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WEEKLY QUOTE
“Look
at all the sentences which seem true and question them.”
- David Reisman
WEEKLY TIP
Own
a business? Negotiating with vendors may help you save a few hundred dollars
in monthly operating costs. It doesn’t hurt to try it; any vendor would prefer
a satisfied customer over a search for a new one.
WEEKLY RIDDLE
A
man bet his neighbor that his dog could jump higher than his neighbor’s
hedge. The neighbor accepted the bet and lost. Why?
Last week’s riddle:
Its body of stone shields a fiery heart. Under sufficient
pressure, its head will depart. What is it?
Last week’s answer:
A volcano.
|
March 31,
2015
HOME SALES PICK UP
Existing
home sales accelerated 1.2% to an annual pace of 4.88 million in February,
the National Association of Realtors announced. Sales had slowed markedly in
January. February also brought a big jump in new home buying – a 7.8%
increase according to the Census Bureau, taking the year-over-year gain to
24.8%.1,2
FEBRUARY BRINGS AN ADVANCE IN THE CPI
The 0.2% gain represented the first monthly rise in
consumer prices since October; a 2.4% increase in gasoline prices made a
demonstrable difference. Even so, this left the headline CPI flat
year-over-year. The core CPI rose 0.2% in February, taking its annualized
gain to 1.7%.3
UMICH INDEX STAGES MARCH RETREAT
At a mark of 93.0, March’s final University of Michigan
consumer sentiment index declined 2.4 points from its final February reading.
It has still improved vastly in the past year – last March, it was at 80.0.4
FINAL Q4 GDP: 2.2%
The
third estimate of fourth-quarter growth by the Bureau of Economic Analysis
was unchanged from the second; economists polled by Briefing.com expected an
upward revision to 2.4%. Last week also brought news of a 1.4% slip in hard
goods orders; even minus transportation orders, durables still declined 0.4%.2
WALL STREET WORRIES ABOUT A STRONG
DOLLAR
Pessimism about the oncoming earnings season contributed
to market choppiness and weekly losses for the big three. Across March 23-27,
the Dow fell 2.29%, the Nasdaq 2.69% and the S&P 500 2.23%. Friday, the
Dow settled at 17,712.66, the Nasdaq at 4,891.22 and the S&P at 2,061.02.5
THIS WEEK: Monday,
the Commerce Department releases February personal spending numbers and the
NAR issues February pending home sales data. The January S&P/Case-Shiller
home price index and the Conference Board’s March consumer confidence survey
arrive Tuesday. On Wednesday, ISM’s March factory PMI and ADP’s March
employment report appear and Monsanto announces earnings. Thursday brings the
March Challenger job-cut report, new initial claims totals, February factory
orders data and earnings from CarMax and Perry Ellis. On Friday, the Labor
Department presents its March jobs report and Federal Reserve chair Janet
Yellen speaks briefly at a Fed research conference.
Sources: online.wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 3/27/155,6,7,8
Indices
are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into
directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield =
projected return at maturity given expected inflation.
|
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|
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free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address. We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list. |
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«RepresentativeDisclosure»
This material was prepared by MarketingPro,
Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party,
nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed
to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance
is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering
legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed,
the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.
This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice
and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty.
This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any
investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as
such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular
investment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30
actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged,
market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The
Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities
considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not
possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates
two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE
Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific
Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading
and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.
(NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the
preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading
conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy,
platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other
metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing,
such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and
differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment
of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to
be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when
redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. All
economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future
results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in
unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the
reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.
Citations.
1 - housingwire.com/articles/33325-new-home-sales-rebound-25-in-february
[3/24/15]
2 - briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2015/03/23-27
[3/27/15]
3- nytimes.com/2015/03/25/business/rising-gas-costs-help-lift-us-consumer-prices.html
[3/25/15]
4 - tinyurl.com/o9am74a [3/27/15]
5 - tinyurl.com/onrf6g7 [3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F27%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F27%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F27%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F26%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F26%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F26%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F28%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F28%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F28%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/27/15]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield
[3/27/15]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll
[3/27/15]
|
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Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Economic Update for the week of March 31st, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Economic Update for the week of March 24th, 2015
|
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|
WEEKLY QUOTE
“Things
turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.”
