As I sit in Warsaw writing this, a few hours drive from the Ukrainian border, it does feel that the world is in a very uncertain place. What is not uncertain, is the fact that the response from the people here in Poland to the flood of refugees has been absolutely incredible. All around, people are using their time, talent and treasure to help; I feel very proud to be able to call this place home.
Of all the 25 years that I have been a financial adviser, 2020 goes down as the most challenging so far. To be fair, a large part of the reason for that is that it is still so fresh. In reality, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the financial crisis in 2008/2009 were probably equally challenging. However, the passing of time has lessened their impact on my psyche.
The upcoming US presidential election is my 7th as a professional financial adviser. If I have learned anything from the previous 6, it is that, despite the protestations of many to the contrary, no one has a clue how markets will perform, react or move in the coming weeks. They may go up, they may go down, they may even stay the same.