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Article by Paul Schott April 8, 2025
Watching the gyrations in the stock market in the past couple of weeks has been an uncomfortable experience for many investors — particularly those near or at retirement banking on their 401(k).
After President Donald Trump announced on April 2 a sweeping round of new tariffs, a rout over the next two days on Wall Street erased more than $6 trillion of market value. Despite the turmoil, a number of financial professionals in Connecticut are urging investors to put the situation in perspective and remain focused on their long-term objectives.
“The market turmoil is a reaction to uncertainty,” said Raymond H. Bovich, a chartered financial analyst who is a partner and wealth manager at Wooster Square Advisors LLC, a wealth management firm based in New Haven. “A significant policy change has been announced, and the markets are digesting the news, trying to sort out what the ultimate impact would be. And it’s resulting in this volatility.”
The performance of the S&P 500 index, a bellwether of Wall Street’s health, highlights the recent turbulence. It plunged 6% last Friday as it closed its worst week since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was hammering the global economy.
More ups-and-downs followed Monday. A false rumor that Trump was considering a pause in tariffs boosted markets for a short time before the White House repudiated those unfounded reports, which was followed by a precipitous drop. The incorrect information was spread in large part through social media.
By the end of trading on Monday, the S&P 500 had dropped another 0.2%. At that point, it was down 17% from the all-time peak that it reached on Feb. 19. The recent downturn put it near the threshold for a bear market, which is generally defined as a prolonged decline in stock prices in which one of the major indices falls more than 20% from a high. Conversely, a bull market refers to rising asset prices or the expectation of increasing prices in financial markets.
“This is not comfortable,” said Daniel J. Friedman, CEO of WMGNA Tax-Out Financial Solutions, a financial advisory firm headquartered in Farmington, of the current situation. “But you’re going to be OK, even if you’re not feeling OK.”
As part of their reassurances to investors, wealth managers are emphasizing that the stock market continues to generate significant long-term gains. At the end of trading on Monday, the S&P 500 was still up about 80% over the past five years. Two other major stock indices, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite, have risen, respectively, by about 60% and 90% during the past five years.
“Equities are really the place to be over a long period of time,” said Brian Moss, a chartered financial analyst and CEO of Soaring Capital Management, a Darien-based wealth management firm. “The markets are a bit like the ocean tide, and it’s natural for them to ebb and flow.”

Stock indices’ upward trajectory over the long term has demonstrated their ability to withstand a range of pressures, Bovich said.
“It’s not my first crisis, it’s not my first bear market,” Bovich said. “I was here for COVID, the great financial crisis, the tech bubble and the stock market crash of 1987. The markets and the economy are all about adaptation and evolution. And that’s what’s happening now.”
Investors can adapt by keeping faith in tested strategies, Bovich noted.
“These experiences are a gut check for people,” Bovich said. “You review your investment objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. Are they still accurate or do they need to change? And then you review your investment selections. Are these still the right investments for you?”
Investors can also navigate upheaval in the stock market by doing a comprehensive assessment of their finances, including a review of their ability to weather a potential recession, Friedman said.
“Make plans so that you don’t have to dip into things that were meant for the long term, for the short term,” Friedman said. “That also means having some sort of handle on your cash flow, expenses and debts — the kinds of things we should be doing all along.”
pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
Written By
Paul Schott is a business reporter at Hearst Connecticut Media, writing about the issues affecting small- and medium-sized businesses and large corporations based in southwestern Connecticut, with a focus on Stamford and Greenwich. He previously covered education for Greenwich Time and general assignments for Westport News.
Soaring Capital’s latest research regarding Navigating Trump’s 2025 Tariff Policy.
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I had the opportunity to sit down with the former US National Security Advisor John Bolton and retired four-star US Marine Corps General James Jones at the Yale Club of New York on October 11, 2023.
It could not have been a more opportune time to meet with them.
Gaining insights from someone with John Bolton’s and James Jones’ national security expertise is invaluable for assessing geopolitical risk and its potential market impacts. With tensions escalating globally, they provided sobering views on how this instability could influence the economy and financial markets.
The backgrounds of Ambassador Bolton and General Jones are impressive:
John Bolton – Mr. Bolton was the US Ambassador to the UN and US National Security advisor under President Trump. Bolton held national security positions under both Bush Presidents and served as Assistant Attorney General under Reagan. He has decades of foreign policy experience at the highest levels. He has met with Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, Angela Merkel, Benjamin Netanyahu and many other global leaders.
James Jones – General Jones is a retired four-star general. He reached the highest levels in the Marine Corps and in national security. He served in Europe as the commander of United States European Command (EUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appointed Jones as a special envoy for Middle East security on November 28, 2007, to work with both Israelis and Palestinians on security issues.
What is happening geopolitically now has huge implications for the economy and markets today and in the future.
The terrible events that unfolded in Israel and now in Gaza this week are the result of a web of religious, economic and territorial disputes that date back centuries. These issues have up until recently largely been kept at bay and had shown some signs of improvement. In fact, the US was close to brokering a deal that would normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Now all of this has been thrown into question.
The map below is a good representation of the regional ties to Israel. Many countries are not friendly to Israel.

