Investment | Baird's St. Louis Office

Investing should be easy – just buy low and sell high – but most of us have trouble following that simple advice. There are principles and strategies that may enable you to put together an investment portfolio that reflects your risk tolerance, time horizon, and goals. Understanding these principles and strategies can help you avoid some of the pitfalls that snare some investors.

Inflation and Your Portfolio

Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.

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Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.

Inflation and the Real Rate of Return

Learn about the role of inflation when considering your portfolio’s rate of return with this helpful article.

The Business Cycle

How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?

Understanding The Fed’s Highwire Act

How do you choose between low unemployment and low inflation?

All That Matters: Weathering a Storm

Mike and Ross discuss how to navigate market storms while keeping your long-term financial goals in focus.

Five for Friday – March 6, 2026

Ross looks at how war affects the market and gas prices – and then touches on recent signs that economic activity is up.

In the Markets Now: 2,025 Things for 2025

Ross presents 8 themes heading into the new year, provides perspective to investors, and has a little fun with arithmetic.

The Difficulty in Calling a Market Top

Trying to “time the market” is both highly risky and incredibly difficult.

Diversification: The "Free Lunch" of Portfolio Building

While diversification doesn’t guarantee against loss, it is often a successful long-term strategy.

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What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

$1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

Jane Bond: Infiltrating the Market

Agent Jane Bond is on the case, cracking the code on bonds.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

Should You Invest in Exchange Traded Funds?

There are thousands of ETFs available. Should you invest in them?

Investments

You’ve made investments your whole life. Work with us to help make the most of them.

The Business Cycle

How will you weather the ups and downs of the business cycle?

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Articles

In the Markets Now: Labor Day Labor Market Update

Ross checks in with wages vs. inflation, job-hugging, and which industries gained jobs in the last year.

In the Markets Now: Scattered Thoughts on Gold

Gold is up 110% over two years — why, and why now?

Best-Performing Asset Classes

Bonds may outperform stocks one year only to have stocks rebound the next.

You've Made Your Career Move - Now What?

With a little planning, you can avoid leaving money on the table as you switch jobs.

Even Now, There Are Reasons To Own Bonds

Common wisdom holds that when stocks go down, bonds should go up – but what if they both go down at the same time?

Some Things Are Just Too Hard

How is landscaping like investing? For Baird’s Mike Antonelli, they’re both things he’s happy to leave to the professionals.

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Videos

Are Alternative Investments Right for You?

With alternative investments, it’s critical to sort through the complexity.

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

All about how missing the best market days (or the worst!) might affect your portfolio.

The Fed and How It Got That Way

Here is a quick history of the Federal Reserve and an overview of what it does.

From Boats to Brokers

From the Dutch East India Company to Wall St., the stock market has a long and storied history.

What Can a Million Dollars Buy You?

$1 million in a diversified portfolio could help finance part of your retirement.

The Rule of 72

Do you know how long it may take for your investments to double in value? The Rule of 72 is a quick way to figure it out.

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