Capstone Investments – April 1 2026

By Bryce Pease CFP® Accredited Investment Fiduciary® Casey Morris CFP® Capstone Pacific Investment Strategies, Inc. California, Colorado, Nebraska

Here we are in late March of 2026 (as of this writing) and the headlines are looking eerily similar to those of early to mid-2025. Tariffs are in the news again due to the Supreme Court striking down the original tariffs Trump put in place in 2025, and there is once again war in the Middle East as both the U.S. and Israel have entered a conflict with Iran. 

Uncertainty is front and center once again. But here’s the part that matters: We’ve been here before. Why? Well, life has proved to us time and time again that about the only certainty we have is uncertainty. And that in itself feels scary. But it doesn’t have to. Uncertainty has and will always be here. It’s nothing new. It’s literally as old as time.

We believe it’s fundamentally critical to successful investing to separate the fact that we do not want to invest in headlines.  Another very important point to remember when it comes to successful long-term investing is that market declines are anything but rare.  They are actually the norm.  On average, we see a 20% or more decline in the broader markets once every five years.  So, for a family planning a 25-to30-year retirement, they will likely see a decline of that magnitude five or six times over the course of retirement.

As unpleasant as it sounds, it’s essential to realize that market declines are not rare events; instead, they are part of the deal. Simply put, we should expect meaningful pullbacks from time to time. They are uncomfortable. They make great headlines. But they are not abnormal.  Lastly, we know that in moments of fear and doubt, the urge to react becomes real. The thought of moving towards something that feels ‘safe’ while the storm rages is commonplace.

But we have to be honest about something. There is more than one type of risk. There is market risk, which is when the markets go down. But there is also inflation risk, when a person sits on the sidelines too long (or forever) and doesn’t have enough growth with their money to keep up with inflation. Sure, it will reduce short-term volatility. That’s true. What a person isn’t always aware of is that long-term risk of inflation quietly eroding purchasing power over years and decades. For families planning for retirement that may last 20 or 30 years, that risk matters… a lot. 

So, the question isn’t always “risk or no risk.” The question is which risk we’re choosing. Temporary market swings? Or long-term erosion of purchasing power? Every financial plan we build is constructed with uncertainty in mind. We don’t assume smooth markets. We don’t assume no downturns. We assume the opposite. We build portfolios expecting volatility, not hoping to avoid it, but our goal is to try and protect on the downside.  That’s why moments like this, while uncomfortable, are anything but unexpected.

Uncertainty will always be part of investing.  Of course, that doesn’t mean handling uncertainty is easy. 

If you’d like to know how we are reacting to the current markets, tariffs, Iran, or what we think it all means just contact us. 

Casey and Bryce  

Phone: 626-915-7006

Email : info@

capstonepacificinc.com

Investing involves risks including the possible loss of capital.  The opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.