked.” Warren Buffet Overview Remember when…The S&P 500 advanced 27% in 2021, at year end the US 10-year Treasury yield was 1.5% and regular gasoline cost $3.28/gallon, and the COVID pandemic was […]
Advocacy & Impact – January 2022
2021 Annual Engagement Review Engagement Overview Click Here to View PDF First Affirmative’s proxy voting record continues to reflect our steadfast support for a just, sustainable economy, but the big news in proxy voting for 2021 is what other investors are doing! Investor support for key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) proposals has been slowly […]
Economic Overview – January 2022
Click Here to View PDF Overview: The past few years have tested the resilience of humanity. This test does not appear to be over, as evidenced by global GDP growth, which has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Figure 1. Real US GDP While normalcy has yet to return to most countries globally, it appears […]