The following points were made by Ambassador Bolton and General Jones:
It is too early to tell what the the financial impact of this conflict will be. However, the markets have a tendency to “see through” most geopolitical conflicts and somewhat disregard them. That is, unless the conflict will have lasting and/or large global effects.
So far we have seen predictable moves in markets such as energy, gold and the US Dollar. Below are some charts that visually show these market moves:




Thank you Ambassador Bolton and General Jones for sharing your insights on this ongoing conflict. My hope and prayer is that a solution can be found in the short term to prevent further bloodshed.
The tragic thing is, as I research the history of this crisis, the same cycle of violence seems to repeat itself over and over without meaningful progress. The 2014 Gaza War had many of the same dynamics, resulting in thousands of deaths on both sides yet no real steps toward peace. While I try to remain optimistic, it is tempered by the lack of advancement.
At the end of the day, despite our differences, we are all people of this world who care for our families and wish to live in peace. I continue to pray that a just and lasting peace may come someday soon.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe we could see real peace in the Middle East in our lifetimes? Or are we doomed to see this pattern of conflict repeat indefinitely? I welcome any insights you might have on how the international community can break this cycle and help foster stability and cooperation. Please share your wisdom, as dialogue and understanding are badly needed.
This research note is for illustration and discussion purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed or used as, investment, tax, ERISA or legal advice, nor any recommendation of, or an offer to sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy, an interest in any security. Advisory Services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Soaring Capital Management, LLC and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Soaring Capital Management, LLC unless a client service agreement is in place.
Pro-forma portfolio illustrations shown are represented gross of advisory fees and expenses and presumes the reinvestment of investment income. Any descriptions involving investment models, statistical analysis, investment process and investment strategies and styles are provided for illustration purposes only. Client investments will vary based on the unique goals, objectives and other factors. No representation or warranty is made that any Soaring Capital Management, LLC investment portfolio, process or investment objectives will or are likely to be achieved or successful or will make any profit or will not sustain losses. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
The information contained herein is as of the date indicated, is not complete, is subject to change, and does not contain all material information, including information relating to risk factors. Any assumptions, assessments, intended targets, statements or the like (collectively, “Statements”) regarding future events or which are forward-looking in nature constitute only subjective views, outlooks, estimations or intentions, are based upon Soaring Capital’s expectations, intentions or beliefs, should not be relied on, are subject to change due to a variety of factors, including fluctuating market conditions and economic factors, and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, many of which cannot be predicted or quantified and are beyond Soaring Capital’s control.
Future evidence and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying these Statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance and no representation given that these Statements are now or will prove to be accurate or complete in anyway. Soaring Capital undertakes no responsibility or obligation to revise or update such Statements.
Return targets or objectives, if any, are used for measurement or comparison purposes and only as a guideline for prospective investors to evaluate a particular investment program’s investment strategies and accompanying information. Targeted returns reflect subjective determinations by Soaring Capital based on a variety of factors, including, among others, investment strategy, prior performance of similar products (if any), volatility measures, risk tolerance and market conditions. Performance may fluctuate, especially over short periods. Targeted returns should be evaluated over the time period indicated and not over shorter periods. Targeted returns are not intended to be actual performance and should not be relied upon as an indication of actual or future performance.
This research note is not intended for distribution to or use by any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.
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The Darien Chamber of Commerce has appointed Brian F. Moss, CFA, Founder and CEO, Soaring Capital Management, LLC to its Executive Board of Directors.
In addition to providing leadership as an Executive Board Member, Mr. Moss will serve in a fiduciary capacity as the Treasurer of the Chamber overseeing all financial aspects of the organization.
The Chamber Board of Directors governs all executive functions. The Chamber is an active force in the development and promotion of Darien’s business community. They provide a wealth of resources and support for new and existing businesses, visitors and tourists, current and relocating residents to the area, and the general public.
Mr. Moss is the Founder and CEO of Darien, CT based Soaring Capital Management, LLC. Soaring Capital is a private wealth management firm that applies decades of experience and passion for investing to help high net-worth individuals and entities plan, manage and grow their wealth. The firm is a registered independent advisor that is 100% commission free. Mr. Moss has worked with some of the largest investment firms such as the predecessor to Union Bank of Switzerland and a group that spun-off from JP Morgan, Inc. Additionally, Mr. Moss has gained insights from working with prominent US families including an investment firm that was purchased by the Forbes Family Trust.
The firm has a keen focus on managing global, high performing, appropriate investments and tax mitigation strategies and ensuring clients’ estates and are in good order.
Outside of Mr. Moss’ business practice, he is an active volunteer at Person-to-Person where he delivers food to needy families in Fairfield County. He is also a active member of the local CFA (Chartered Financial Analysts) Society where is a frequent speaker. Mr. Moss has also been quoted in Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.
Corporate Contact:
Brian F. Moss, Founder & CEO
Soaring Capital Management, LLC
+1-203-969-5193
Media Contact:
Ken Berlack
Soaring Capital Management, LLC
kberlack@soaringcapitalllc.com
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Most Americans with retirement investment plans or other investment portfolios will not look back fondly on the first half of 2022.
In the past six months, capital markets have been shaken by economic disruption and uncertainty driven in large part by surging inflation and rising interest rates. Highlighting the upheaval, the bellwether S&P 500 index finished the first half of the year with a loss of more than 20 percent after starting the year at an all-time high — marking its worst start to a year since 1970.
Amid the turmoil, a number of Connecticut wealth managers said that they are advising their clients to not panic and stay focused on their long-term goals.
“It’s obviously been a horrendous market environment with a lot of volatility,” Brian Moss, founder and chief executive officer of Soaring Capital Management, a Darien-based private wealth management firm, said in an interview. “But my clients have been taking it in stride.”

