Summary – Quarterly Newsletter – 4th Quarter 2013

January 17, 2014

The broad US stock market was up 33% last year. Developed international stocks were up 22%. Other asset classes did not fare nearly as well. Bonds were down 2% — one of the worst years on record. Emerging markets and commodities were also down. Real estate and hedging strategies were flat or slightly positive.

At the end of the day, most investors had a good year, but because most of us have a mix of investments, very few earned portfolio returns near the US stock market return.

US equity values appears slightly elevated. Will there be a pullback? Yes, of course. The real question is when. Rather than trying to guess that date (an impossible task), we direct our energies into constructing asset allocations for our clients that are meant to achieve long-term growth, but have some measure of downside protection when markets turn.

This newsletter discusses the importance of asset allocation, how they are constructed, how they work, and why you should use one.

You should be aware of the relative mix of investments in your portfolio and make sure it is consistent with your objectives, risk tolerance, and investment horizon.

For the full version of the newsletter, please go to our website: www.LewisWM.com

Austin Lewis