July 16, 2015
In
Market Commentary
When Much Ado Can Be Something
Since joining Coldstream in December, I have been dubbed the resident bear of our Investment Strategy Group (ISG) – not an easy brand to carry when you first come through the door. Though, to be honest, when it comes to the prospect of this current bull market, I tend to be rather “Eeyoric” compared to my more optimistic counterparts. Perhaps it is appropriate, then, that my turn to scribe a market update came just as the quarter end became – shall we say – entertaining.
Coldstream Capital Management has been named one of Washington’s 100 Best Companies to Work For by 
As you may have heard, Greece missed a $1.7 loan billion payment to the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday. While this event and the closure of the Greek banking system are dominating news coverage this week, a $3.9 billion bond payment due to the European Central Bank on July 20 is much more important to world markets, since failure to pay would put Greece into a formal state of default. The situation remains extremely fluid, with developments coming nearly hourly. It is unlikely that current negotiations will lead to an agreement prior to a scheduled July 5 referendum, which will indicate whether the public will accept further austerity in order to stay in the Eurozone. Since the current government was elected on an anti-austerity platform, it may collapse if the referendum passes or if a deal on further spending cuts and tax increases is struck in the meantime.
Coldstream continues to grow in exciting ways, and we are proud to welcome seven new members to our team. Four of these newcomers will join our Private Client Services (PCS) teams. Rachel Borsini arrives to Coldstream from an independent financial planning and investment firm in Seattle. She holds a BA in Economics and Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Puget Sound. Formerly an interior designer, Lacey Lopez brings with her both a unique creative approach and over five years of finance experience. Most recently, Lacey worked with Merrill Lynch as a Client Associate. Brian Plowman joins us with five years of experience from Bank of America and a BA in Finance from Washington State University. Carrie Troy brings with her over 20 years’ experience in financial analysis and a BS in Mathematics from California State University, Northridge.