Author: James Cox

James' firm, Devon Financial Partners, LLC, is an agency of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America®. Devon Financial Partners was founded on the principles of integrity, financial skill and commitment to uncompromising client service. We help our clients achieve optimal financial balance by addressing the underlying risk in their current financial plans. Devon Financial Partners has brought together specialists from leading regional firms to address the unique needs of our clientele. Guardian® is a 155-year-old mutual company, which means it is owned by its policyholders. As owners, policyholders share in Guardian’s actual financial results through annual dividends. Guardian has paid dividends to policyholders every year since 1868. Being a mutual company allows Guardian to invest for the future with the collective interests of all of our stakeholders in mind. The company’s focus is always on its customers and building a strong financial foundation that will serve them well today and into the future. Guardian Life is rated A++ by A.M. Guardian has received exemplary ratings from the major rating organizations. Contact information: Devon Financial Partners, 744 West Lancaster Av, Suite 235 Wayne, PA 19087 Phone 610-293-8300, Cell 215 768 5883 Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities, LLC (PAS), 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004. Securities products/services and advisory services offered through PAS, a registered broker-dealer and investment advisor, (888) 600-4667. Financial Representative, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Devon Financial Partners, LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Guardian. PAS is a member of FINRA, SIPC. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents or employees do not give tax or legal advice. You should consult your tax or legal advisor regarding your individual situation. Dividends are not guaranteed. They are declared annually by Guardian’s Board of Directors. Financial information concerning The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America as of December 31, 2014 on a statutory basis: Admitted Assets = $45.3 Billion; Liabilities = $39.6 Billion (including $34.9 Billion of Reserves); and Surplus = $5.7 Billion. GEAR no. 2015-11608 Exp 10/17

economy, income, interest rates, retirement, risk management

“Rising Prices in the Economy”: Inflation Post COVID

June 1, 2021June 1, 2021 James Cox

In September 2020 Jay Powell announced that the Federal Reserve would adjust how it reacts to inflation, one of its chief mandates, and allow inflation to run hotter for longer. The expectation is that it will be several years before the Fed raises interest rates. Traditionally, elevated rates of inflation indicate the economy is operating at full capacity and may be in danger overheating. Following the COVID recession of 2020 the Fed is trying to create a positive environment for the recovery.

In the Spring of 2021 signs of inflation are abundant. Since the fall of 2020 commodity prices had risen dramatically. Lumber prices had soared as supply constraints limited what was available, especially as housing prices went up and building accelerated. Copper surged to new record highs. Wheat, corn and other food commodities went up as the economy reopened and supply couldn’t keep up with demand.

Among tech businesses a shortage of computer chips affected the building of everything from cars to exercise equipment. “Just in time” supply chains showed increasing strain.

To top things off, a gasoline pipeline was held hostage by a ransomware attack in early May 2021. The result was gasoline shortages and higher prices throughout the east coast US.

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Climate change, economy, environment, risk management

Rising global temperatures can hurt global GDP

May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 James Cox

A study released by the science journal Nature makes the connection between the rise of global temperatures and the negative impact this can have on GDP around the world. In the study, titled “Global non-linear effect of temperature on economic production”, researchers found that “fundamental productive elements of modern economies, such as workers and crops, exhibit highly non-linear responses to local temperature even in wealthy countries.” Meaning as temperatures rise, the effect is much greater and accelerates in ways that are potentially disastrous. (1)

One of the lead authors, Marshall Burke of Stanford’s Department of Earth System Science, calls their study “the first evidence that economic activity in all regions is coupled to the global climate.”

The study continues, “If future adaptation mimics past adaptation, unmitigated warming is expected to reshape the global economy by reducing average global incomes roughly 23% by 2100 and widening global income inequality.”

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economy, interest rates, retirement, risk management

The Impact of Financial Euphoria

May 18, 2021May 18, 2021 James Cox

On a recent rereading of John Kenneth Galbraith’s “A Short History of Financial Euphoria”, he outlines common characteristics from past financial bubbles including the Tulip mania of 1637, the South Seas bubble of 1720, the various booms and busts of 19^th century America, the market crash of 1929, and the October 1987 market crash. While the financial instruments vary, the behavior of investors has many elements in common. Bubbles in financial markets have several characteristics in common.

One of the elements Galbraith cites in the financial bubbles he analyzes is the introduction of new financial instruments. Such new instruments offer the “investment opportunity rich in imagined prospects…” (p51) Added to these new instruments is the element of leverage. Leverage allows investors to capture more profit than is normally possible. However, leverage also introduces fragility into the financial system when the value of investments start to fall and leverage needs to be unwound. The unwinding of leverage leads to additional sales and additional losses. The collapse of bubbles has an “inevitable and depressive aftereffect.” (p67) Such a depressive aftereffect is manifested in weakened consumer goods demand, shaken business confidence, a fall in business investment, and a rise in business failures. The bursting of bubbles has a “substantial and ultimately devastating economic effect.” (p89)

Another critical element in the development of bubbles is psychological. “Individuals were dangerously captured by belief in their own financial acumen and intelligence and conveyed this error to others.” (p51) In this aspect, bubbles not only develop from financial innovation but especially because of psychological behaviors and characteristics.

