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We're an independent advisory firm with access to a flexible and innovative investment model that takes into account unique alternative investments.

10/30/2026

Happy Halloween from all of us at Oakwater! 👻

Whether you're trick-or-treating, handing out candy or hiding from the doorbell, we hope your weekend is spook-tacular.

10/15/2026

Headlines move markets day to day. Fundamentals move them over years.

That difference matters more than usual right now, as investors weigh mixed signals across the economy heading into the fourth quarter.

Wes Ashton, Senior Portfolio Manager at Oakwater, will bring that lens to our next webinar, Navigating Today's Markets. He'll cover where we're seeing strength and weakness across markets, and which trends and turning points could matter most for investors in the months ahead.

🗓️ Wednesday, October 21
⏰ 1-2pm PT (4-5pm ET) on Zoom

Save your spot: https://info.oakwaterwealth.com/harbourfront-live-update-october-21-2026

10/13/2026

Mixed signals on growth, inflation and consumer spending make it harder to see where markets actually stand.

On Wednesday, October 21, Wes Ashton hosts Navigating Today's Markets, a one-hour webinar on what's driving the economy heading into year-end.
• What's Shaping the Economy: Growth, Inflation & the Consumer
• Inside the Markets: Where We're Seeing Strength & Weakness
• The Road Ahead: Trends, Turning Points & What They Could Mean for Investors

Register here: https://info.oakwaterwealth.com/harbourfront-live-update-october-21-2026

10/12/2026

Some of the best conversations we have all year don't start with markets.

They start with grandkids, a first retirement trip, a cottage that's finally paid off, or a family business getting ready to change hands.

This Thanksgiving, our team is grateful for the clients and families who share those plans with us. We manage your wealth alongside our own, so what matters to you matters to our families too.

Wishing you a warm, unhurried long weekend. 🍁

09/30/2026

Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

We honour the survivors of residential schools, the children who never came home, and the Indigenous communities still healing from their impact.

Reconciliation is ongoing. It starts with listening.

09/28/2026

There has been a lot happening in the markets this week, with investors balancing the latest developments in the Middle East, the UN meetings in New York, interest rates, and the ongoing strength of the economy.

Yet despite all of that, markets have continued to move higher. The Nasdaq reached a record high earlier this week, while the S&P 500 remains close to its own record. At the same time, longer-term Treasury yields have remained elevated, reflecting the market's continued focus on inflation, government borrowing and where interest rates ultimately settle.

That is an interesting backdrop given the amount of uncertainty in the world.

The meetings at the UN this week have put geopolitics back in focus, particularly the conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine. But there have also been some more constructive developments.

There is also an important development in the US-China relationship. President Trump and President Xi Jinping are meeting as the two countries look to manage their broader economic relationship, with trade and tariffs likely to be important areas of discussion. They have also agreed to extend their existing trade truce into January.

That does not mean the underlying differences have been resolved. Trade, technology, Taiwan and other issues remain on the agenda. But the extension of the truce is constructive. A return to escalating tariffs between the world's two largest economies would create another headwind for businesses and investors, while greater stability gives companies more certainty around trade and investment.

We have seen a similar dynamic with oil this week. Prices initially fell as investors saw some possibility of progress in Middle East negotiations, before rising again as those hopes faded. Brent crude moved back above $100 a barrel on Wednesday.

That matters because higher energy prices can put upward pressure on inflation and, in turn, interest rates. The Federal Reserve has already raised its benchmark rate to 3.75% to 4.00%, and persistent inflation remains an important consideration for policymakers.

Markets have demonstrated an ability to look through uncertainty when the underlying economy and corporate earnings remain supportive. That has been one of the more encouraging developments this year.

As we look toward the balance of 2026, there will undoubtedly be more developments to digest. The important question is whether they change the underlying economic picture.

The UN meetings may not tell us where markets will finish the year. But they are reminding us what markets will have to navigate to get there.

For now, the resilience we are seeing in markets is worth paying attention to.

09/21/2026

This week, we're circling back to something that has been particularly relevant in the markets and economy: interest rates.

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 0.25% this week, bringing its target range to 3.75% to 4.00%. It was the first rate increase since 2023, reflecting the Fed's continued focus on bringing inflation back toward its 2% target.

But there is another interest rate worth watching.

The 10-year US Treasury yield has recently moved above 5%, a level we have not seen since 2007.