Widespread losses
The market volatility reflects investor anxiety and uncertainty amid an acute rise in interest rates as the Federal Reserve and other central banks have grappled with the highest inflation in more than 40 years.
The Fed has raised interest rates three times this year, with last month’s increase of three-quarters of a percentage point comprising the largest hike since 1994. Higher rates can lower inflation, but they also slow the economy — and raise the risk of a recession.
On June 13, the S&P 500 fell into a bear market. As of last week, it was 21 percent below its Jan. 3 all-time high and had returned to its level in early March 2021.
“Clients obviously are concerned about market behavior,” Donovan Wildgoose, a Bank of America Private Bank managing director for the southern Connecticut region, said in an interview. “What they’re speaking to us about and sharing concerns about is really around their long-term goals and wanting some reassurance about whether those goals are still intact or is there anything we need to be doing to make sure they remain on track. It really is an interesting time.”
Bonds, an ostensibly reliable fixture of investment portfolios, have also faltered — reflecting investors’ concerns about inflation diminishing the purchasing power of bonds’ fixed payments. Investment-grade bonds were down about 11 percent during the first six months of 2022. Such a decline is even more conspicuous because of its infrequency. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Index, a widely used benchmark, has posted only four losing years since 1976.
Cryptocurrencies have not provided a haven from the market turmoil either. Bitcoin plunged from nearly $69,000 last November to below $20,000 last month, partly because of the same factors that hammered stocks: inflation and higher interest rates.
“Pretty much all my clients understand that markets go up and markets go down and that we can’t control a lot of these factors,” Moss said. “I also have had a lot of potential clients calling me very concerned, saying ‘What do I do?’ or ‘I’ve lost so much money, and am I ever going to get it back? Will I ever be able to retire?”
If a recession hits, Moss does not expect it to be severe. He also believes the current disruption could soften the impact of such a downturn.
“You’ve seen the markets somewhat already take their losses in anticipation of a recession,” Moss said.
Investors should brace themselves for more headwinds, but not act rashly, according to many experts.
“It looks to me like a ‘stagflation’ kind of environment,” Ray Dalio, founder of Westport-based Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, said in a recent interview with CNN’s Richard Quest. “Individuals have got to know what does that mean. For example, interest rates and debt instruments that they’re holding will not have a real return that’s adequate. In other words, not enough earnings to compensate for inflation.”