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economy, income, interest rates, retirement, risk management

“Data Dependent” Fed Changes Course and Markets React

May 3, 2021May 3, 2021 James Cox

In the Fall of 2018, equity markets sold off.

What was the cause?

Widespread view among economists was an expectation of slowing economic growth in 2019 and a Federal Reserve led by Chairman Jay Powell that was expected to continue to raise rates three more times in 2019.

As anxiety and stress built up in November and December, markets dropped. Between October 3 and October 29 the SP500 fell 9.7%. Between October 29 and December 7 the market bounced around rising 6.5% only to give it back and to fall .3%. However, in the weeks before Christmas, December 7 to December 24 the market fell another 10.7%. Showing the rapidness of the decline, on Christmas Eve the SP500 fell 2.6%.

On Bloomberg Surveillance on April 4th, Tom Keene asked Jim Paulson “Was December the mother of all cathartic events? It was so traumatic.” Jim Paulson responded, “I don’t ever remember a December like that ever in my entire career. It was original, and I think it shocked all of us, myself included that this happened in December… But it looks increasingly like the oddity, what was incorrect and inappropriate, was the December swoon… and we may be overdid the selling more than we should have.” (2)

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Climate change, economy, environment, risk management

Climate Change, Rising Temperatures and Food Security

April 28, 2021April 28, 2021 James Cox

Increasing temperatures globally will have an impact on the economy, and especially the supply of food.

“Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century.” (1)

Temperature is a primary factor affecting the rate of plant development. Warmer temperatures expected with climate change and the potential for more extreme temperature events will impact plant productivity. (2)

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economy, entrepreneurship, income

In Memoriam, Alan Krueger and Raising the Minimum Wage

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021 James Cox

Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t easily shed tears. But I did on Monday March 18^th, 2019. For over an hour I wept.

On this day it was announced that Alan Krueger, beloved Princeton economist, had passed away over the weekend. (1)

Michael Mckee of Bloomberg said “He was one of the nicest people in economics, always willing to sit down and explain concepts to you, to talk with you, it’s a real shock…” Peter Coy continued, “If he were just a nice guy it would be one thing, but he was also a deep scholar…” McKee explained, “There are a lot of economists doing important work, but Krueger really had an enormous impact on public policy outcomes.” All concurred, “It’s a tragedy.” (3)

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health, life insurance, protection, risk management

The Benefits to a Healthy Diet: Quality of Life, Financial Security and Legacy

April 15, 2021April 15, 2021 James Cox

Its no secret that human longevity has been growing due medical advances over the past 30 years. Life expectancy in 1960 was 66 for men and 73 for women; in 2010 the average expectancy was 80 for men and 84 for women. (1)

However, in addition to longevity, one of the issues people have struggled with is a decreased quality of life in a person’s later years. Chronic diseases play a major role in limiting peoples experience and inflicting pain on the elderly and their families… cancer, strokes, dementia, respiratory, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s.

These issues not only reduce a person’s enjoyment of life but affect their financial health as well. The expenses associated with medical care and long-term care are substantial. But baby-boomers are not sitting still…

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economy, interest rates, retirement, risk management

Market Risks and the Wall of Worry

January 4, 2021January 4, 2021 James Cox

For years, one of the biggest issues facing the economy has been excessive debt and leverage. Yet even with these problems, prior to COVID-19 it was commonplace to see headlines in the financial media that read…

“Current Bull Market Continues To Climb A ‘Wall of Worry’” (1)

The “wall of worry” is one of the phrases frequently used to illustrate the resistance or fear of investors to invest in a stock market that had earlier gone down. Since the Great Recession of 2008 and the financial crisis many investors have worried about the possibility of another financial crisis.

In a 2018 conversation with clients I was asked about a recent stock market pull back and if a problem in the market… could cause another financial crisis. This was an issue that was on many people’s minds these days.

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economy, entrepreneurship, health, key man insurance, life insurance, protection, risk management

Protecting your business, and your legacy

December 29, 2020December 29, 2020 James Cox

Most business owners, CEOs and executives are laser focused on driving their business or enterprise towards success. They are responsible for preserving and expanding sales and revenue. They are responsible for hiring and firing. They are responsible to investors and stakeholders to manage risk and ensure success. They handle client relationships, research and development, marketing and IT… As leaders they wear many hats and carry a lot of weight on their shoulders.

But what happens when a CEO or leader within a company passes away? What is the impact on the business and the employees who depend on that business for their livelihood?

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economy, income, interest rates, retirement, risk management

Are Bond Yields Moving Higher?

December 21, 2020December 21, 2020 James Cox

On October 3rd, 2018 the 10-year yield moved dramatically higher increasing 3.3% in a single day. Pundits have listed many reasons for rates and bond yields to move higher… a strengthening economy, decreasing unemployment, rising oil prices signaling inflation, a Federal Reserve committed to further rate increases into 2019. (3)

These pressures had been building for some time and signaled a good economic environment.

However, there are a few factors that some view as critically important moving forward in deciding how much bond yields could move up as well as how quickly.

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