Market Update 3/9/26

Market Update

Ongoing developments in the Middle East have intensified geopolitical tensions and understandably raised questions about potential implications for financial markets. Our well-constructed, broadly diversified portfolios are designed specifically for times like these—to help navigate periods of uncertainty by spreading risk across asset classes, sectors, and geographies.

We continue to monitor developments closely, but our core philosophy remains unchanged: stay invested, remain diversified, and focus on long-term objectives rather than reacting to short-term market noise.

Today’s (3/9/2026) market action is a good example of the whipsaw effects we often see during periods of geopolitical uncertainty. Oil prices moved more than 13% lower within minutes, while equity markets rebounded significantly. These rapid swings reinforce how difficult it is to time markets based on short-term events and underscore the importance of staying focused on the long-term.

Historically, geopolitical conflicts have created periods of heightened volatility and uncertainty in equity markets. However, history also shows that market reactions to geopolitical shocks have generally been short-lived, with the potential for sharp recoveries as uncertainty begins to ease.

While near-term volatility is always possible during periods of geopolitical stress, maintaining a long-term perspective has historically served investors well. Because geopolitical developments are inherently unpredictable and difficult to time, attempting to adjust portfolios based on short-term headlines can often be counterproductive. In many cases, the stock market’s strongest days occur shortly after its weakest days, and missing those strong days can be extremely detrimental to long-term portfolio performance.

Instead, we believe the most prudent approach is to remain focused on long-term investment fundamentals, maintain well-diversified portfolios, and remain disciplined in our approach to portfolio rebalancing.

We continue to believe our portfolios are well-positioned to navigate the current uncertainty while remaining aligned with the long-term objectives of our clients.

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