Dalio added that, “If people start to think in terms of buying power and realize that cash instruments and debt instruments are going to be a challenge and try to diversify their portfolios, those would be the main headlines I’d convey.”
Wealth managers are also urging clients to keep faith in long-term strategies.
“If we look at the market’s behavior in the past when we’ve experienced these types of corrections and pullbacks, history has shown us over and over again that an investor who sticks with their plan ultimately will benefit by participating when the market recovers,” Wildgoose said. “Emotion is the enemy of long-term returns.”
Moss is similarly encouraging his clients to take a long-term view of the markets. He said that the soundness of Soaring Capital clients’ investment portfolios has been proven by them declining by an average of only 10 percent in the first half of 2022, compared with the 21 percent drop in the S&P 500.
“You need to be balanced, diversified and allocate with a lens toward potential downside, not just upside,” Moss said. “To cite Wayne Gretzky’s famous quote: ‘Skate to where the puck is going, not where it is.’”
This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.
pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
Written By
Paul Schott is a business reporter at Hearst Connecticut Media, writing about the issues affecting small- and medium-sized businesses and large corporations based in southwestern Connecticut, with a focus on Stamford and Greenwich. He previously covered education for Greenwich Time and general assignments for Westport News. Paul welcomes readers’ ideas and suggestions and strives to cultivate a robust dialogue with Hearst Connecticut Media’s audience.
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Connecticut lost more than 5,000 jobs in finance and insurance in 2008 as it reeled from the financial crisis.
About 15 months since the coronavirus pandemic started to disrupt the state’s economy, the sector’s job losses have totaled less than one-third of that amount.
Financial services’ relative resilience in the past year has helped stabilize Connecticut’s economy, whose employment levels have plummeted in other sectors such as leisure and hospitality as a result of pandemic-sparked restrictions. The sector’s steadiness also demonstrates that there is a large number of industry professionals who still see their long-term future in the state, a commitment reinforced by flexible workplace arrangements.
“I was able to navigate the process of starting the firm without too much friction,” Brian Moss, a Darien resident who last year launched a private wealth management firm Soaring Capital, said in an interview. “This is a trust business, and we were so used to seeing people and interacting with clients and prospects in a physical way. But everybody became accustomed to having a virtual coffee. I can do a virtual coffee with five people versus two in-person in a day. In many ways, it is much more efficient.”

Limited job losses
Between March 2020 and March 2021, finance and insurance’s employment dropped by 1.7 percent, or a total of 1,700 positions, according to the state Department of Labor. On a percentage basis, nearly every other industry lost more jobs. Overall, the state’s employment declined 6.1 percent in that period.
The sector’s limited job losses in the past year reflect stable headcounts at industry heavyweights, such as Stamford-headquartered Synchrony, the country’s largest private-label credit card provider. In the fourth quarter of last year, Synchrony had about 740 Stamford-based employees, unchanged from the number in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to data from the Stamford Office of Economic Development.
Financial-services professionals have benefited from their industry’s compatibility with remote working during the pandemic. Last October, Synchrony announced a new policy allowing employees to permanently work from home.
The industry has also gained from the federal stimulus packages of the past 15 months, according to a number of economists.
“There could’ve been a lot more stress on the financial sector if Congress had not authorized the support programs of late March and early April of 2020, which allowed a lot of companies of all sizes to avoid bankruptcy,” said Lawrence J. White, a professor of economics at New York University.
Job cuts in financial services have also been contained in the past year partly because many of the sector’s powerhouses had already undergone overhauls many years ago. Banking multinationals RBS and UBS have cumulatively reduced their Connecticut headcounts by several thousand positions since the financial crisis.
A total of about 101,000 worked in finance and insurance in March compared with an average of about 123,000 in 2007, according to the labor department.
Despite the pandemic’s disruption, Moss was determined to push on with his new firm. With Soaring Capital, he is focusing on clients such as “high net worth” individuals and families and other groups such as foundations and trusts.
“The three phases of my career have been traditional investing, risk management and then (investing) alternatives,” said Moss, a chartered financial analyst and 30-year veteran of Wall Street. “With the business, I’m really trying to blend the three of those.”
Moss is Soaring Capital’s only employee and works from home. The firm has two advisers and uses consultants to help with technology and “special” projects. Moss said that he is looking to bring on interns from the Yale School of Management or Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business and plans to make additional hires to keep up with client demand.

