Jerry Braakman, President and Chief Investment Officer at First American Trust, shares his thoughts on the latest rise in S&P indexes and its influence on the economy. “If consumers are growing more cautious “then maybe the Fed can park out at these levels, as opposed to raising rates higher," said Jerry Braakman, chief investment officer at ... Read More›

For the third year in a row, we are proud to be named to the People Companies that Care list for 2023. Thank you to our employees who make a difference in their communities every day. Read More›

“...When we entered the year, most economists were looking for a recession in 2023. As we progress through the year, and as economic data has proven more resilient than expected, the soft-landing projections have started to really boost. The markets really gravitate to that narrative,” stated Scott Dudgeon. Jerry Braakman, President and Chief ... Read More›

Following a solid start to the year in Q1, equities produced broad-based gains in Q2-2023, resulting in a very strong first half of 2023 performance for the asset class, particularly considering the environment. Stocks were surprisingly resilient in the face of March’s mini banking crisis, additional Federal Reserve rate increases and cautious ... Read More›

Scott Dudgeon, Director of Equity Research at First American Trust, was recently quoted in the Bloomberg News. Scott comments on Uber's stock performance saying [Investors need to see the firm] - keep the momentum going on the fundamental side (Bloomberg). The Bloomberg article discusses how compared to Lyft, Uber's shares are significantly ... Read More›

Jerry Braakman, President and Chief Investment Officer at First American Trust, discusses how the Fed’s decision to increase interest rates will impact the economy. Read more by about how the market is reacting in this article by MarketWatch. Read More›

UC Irvine Professor Christopher Schwarz, Ph.D. and First American Trust President and CIO Jerry Braakman engage in a wide-ranging discussion about what is shaping our financial world. Watch this video recording to learn more about the following topics: Read More›

President and Chief Investment Officer, Jerry Braakman, and Anchor and Business/Technology Analyst for KFI, iHeart Radio, Jason Middleton, discuss how interest rates are playing out with the Fed, Wall Street, and the overall investing market. Click below to listen to the full interview on KFI, iHeartRadio station. Read More›

We’ve been at the forefront of real estate innovation for decades. Today, we’re one of the top 100 global leaders recognized for encouraging and developing innovation at all levels. Click below to see the full list of companies on Fast Company. Read More›

Powell’s comments this week “are indicative that the Fed wishes to continue the process to slow the inflation in the economy,” said Jerry Braakman, president and chief investment officer of First American Trust. “We believe that we have likely seen the last rate hike this cycle. On a significant majority of macro metrics, the economy is ... Read More›

Global markets produced gains for the first quarter despite a turbulent March end. All three major market indices advanced with improving sentiment toward tech stocks, especially large-cap names, in the face of additional Federal Reserve tightening and a mini-financial panic prompted by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Market volatility raced ... Read More›

“There’s definitely a slowdown in that retail consumption,’’ said Jerry Braakman, chief investment officer of First American Trust. “But the consumer, in response to still a strong labor market, has been holding in there. Where the consumer goes, our GDP goes.” Read more about this week's emerging markets pulse survey from Bloomberg and reactions ... Read More›