Skip to main content

What's Driving the Recent Stock Market Volatility?

January 2016 was a particularly difficult month for equity investors, with the major U.S. equity indices in correction territory. China's economic slowdown and negative earnings in the energy sector are the most commonly cited factors for the possibility of a global economic slowdown.

This paper, What's Driving the Recent Stock Market Volatility?, provides retirement plan fiduciaries and investors insight into the stock market volatility, including:

  • the role of China and the energy sector as market drivers; 

  • "dashboard" metrics showing where equity investors should focus their attention in 2016; 

  • an analysis of the long-term relationship between corporate earnings trends and S&P 500 Index performance; and 

  • an overview of the price/earnings (P/E) ratio and how much investors are willing to pay for those earnings. 


If you have any questions about this paper, or would like to begin talking to a trusted advisor, then please get in touch by calling (800) 388-1963 or e-mail us at hbs@hanys.org.

Popular posts from this blog

Innovative employee retention strategies: 9 fresh ideas

Employee engagement and retention are pivotal in every sector, but they carry even more weight in the not-for-profit space, where resources are often limited. High turnover can be both costly and disruptive, impacting productivity and damaging morale. In an era of workforce evolution, to effectively retain their top talent, organizations must explore innovative employee retention strategies that go beyond conventional methods.  Engaged employees are distinguished by their higher productivity, motivation and loyalty, and they are more likely to stay with a company for the long term. Gallup recently updated its research article, The Benefits of Employee Engagement , finding that "low engagement teams typically endure turnover rates that are 18% to 43% higher than highly engaged teams."  In addition to turnover, disengaged employees negatively impact a company's financial health, with turnover costs averaging six to nine months of the departed employee's salary, accordin
Read more

Executive disability income protection program: C-suite FAQ

Implementing a comprehensive risk management strategy is imperative for C-level executives and senior management at HANYS member hospitals. One critical, but often overlooked component, is the executive disability income protection program. But what exactly is this program and why is it vital for high-income earners?   With increasing interest in executive disability income protection programs from C-suite executives, TruePlan Benefit and Retirement Advisors interviewed Bernard A. Gleeson, Director, Employee Benefit Services on Executive disability income protection programs FAQs.  What is an executive disability income protection program?  An executive disability income protection program (EDIPP) is a specialized form of disability insurance designed to supplement existing group disability plans offered by employers. These individual plans provide additional coverage beyond the typical monthly maximum benefit cap found in traditional employer-based offerings. By overlaying on top of g
Read more

Employer Q&A: What is Financial Wellness?

There is a significant gap between employees and employers regarding financial wellness programs, according to the Harvard Business Review . “80% of employees report being financially stressed. Only 28% of employers offer financial wellness programs,” the article states.   Similarly, Forbes highlights a 2023 Transamerican Institute study showing that 77% of workers consider financial wellness programs an important benefit.  With so much research on the need for these programs, what should employers do?  The first way employers can bridge this gap is to learn what financial wellness is and how it can improve an employee’s overall being. In this short Q&A, we introduce the topic and offer some essential tips to get started.  Q1: What is financial wellness?  A: Financial wellness refers to the sense of security a person feels about their financial situation in all aspects of their life. It means having control over day-to-day finances, being prepared for emergencies and having a plan
Read more