Investment Fund Performance
Q3 2023 UPDATE / October 03, 2023
Investment Update
Q3 2023 gave up gains built in Q2 2023 for the Diversified Fund and Endowment Investment Fund with the following takeaways:
- The U.S. economy remains resilient; recession worries pushed to 2024 while economic growth and unemployment continue to beat expectations
- U.S. Equity markets down 3.3% in Q2; Up 13% year to date
- Inflation Consumer Price Index at 3.7% year over year in August, up from 3% in June. Investors eyeing the increase in price of oil as a key contributor; Oil now at $93 a barrel up from $70 at the start of the quarter
- Fed signals one more 25 basis point hike by the end of the year and rate cuts possible near the end of 2024, the new term investors are using to describe the Fed’s plan looks to be “higher for longer”
- U.S. Treasury Bond Yields reach new 16-year highs with 10-year bond crossing 4.6% yields; Bonds down 3.2% on the quarter and down 1.2% year to date
U.S. stocks in the S&P 500 were down 3.3% for the quarter. Small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 lost 5.1%. International developed market stocks in the MSCI EAFE Index decreased 4.1%. Bonds in the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index were down 3.2%.
Additional Q3 comments from Wespath can be found at: https://www.wespath.com/Investor-Resources/Blog/0046
Benchmark performance will be available later this month once the Lipper Median returns are released.
| Sep. 30, 2023 Performance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| FUND | YTD | 1-YR | 3-YR |
Diversified Fund | 4.4% | 12.0% | 1.4% |
Endowment Investment | 4.4% | 12.0% | 1.4% |
Fixed Income | 1.0% | 3.6% | (3.5%) |
Fund Details – Q3 2023
Online Giving
If your church does not have the ability to receive online or electronic gifts, your members can make gifts online at https://lastinggood.org/donate/. They have the option to make a one-time gift or a recurring weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly gift for a specified time via bank account draft or debit/credit card. At the end of the transaction, there is a Message section where they can designate their gift for their church, ministry, and any special instructions. We will then forward the funds to your church to fund ministry. We do not charge a fee for this service but there is a 2.75% processing fee charged by the bank for debit/credit cards. There is no fee for bank account drafts.
Online Account Statements
If you are still receiving paper statements and would like the convenience and quicker receipt of statements, please complete the Google form here: Online Statement Request Form. Online statements are generally available on the second business day of each month. You will receive an email notification when they are available. You also have access to the previous 12 months of statements online.