Press Releases

Dynamic Wealth Speaker Series Greg Dahlman

Quarterly conference focuses spotlight on the dominant dollar, possible Fed rate hike and sluggish global economy

MIAMI (November 18, 2015) - The ever-changing market – and navigating its peaks and valleys – was the focus of a recent and exclusive conference hosted by the Coral Gables Trust Company (“CGTC”), a leading provider of wealth management and trust services in South Florida.

Organizers of the CGTC-founded “Dynamic Wealth Speaker Series” welcomed dozens of business owners, community leaders and clients to the quarterly luncheon event at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, which featured an informative presentation, “Navigating Through The Current Market Volatility,” by Greg Dahlman, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager of Wisconsin-based Dana Investment Advisors.

Dahlman, who oversees equity portfolio management and securities analysis, gave an in-depth look at the marketplace, its key drivers and the impact of foreign economies. Topics covered included:

• The Dominant Dollar: The U.S. dollar has strengthened significantly against world currencies over the course of the last year.
• Money managers believe the stock market will be able to handle the subsequent effects of a possible raise in interest rates by the Federal Reserve; however, the remaining concern is that it will further strengthen the U.S. dollar, which could, in effect, slow the growth rate of the U.S. economic output – especially in the face of a teetering global economy.
• The U.S. health care industry is “on fire” and showing strong signs of growth, while, by contrast, the domestic energy sector has been hit hard in the wake of the decline of oil prices. Investors who are willing to invest in energy companies now may get a bargain if they hold onto the stocks for the long-term, but we do not expect a quick turnaround of the sector.
• Large companies are increasingly buying back shares in order to increase their earnings per share. In fact, the biggest demand for corporate stocks is coming from the corporations themselves. Some are taking advantage of low interest rates to borrow money in order to conduct these buybacks, which could be dangerous in the long-term if interest rates increase and they are unable to pay back their debt.
• With numerous mergers and acquisitions occurring, tax inversion is an issue. Companies are acquiring domiciles abroad which allow them to operate outside of the U.S. and pay lower tax rates.
• A major issue facing companies today is the stringent regulatory standards primarily in banking. While larger companies can afford to bring in strong compliance departments to meet these regulatory demands, smaller companies are unable to compete.

“It was an honor to have welcomed Greg (Dahlman) to meet with our clients as well as our team, all of whom greatly benefited from his insightful analysis of the market,” said James W. Davidson, Chairman of the Board, President and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Coral Gables Trust Company.

“These kinds of enlightening sessions – and in such intimate settings -- are fundamental in today’s evolving economy,” added John W. Harris, Managing Director, Coral Gables Trust Company. “It sets us apart to be able to bring our clients this kind of in-depth input on topics that are of particular interest to them, their families and their businesses.”

The Dynamic Wealth Speaker Series, which was initiated in 2013 by CGTC, is a recurring invitation-only event that offers insight into unique topics effecting the market. Other notable speakers and topics have included Linda Deusel from Federated Investors and Kathy jones from Schwab Fixed Income. The next edition of the Dynamic Wealth Speaker Series is scheduled to take place in January 2016.