![Illustration of a figure climbing to the top of steps and reaching for a star.](https://www.woodstockcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/Optimism-1.jpg)
Our main article for this quarter is suggesting a very optimistic outlook for our investment style. As the article discusses, there are favorable trends and there are things that could happen to disrupt those trends. A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted “some good news” in areas that are more commonly treated as problem areas.[1] World population increased by 70 million in 2023, adding to available human capital with consequences for increases in family, relationships, friendships, innovation and prosperity. The global economy, mainly due to the use of fossil fuels, grew 3% in 2023 and is expected to grow almost as much in 2024, with consequences for reducing poverty, increasing available health care and more opportunities for “personal growth.”