Our perspective on recent market volatility
With markets reacting to developments in the Middle East and oil prices moving higher, we wanted to briefly share our perspective on what is happening and how we are thinking about the situation.
On the 10th day of Christmas, Joanna Pate, our Associate, nominated Parachute for Pets.
Why? Parachute for Pets is a Calgary charity involved in supporting vulnerable populations with appropriate services to maintain a strong relationship between them and their animals. Their mission is to understand and celebrate the human-animal bond and proactively work toward building strong community support systems to protect the connection between people and their animals.
When you donate, you have a few choices to select from:
“I have chosen the donation to be directed towards Pet Food Hampers and Vet Care for Seniors and Veterans,” said Joanna. “As a lifelong dog owner, I understand how strong the bond is between an owner and their pet.”
“Senior citizens and veterans rely on their pets to be their constant companion, providing unconditional love and mental health support. In some situations, pet ownership gives purpose to take much needed walks and keep up a regular exercise routine. Unfortunately, with the rising cost of living, some individuals relying on their fixed income might be forced to consider giving up their beloved pets. That’s when Parachutes for Pets steps in to give them a helping hand and keep their pets in the loving household without any interruptions.”
Please follow along on our LinkedIn page and our website as we highlight a new charity every business day until December 22nd.
From the entire team at the Baun & Pate Investment Group, we wish you and your family a very Happy Holiday Season and Prosperous New Year.
With markets reacting to developments in the Middle East and oil prices moving higher, we wanted to briefly share our perspective on what is happening and how we are thinking about the situation.
Markets are not pricing that reality. Investors still treat the AI build-out as marginal cloud spend or another overhyped software cycle. They debate whether Big Tech is “exhausting its available capital” or whether capex “must mean revert,” as if infrastructure were optional and competition courteous. They are using valuation models from the wrong century for the wrong game.
We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and were able to enjoy some quality time with friends and family. As we begin the new year, we wanted to share a brief update on how markets finished the fourth quarter, reflect on the strong results from 2025, and outline our outlook for the year ahead.
Historians are likely to regard Donald Trump’s presidency as a pivot—as significant as any in U.S. history comparable to the Jacksonian turn, the New Deal, or the Reagan Revolution. Yet Wall Street remains strangely somnolent, pricing in neither the durability nor the depth of what is unfolding.
We have some exciting news to share with you. After much thought and reflection, Baun & Pate Investment Group has a new name: Aspire Wealth Partners.
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