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THE RH JOURNAL
Insights and Articles


You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em - Kenny Rogers, "The Gambler"
There was no shortage of headlines this month to test investor resolve. Long-term Treasury yields climbed to multi-decade highs amid renewed concerns about deficit and inflation.
Through the first half of the year, the index has gained 8%, keeping it well on pace toward our year-end price target. As we’ve discussed throughout the year, however, the bigger story isn’t the return of the S&P 500— it’s the broadening of market leadership.

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Sep 2


Creating a planning-focused culture in a boutique wealth management firm
Guided by experienced advisors, Christian Hutchins and Jesse Brown launched an independent firm to forge deeper client relationships and grow intentionally, in partnership with Mariner Independent.

Christian Hutchins CFP®, CEPA®, AIF®
Aug 27


Déjà vu on Track
If there are two economic measures which reflect economic macro-trends better than others, they have to be GDP growth and inflation.

William Greiner
Aug 3


A new Fed, familiar market dynamics
The S&P 500 finished June down 2.9%, but still closed the second quarter with a very healthy 13% return1.
Through the first half of the year, the index has gained 8%, keeping it well on pace toward our year-end price target. As we’ve discussed throughout the year, however, the bigger story isn’t the return of the S&P 500— it’s the broadening of market leadership.

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Jul 7


Don’t worry, be happy?
Less than a month to go before “halftime” in 2026 and, so far, global equity returns are solidly good. The S&P 500 has advanced almost 11% in price through May, while the small cap laden Russell 2000 Index has surged almost 18% in price.

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Jun 5


Earnings drive the rally as risks linger
The S&P 500 finished the month of March down 5.0%, bringing year-to-date losses to 4.3%. There were very few places to hide, as
10-year Treasury yields rose from 3.96% to 4.32%, gold declined 11%, and international equities underperformed their domestic
counterparts. From a sector standpoint, energy was the only sector to finish the month with positive returns.1

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
May 4


Volatility returns as global risks rise
The S&P 500 finished the month of March down 5.0%, bringing year-to-date losses to 4.3%. There were very few places to hide, as
10-year Treasury yields rose from 3.96% to 4.32%, gold declined 11%, and international equities underperformed their domestic
counterparts. From a sector standpoint, energy was the only sector to finish the month with positive returns.1

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Apr 2


Risk Awareness and Diversification 2.0 Taking Root
The S&P 500 finished the month down 0.8%, bringing year-to-date returns to 0.7%1. During our Crystal Ball Outlook, we outlined 2026 as the year of “Risk Awareness and Diversification 2.0 (RAD)”, calling for broader leadership across the market, not just within the index but across asset classes, size and style. So far, that thesis is playing out.

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Mar 2


Déjà Vu starting to play out
Folks familiar with me know I like to use
themes when discussing my economic and capital market views. I tend to view the economy (and much else in life) in a historical context. Why? Just because this is a new year doesn’t mean we as people have radically changed our habits and processes.
We all learn from our own and other’s pasts. That’s why thematic thought processes make sense to me.

William Greiner
Feb 2


Decent Q4 makes it three straight years of double-digit returns. How about four in a row?
We wouldn’t call it a scorching Santa Claus rally, but the S&P 500 was able to hang on and post a positive total return of roughly 2.7% in Q4 2025. This put a nice cherry on top of another solid year for US equity investors. In calendar 2025, the S&P 500 recorded a gain of 17.9% to make it three consecutive years of double-digit returns. When coupled with gains of over 25% each in both 2023 and 2024, the S&P 500 has returned more than 86% from its close on December 31, 2022.

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Jan 3


The November market pause just might set the table for a profitable 2026
The S&P 500 finished November up 0.2%, bringing year to date returns to 17.8% through month end. A flat month on the surface doesn’t quite capture the experience investors lived through, as it took a late-month rally to pull the index back to where it started. Beneath the headline number, some of the year’s high-flying stocks came back down to earth, reflecting a modest rotation under the surface during the pullback. While these week-to-week gyrations make for lively dinner-t

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Dec 9, 2025


The November market pause just might set the table for a profitable 2026
The S&P 500 finished November up 0.2%, bringing year to date returns to 17.8% through month end. A flat month on the surface doesn’t quite capture the experience investors lived through, as it took a late-month rally to pull the index back to where it started. Beneath the headline number, some of the year’s high-flying […]

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Dec 8, 2025


Trick or treat: A mixed bag
October could best be described as a mixed bag: some good, some bad, but certainly eventful. The month’s headlines and market reactions once again reinforced our Clear Air Turbulence theme, as investors navigated through some spooky developments: renewed government shutdown threats, chatter about stock market “bubbles” and talk of additional tariffs that led to a rather painful single-day sell-off early in the month. Yet, when the dust settled, markets clawed back those losse

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Nov 7, 2025


Trick or treat: A mixed bag
October could best be described as a mixed bag: some good, some bad, but certainly eventful. The month’s headlines and market reactions once again reinforced our Clear Air Turbulence theme, as investors navigated through some spooky developments: renewed government shutdown threats, chatter about stock market “bubbles” and talk of additional tariffs that led to a […]

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Nov 7, 2025


The Fed Talks the Talk, Walks the Walk: Investors Embrace the Fed’s Decision
Mark Twain once said that September is a particularly difficult month to invest in stocks. Of course, he went on to comment jokingly that the other 11 difficult months included all other 30-day periods that comprise the calendar. Well, not true this September. The S&P 500 advanced over 2% for the month, and its current […]

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Oct 6, 2025


The “Center Stage” Question: To Cut or Not to Cut? Market Implications
The current market set-up and drama surrounding the Federal Reserve (the Fed) is center stage right now and about as Shakespearean as it gets. In this unfolding monetary policy play, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is seemingly cast in the role of Hamlet. Taking some license with that famous soliloquy in the actual play, the poetic […]

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Sep 8, 2025


Your Personal Balance Sheet: Prioritizing Assets vs. Liabilities
At Rolling Hills Advisors, we require all our clients to maintain a personal balance sheet—an organized summary of the assets they own and the liabilities they owe. While this is a standard requirement for publicly traded companies, many individuals have never taken the time to put it on paper. We believe this simple but essential […]

Christian Hutchins CFP®, CEPA®, AIF®
Aug 25, 2025


Cash is King
The saying “cash is king” has been around for well over 100 years—credited to author George N. McLean—and the maxim still holds true in many scenarios. But is there such a thing as too much cash?

Christian Hutchins CFP®, CEPA®, AIF®
Aug 25, 2025


Your Personal Balance Sheet: Prioritizing Assets vs. Liabilities
At Rolling Hills Advisors, we require all our clients to maintain a personal balance sheet—an organized summary of the assets they own and the liabilities they owe. While this is a standard requirement for publicly traded companies, many individuals have never taken the time to put it on paper.

Christian Hutchins CFP®, CEPA®, AIF®
Aug 25, 2025


Federal Reserve Sovereignty – An Important Issue
On July 16, capital markets went through a period of whipsaw trading as speculation emerged that President Donald Trump might “fire” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Later that day, the president stated he wasn’t going to remove Powell unless he found “cause.” Do the cost overruns tied to renovations at the Federal Reserve building in […]

Jeff Krumpelman, CFA®
Aug 5, 2025
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