Used car buyers have received an unwelcome crash course in supply and demand over the last two years. As new car production cratered, consumers flush with cash and low-cost financing looked to the used market as an acceptable substitute, pushing prices through the roof. With new car inventory inching up, and higher financing rates poised […]
Are bonds still worth it?…
Dropping bond prices have recently caused anguish for many investors, especially since bonds are usually held out as the less risky part of a balanced portfolio. With the U.S. bond market losing more than 9% so far in 2022, it’s natural to wonder if bonds are still holding up their end of the bargain. Over […]
Tales from a Rooftop Solar Shopper…
Installing solar panels has been a goal since I bought my home in 2019. As my little ranch house is a classic 1971 fixer upper, my solar dreams have gotten shelved somewhere between asbestos abatement and eradicating carpenter ants. This changed for me in August with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report that we’re […]
Sowing the Seeds of Disruption…
Over the last two years, six out of 10 of the world’s largest food companies have set goals to increase regenerative agriculture in their supply chains. Regenerative agriculture refers to practices aimed at replenishing topsoil levels, improving soil health, and sequestering carbon. Examples include planting cover crops to reduce soil erosion and fertilizer use, mixing […]
Everyone Wants ESG, But What Is It?…
The Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing industry has exploded over the last decade. The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment reports that there are now over $17 trillion in U.S. assets managed via a strategy that incorporates some kind of ESG information. There is great appeal in the idea that ESG performance can be […]
Silver Linings…
There has been no shortage of COVID-related bad news lately, especially if you google ‘Emerging Markets.’ Four of the top five virus hotspots are in developing countries. Industries crucial to many emerging economies are among the worst hit: tourism has been all but cancelled; low demand for oil and other commodities persists. Even with more […]
ESG 101…
Investing has never been an industry to shy away from buzzwords and acronyms, especially when it comes to a hot new trend. For those of you interested in the increasingly popular sphere of socially responsible investing (SRI) – a broad term representing a wide variety of strategies that consider not only financial return but social […]
Ghost In The Machine…
Often, components essential to the functioning of an engine work so smoothly they stay hidden until something breaks. Then again, sometimes we will ourselves to drive on even after being warned about faulty parts. Over the last six weeks, we’ve experienced a whiplash of selling and buying across bond markets. First, prices dropped with the […]
Decision-Making Under Stress…
Ongoing uncertainty about COVID-19 may have you feeling stressed-out and unsure of how to proceed with the decisions of daily life, both big and small. Know that you are not alone – stress brings predictable changes to the areas in the brain responsible for logical decision-making for most of us. Research shows that when we […]
Why so Negative?…
When you lend money to the government by buying a Treasury bond, it’s an investment and not a favor. You expect to get back more than you put in, in the form of interest, in order to compensate you for a multitude of risks and the loss of use of your money. This makes recent […]
Vermont City Marathon Fundraiser – May 26, 2019
Hanson & Doremus employees and friends were excited to participate in the Vermont City Marathon. The event was held in Burlington, VT on Sunday, May 26, 2019. Those in attendance are pictured below. From left to right – Hannah, Xin, Alma, Rob, Madeline and Art (in back)
Spelling Bee Champion
Local executives competed in teams to support the Burlington Sunrise Rotary Club and our local-focused literacy program – Imagination Library. The program delivers free books to local children from birth to age six. It’s been a while since any of us participated in a Spelling Bee. How did we do? Our very own Liz Ford […]