- Art Linkletter
WEEKLY TIP
Federal
student loans may offer 6-month grace periods before any repayment is
necessary, but having an income-based repayment plan in place soon after
graduation is wise. Repayments can be limited to affordable amounts through
these plans.
WEEKLY RIDDLE
Its
body of stone shields a fiery heart. Under sufficient pressure, its head will
depart. What is it?
Last week’s riddle:
I never complain no matter where I am led; I go around in
circles, yet move straight ahead. What am I?
Last week’s answer:
A wheel.
|
March 24,
2015
FED MAY WAIT LONGER TO TIGHTEN
March’s
Federal Reserve policy statement provided less forward guidance than many
investors expected. As anticipated, the word “patient” disappeared – but the Federal
Open Market Committee also lowered its 2015 GDP forecast (to a range of 2.3-2.7%)
and nearly halved its 2015 inflation projection (to a range of 0.6-0.8%).
Seconding this weaker economic outlook, the Fed indicated it might wait until
late 2015 to tinker with interest rates, altering the commonly held
perception that a rate hike might be in store before Q2 ends.1
OIL PRICES RISE
Light sweet crude rose 3.9% on the NYMEX last week,
settling at $45.72 Friday. It was the first winning week in five for the
commodity, and a short-term decline in the dollar and lower U.S. rig counts helped.
Gasoline advanced 2.0% on the NYMEX for the week, natural gas 2.2% and
heating oil 1.2%.2
FEWER STARTS, BUT MORE PERMITS
The
Census Bureau measured a 17.0% drop in groundbreaking for February, which
took housing starts to a 13-month low. Declining builder sentiment, higher construction
costs and fewer available parcels were all contributing factors. Building
permits increased 3.0% last month; apartment permits jumped 18.3%.3
TERRIFIC WEEK FOR U.S. EQUITIES
A little dollar weakness, a rebound in energy prices,
easing in Europe, the latest FOMC statement and pleasing corporate earnings
all supported a 5-day rally. From March 16-20, the S&P 500 gained 2.66%
to settle Friday at 2,108.06. The Dow and Nasdaq posted weekly gains of 2.13%
and 3.17% on their way to respective closes of 18,127.65 and 5,026.42.4
THIS WEEK: Existing
home sales figures for February appear Monday, courtesy of the National
Association of Realtors. On Tuesday, February new home sales data arrives
from the Census Bureau, and the Street also interprets February’s CPI,
manufacturing PMIs for Japan and China and earnings from H.B. Fuller, Sonic
and Steelcase. Wednesday brings durable goods data for February plus earnings
from Pacific Sunwear, Paychex and Red Hat. In addition to the latest initial
jobless claims report, Thursday also brings earnings from Accenture, Restoration
Hardware, Lululemon Athletica, ConAgra Foods, GameStop, Fred’s Super Dollar and
Scholastic. Friday, the University of Michigan publishes its final March
household sentiment survey, the federal government’s final estimate of Q1
growth arrives, and Fed chair Janet Yellen speaks on monetary policy in San
Francisco.
Sources: online.wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 3/20/155,6,7,8
Indices
are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into
directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield =
projected return at maturity given expected inflation.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Please feel
free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address. We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
«RepresentativeDisclosure»
This material was prepared by MarketingPro,
Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party,
nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed
to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance
is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering
legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed,
the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.
This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice
and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty.
This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any
investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as
such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular
investment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30
actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged,
market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The
Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities
considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not
possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates
two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE
Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific
Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading
and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.
(NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the
preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading
conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy,
platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other
metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing,
such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and
differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment
of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to
be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when
redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. All
economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future
results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in
unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the
reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.
Citations.
1 - thestreet.com/story/13084714/1/meaning-of-fed-policy-statement-depends-on-definition-of-is--surprising-market-reaction.html
[3/19/15]
2- marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-stay-choppy-ahead-of-rig-count-data-2015-03-20
[3/20/15]
3 - eyeonhousing.org/2015/03/housing-production-stumbles/ [3/17/15]
4 - markets.on.nytimes.com/research/markets/usmarkets/usmarkets.asp
[3/20/15]
5 - markets.wsj.com/us [3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F20%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F20%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F20%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F19%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F19%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F19%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F21%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F21%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F21%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/20/15]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield
[3/20/15]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll
[3/20/15]
|
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Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Economic update for the week of March 17th, 2015
|
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|
WEEKLY QUOTE
“Silence
is the ultimate weapon of power.”
