In the Eye of the Political Storm: Navigating Your Portfolio From Week to Week"
The intersection of politics and investing often feels like a high-stakes poker game. Emotions run high, predictions abound, and everyone has their “ace in the hole.” As a wealth management firm, we serve a wonderfully diverse client base. Our philosophy remains clear: steer neutral in politics, but focused on purpose—to preserve and grow your wealth, regardless of who’s in the Oval Office.
Lately, our phones have been buzzing with two distinct questions:
This split reflects the challenge of forecasting short term outcomes in a world full of unknowns. But here’s the reality: timing markets based on political sentiment is rarely a winning strategy.
For example, this past week (ending January 24, 2025), the stock markets took a bumpy yet generally upward ride:
So, what’s the lesson? Week-one winners weren’t those with a crystal ball but those who stayed the course or rebalanced thoughtfully. Remember, one week doesn’t make a year, and the next week may always reverse course—but reflecting on our actions can teach us a lot about the value of discipline and strategy.
The truth is investing is less about reacting to headlines and more about sticking to a sound plan. Staying invested, rebalancing when appropriate, and working with a partner who helps you weather stressful times can make all the difference.
As we move from one era of political uncertainty into another and monitor evolving market conditions week to week, we’re here to guide you. Let’s focus not on what we can’t control (DeepSeek AI, tariffs, and headlines, etc.), but on what we can: building a strategy that stands the test of time and being opportunistic when the market throws opportunities our way.
At Members’ Wealth we are well into client annual updates or have them coming up on the calendar. If you have yet to have yours scheduled, now is a great time to reach out to get it on the calendar. There is no shortage of topics to talk about. Go Birds! (disclosure, we said politically neutral…)
Investment advisory services offered through Member's Wealth, LLC, a registered investment advisor. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. The S&P 500 index is designed to be a broad based unmanaged leading indicator of U.S. equities and is meant to reflect the risk/return characteristics of the large cap universe or representative of the equity market in general. The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) is an American stock market that handles electronic securities trading around the world. The Russell 2000 index is an index measuring the performance of approximately 2,000 small-cap companies in the Russell 3000 Index, which is made up of 3,000 of the biggest U.S. stocks. The Russell 2000 serves as a benchmark for small-cap stocks in the United States. Visit www.russell.com/indexes/ for more information regarding Russell indices. The MSCI EAFE Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the US & Canada. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, is a broad base, market capitalization-weighted bond market index representing intermediate term investment grade bonds traded in the United States.
Dane Czaplicki is CEO of Members’ Wealth, a boutique wealth management firm that offers a comprehensive approach to serving individuals, families, business owners, and institutions. The firm’s goal is to preserve and grow its clients’ wealth to endure over time, while thoughtfully evolving its strategy to suit an ever-changing world. With over 20 years of wealth management experience, Dane and the Members' Wealth team thrive on bringing clarity and confidence to clients' unique situations. He believes everyone needs sound financial advice from someone whose interests are aligned with theirs, and is determined to put service before all else.
Dane received his MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and his bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University. Outside work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, hiking and camping, reading, running, and playing with his dog. To learn more about Dane, connect with him on LinkedIn.
To get in touch with the Members’ Wealth team today, I invite you to email info@memberswealthllc.com or call (267) 367-5453.
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