Bruce McGuire, president of the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association, said that he was not surprised that new firms such as Soaring Capital had launched in the past year. He sees the rise of remote working as a major factor.
“There is a great deal of wealth in Fairfield County. Many of the professionals here work in service-related fields such as finance, which pivoted better than most during the pandemic,” McGuire said. “I keep hearing from Wall Street friends that they will never again commute into New York City five days a week.”
Local and state elected officials see financial-services firms such as Soaring Capital as vital contributors to the state’s economy.
“Historically, there has been a concentration of Darien residents in the financial-services sector,” said Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson. “Since the Great Recession, we have seen greater diversification of employment sectors, but financial-services employment remains strong. Experienced wealth managers like Mr. Moss and his team can play a pivotal role in family wealth preservation and maximizing asset growth — a very important goal for our residents and business owners.”

While Connecticut remains a global hub for financial services, it has perennially faced competition from other areas for those jobs.
In recent years, officials from states such as Florida have tried to lure Connecticut-based businesses, with their lower taxes figuring prominently in those pitches.
“The New York metro area is still the finance capital of the country,” McGuire said. “If you are fortunate enough to be the boss and have the desire and ability to relocate your legal residence to Florida — or Texas — there isn’t much that Connecticut can do to prevent it. I expect that the state income tax is here to stay, and that it’s more likely to go up than down. The day when the entire firm moves south, however, still seems a long way off to me.”
To reduce the risk of major exits, Connecticut has provided subsidies tied to targets for retaining and creating jobs. Through the First Five Plus program launched under former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Westport-based Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, qualified for a loan, grant and tax credits amounting to $52 million. Greenwich-based investment management giant AQR Capital received a loan and grant totaling up to $35 million.
At the same time, the state’s quality of life solidifies the commitment of many industry professionals such as Moss. He and his family have lived in Darien since 2010, and his 14-year-old and 12-year-old children are students in the town’s public-school system.

“You have to really love where you live,” Moss said. “We’ve got great schools here. And there’s the coast and the proximity to New York City. There’s just a lot to offer here.”
pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
Written By
Paul Schott is a business reporter at Hearst Connecticut Media, writing about the issues affecting small- and medium-sized businesses and large corporations based in southwestern Connecticut, with a focus on Stamford and Greenwich. He previously covered education for Greenwich Time and general assignments for Westport News. Paul welcomes readers’ ideas and suggestions and strives to cultivate a robust dialogue with Hearst Connecticut Media’s audience.
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]]>April 14, 2021, Darien, CT – Soaring Capital Management, LLC, an independent, registered investment advisory company that provides conflict-free, objective investment advice, announces its launch today as a new company.
Soaring Capital, founded and led by Brian Moss, CFA, a 30-year veteran of Wall Street, aims to provide access to global niche alternative and traditional investment opportunities to individuals, families, trusts and business owners.
As an independent firm, Soaring Capital has the ability to deploy capital across a wide range of investments including niche, un-correlated and opportunistic investments such as hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, direct deals, tax-efficient opportunity zones, digital assets, art lending and more. Many of these investments are not available through banks and other financial advisory firms.
“Soaring Capital was founded with the promise to help clients grow and protect their wealth using modern, cutting-edge investment methods, techniques and technologies,” said Brian Moss, founder and CEO of Soaring Capital. “More important than the tools and technologies that we employ is the judgement and market knowledge that we bring. With our years of experience working on Wall Street, we bring a unique, expert and long-term global perspective to investing.”
Soaring Capital provides a range of services, including:
“First and foremost, Soaring Capital is a firm that cares about its clients and seeks to go the extra mile for each and every one,” said Moss. “We are true fiduciaries, which legally requires us always to do what is best for our clients. We earn no commissions from product sales and we only do better if our clients do better. We are passionate about seeking differentiated market opportunities, capturing alpha and helping clients achieve success.”
About Soaring Capital Management:
Soaring Capital Management, LLC is an independent, registered investment advisory company that provides conflict-free, objective investment advice and provides access to global niche alternative and traditional investment opportunities to individuals, families, trusts and business owners. Soaring Capital’s investment approach is principally focused on long term investing. We strive to make the complex world of investing understandable and endeavor to provide peace of mind to our clients. Learn more: www.soaringcapitalllc.com
Corporate Contact:
Brian F. Moss, Founder & CEO
Soaring Capital Management, LLC
+1-203-969-5193
Media Contact:
Ken Berlack
Soaring Capital Management, LLC
kberlack@soaringcapitalllc.com
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