Our Quarterly Insights

FALL 2026

OPTIVEST INSIGHTS

AROUND THE OFFICE

■ Supporting The Shea Center. Leslie and Fred attended The Shea Center’s sold-out Annual BBQ & Family Faire in San Juan Capistrano. The J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center is a local nonprofit that enhances the lives of individuals with disabilities through therapeutic horse-related programs. The evening brought supporters together for a BBQ dinner, family activities, and inspiring rider demonstrations and stories, all in support of the center’s work.

■ Out in the community. In September, we joined the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the Catalina Island Conservancy for their NHM Fellows & Leadership Circle evening, “Celebrating the Channel Islands.” It was a wonderful night, learning about the work being done to protect one of California’s most remarkable natural treasures, just off our own coastline.

■ A new addition. Matt and his family welcomed Gummy, a fluffy orange kitten, into their home this fall. He has already claimed the couch and everyone’s hearts.

The Shea Center's Annual BBQ & Family Faire

A night among the dinosaurs

Welcome home, Gummy!

ECONOMIC & MARKET OUTLOOK

2026 has been the year the script flipped. A war-driven disruption in the Strait of Hormuz — which carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil — sent energy prices soaring and pushed inflation back up. In response, the Federal Reserve reversed course and raised interest rates in September, and many economists expect more increases by year-end. We think that’s the wrong medicine.

WHAT THE S&P 500 ISN'T TELLING YOU

The stock market set new records in the third quarter, and for many investors the headline numbers looked reassuring. The S&P 500 gained 2.3% for the quarter and was up nearly 13% through September. A closer look shows a market that is being carried by a small group of very large companies, most of them tied to technology and artificial intelligence.

GIVE TODAY, GRANT FOR GENERATIONS

Most charitable decisions get made in December, in a rush, with a tax deadline looming. A donor-advised fund (DAF) changes that. It lets you take the tax deduction now, when it helps you most, and then decide where the money goes over months, years, or even generations. Think of it as a charitable savings account with your family’s name on it.

"Legacy is not what I did for myself. It's what I'm doing for the next generation."

Vitor Belfort