At first glance, that may seem surprising. If the Fed controls interest rates, why is the 10-year yield so high?

The answer is that the Fed controls short-term rates, while longer-term rates are largely determined by the bond market. The 10-year yield reflects expectations for inflation, economic growth and future interest rates, along with the compensation investors require to lend money over a longer period.

That distinction matters because the 10-year Treasury influences much more than the bond market.

Longer-term Treasury yields are an important reference point for borrowing costs throughout the economy. Fixed mortgage rates, corporate borrowing costs and other forms of longer-term lending are influenced by where longer-term bond yields are trading. When the 10-year yield rises, the impact can eventually extend beyond investment portfolios and into household finances and business investment.

There are several reasons longer-term yields have moved higher. Inflation remains above the Fed's target, economic activity remains relatively resilient, government borrowing remains substantial, and there is uncertainty about where interest rates ultimately settle.

For investors, the bigger takeaway is that we may need to get comfortable with a world where interest rates remain meaningfully higher than they were for much of the past decade.

That is not necessarily a bad thing.

Higher yields create more attractive income opportunities for bond investors and can improve the long-term return potential of fixed income. At the same time, higher rates place greater importance on valuation when investing in equities and other risk assets.

This is why we continue to focus less on predicting exactly where rates will go and more on understanding what the current environment means for portfolios.

The 10-year Treasury may not make for an exciting headline, but it is telling us something important: the era of exceptionally low interest rates may be behind us.

That is an important change for investors to understand.

09/15/2026

Markets are at a crossroads this fall, and the decisions you make now matter. 💡 In our upcoming webinar on September 16, Wes Ashton will cover key risks and opportunities shaping the economic outlook, from rates and valuations to the forces driving sentiment. Don't miss it.

Save your spot: https://info.oakwaterwealth.com/harbourfront-live-update-september-16-2026

09/14/2026

Wes Ashton shares his perspective on The Importance of Having a Written Financial Plan.

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Over the past few weeks, I've shared my thoughts on the issues dominating the headlines, from inflation and interest rates to trade and geopolitics. Each can have an impact on markets, and they are all worth paying attention to.

But this week, I wanted to step back and focus on something even more important: having a written financial plan.

I often compare it to going to the grocery store.

My wife might send me to the store with three or four things to pick up. I leave the house confident that I'll remember everything. Twenty minutes later, I'm standing in the aisle trying to remember whether it was three things or four. More often than I'd like to admit, I end up calling her.

If I can't reliably remember a short grocery list, why would I expect anyone to keep something as important as their financial future in their head?

A financial plan should be more than a collection of numbers or a retirement projection. It should provide a framework for making important decisions over the years ahead.

That includes understanding how much you can comfortably spend, when to draw cash and from which accounts, when to begin government benefits, how to structure retirement income, how taxes may affect your decisions, and whether your estate plan reflects your wishes.

It should also show how your investment portfolio fits into the bigger picture.

This becomes particularly important when markets are noisy. Interest rates can change, economic data can surprise, and a new headline can quickly shift sentiment. Without a broader plan, short-term developments can easily influence long-term decisions.

A written plan provides perspective.

Instead of asking what the latest headline means for your portfolio, we can ask a more important question: has anything actually changed about your long-term objectives?

Fidelity's 2026 Retirement Report found that 86% of pre-retirees with a written financial plan and an advisor feel more financially prepared for retirement, compared with 41% of those without either.

This is one of the reasons wealth planning is central to the work we do with families. Our process brings together cash flow, retirement income, tax, estate planning and investment strategy, so that decisions are made in context of the bigger picture.

A financial plan is not meant to predict the future, but to prepare for a range of possible futures and provide a framework for good decisions when circumstances change.

Markets will rise and fall. Interest rates will move. Economies will expand and contract. Headlines will continue to compete for our attention.

A financial plan should transcend all of that.

It keeps the focus on what matters most: where you are today, where you want to go and the decisions that help you get there.

And unlike my grocery list, it should be written down.

If you have questions or comments about your situation, please don't hesitate to reach out.

09/09/2026

Where do the economy and markets stand heading into fall? Join our Senior Portfolio Manager, Wes Ashton, for a live webinar as he breaks down the current state of growth, inflation, and employment, what's driving investor sentiment, and how to stay positioned for what's ahead.

🗓️ September 16 at 1:00 PM PT

Register now: https://info.oakwaterwealth.com/harbourfront-live-update-september-16-2026

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