Japan is known as the “Land of the Rising Sun,” but could it also be known as the Land of the Rising Stock Market? So far in 2015, foreign stocks have broadly outperformed U.S. stocks, but European companies seem to be attracting the most attention. Japanese stocks have risen alongside Europe, but seem to be flying under the radar.

Home, home on the range…the U.S. stock market seems very at home in the “trading range” it has been in for the last four months. One of the key questions we have been asking in The Joseph Group’s Investment Strategy meetings is “What could make the market break out of this sideways pattern to one direction or another?” In an attempt to answer this question, we’ve tried to look at possibilities in both directions.

Last week we held the first of what will become a regular event – “Coffee with the CIO” – at The Joseph Group’s offices led by The Joseph Group’s Chief Investment Officer, Travis Upton. Numerous topics were covered, but two main issues were clearly on the clients’ minds – 1) the continued saga of Greece, and 2) where to play offense in order to make money in what has been a flat market.