Fourth Quarter Market Review

Sloy, Dahl & Holst, Inc. releases its fourth quarter market review

PORTLAND, OR, February 16, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Reminiscent of 2011, last year was nearly a non-event in the end. The S&P 500 was essentially flat, finishing approximately 0.75% below where it started 2015 (+1.38% total return, including dividends). Throughout the year there were certainly a few winners, but there were many areas of the global markets that struggled. Among the best performers, were Consumer Discretionary, Health Care and Technology stocks; all finishing in positive territory. Other sectors such as Financials, Utilities and Materials were negative for the year. The Energy sector trumped all, finishing negative more than 23%, as oil prices per barrel slid to the low $30's.

With extreme volatility in the third and fourth quarters, this year was challenging for investors. Again, it felt very similar to 2011. If you practice a diversified investment philosophy and look to buy value, you did not finish in positive territory in 2015. Too many sectors of the global markets were negative. In our opinion; many of those investment opportunities, however, have simply yet to play out. We saw the exact same story leading into 2012 and those who remained patient were rewarded.

Listed below are year-end returns for five major indexes;

BarCap US Agg Bond: + 0.55%
S&P 500: + 1.38%
Russell 2000: - 4.41%
MSCI EAFE (Europe): - 0.81%
MSCI EM (Emerging Markets): - 14.92%

We believe there are very clear opportunities within Financials, Technology, Energy, Health, Europe and the Emerging Markets being presented. We also believe it's very likely that continued patience will be required to have a successful year in 2016. It is important to remember good investment opportunities are rarely realized immediately, even if instant gratification is something we seek.

The S&P 500 has now been the leader for six years. It trailed other major global indices half way through 2015, but once volatility in China picked up it again regained its place at the top. We will almost always have the majority of our equity positions within the U.S. However, we're looking for new leadership from international markets in the coming years. Keep in mind; the S&P 500 was negative for a decade, from 2000 - 2010. Global diversification is very important over the long-term.

As always, please feel free to contact us directly if there's anything we can do to help. We hope you had a wonderful and safe holiday season.

Happy New Year!

Sloy, Dahl & Holst, Inc.

About Sloy, Dahl & Holst

Sloy, Dahl & Holst, Inc. is a registered, full-service financial advisory firm dedicated to our clients' financial achievement. As a boutique investment house, we tailor every investment portfolio we manage to meet each client's specific goals.

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