- Charles de Gaulle
WEEKLY TIP
Are
you in your fifties and providing eldercare to one or both of your parents?
As you help them in their retirements, remember not to neglect your own
retirement planning as these years of your life are among the most important
for that effort.
WEEKLY RIDDLE
I
never complain no matter where I am led; I go around in circles, yet move
straight ahead. What am I?
Last week’s riddle:
Buried in wood from one end to the other, my head is exposed
while I keep things together. What am I?
Last week’s answer:
A nail.
|
March 16,
2015
WHERE ARE THE SHOPPERS?
Retail
sales were off again in February – the 0.6% decline reported by the Census
Bureau was the third straight monthly retreat. Economists surveyed by
Briefing.com anticipated an 0.4% advance. This severe winter may have
prompted households to spend more on utilities and services than on retail purchases.
Another closely watched indicator, the University of Michigan’s consumer
sentiment index, showed a preliminary March reading of 91.2. That was 4.2
points under its final February reading and 4.1 points below the expectations
of economists polled by the Wall Street
Journal. Less optimism among lower-income households influenced the
decline.1,2
PPI DEFIES EXPECTATIONS
Both the overall and core Producer Price Index retreated
half a percent for February. Even with low fuel and energy costs, economists
polled by Briefing.com still projected a 0.3% rise in the headline PPI and an
0.1% advance for the core PPI. In January, the headline PPI fell 0.8%.2
OIL DOWN 9.6% IN A WEEK
Worries
about a supply glut sent light sweet crude lower on the NYMEX. It settled at
just $44.84 Friday, yet there was a nice development for oil investors: the Energy
Department announced it would be buying up to 5 million barrels for its Strategic
Petroleum Reserve. That could ease anxieties about excess inventory.3
BIG SWINGS, NO ADVANCE
A rollercoaster week ended with 5-day losses for all three
major U.S. indices. The Dow shed 0.60%, the Nasdaq 1.13% and the S&P 500
0.86%. That resulted in the following Friday settlements: Dow, 17,749.31;
Nasdaq, 4,871.76; S&P, 2,053.40.4
THIS WEEK: Monday,
the Federal Reserve reports on February industrial output and Eastman Kodak
and Molycorp announce Q4 results. Tuesday sees the release of February
figures on building permits and housing starts and earnings from Oracle,
Burlington Stores, Adobe Systems, Pacific Sunwear and DSW. Wednesday
brings the latest Fed policy statement and earnings from Cintas, FedEx, Jabil
Circuit, Guess?, Tilly’s, Smart & Final, General Mills, Wet Seal and
Williams-Sonoma. The Conference Board presents its February index of leading
indicators on Thursday, accompanying a new initial jobless claims report and quarterly
results from Lennar and Nike. Darden Restaurants, Tiffany and KB Home report
earnings Friday.
Sources: online.wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov - 3/13/155,6,7,8
Indices
are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into
directly. These returns do not include dividends. 10-year TIPS real yield =
projected return at maturity given expected inflation.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Please feel
free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address. We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
«RepresentativeDisclosure»
This material was prepared by MarketingPro,
Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party,
nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed
to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance
is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering
legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed,
the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.
This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice
and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty.
This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any
investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as
such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular
investment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30
actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged,
market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The
Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities
considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not
possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates
two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE
Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific
Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading
and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.
(NYMEX) is the world's largest physical commodity futures exchange and the
preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading
conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy,
platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other
metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing,
such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and
differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment
of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to
be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. Past performance
is no guarantee of future results.
Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less
than when originally invested. All economic and performance data is
historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are
unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not
engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If
assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a
competent professional.
Citations.
1 - foxbusiness.com/economy-policy/2015/03/13/consumer-sentiment-falls-in-march/
[3/13/15]
2- briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2015/03/09-13 [3/13/15]
3 - marketwatch.com/story/energy-dept-plans-up-to-5-million-barrel-oil-purchase-2015-03-13
[3/13/15]
4 - markets.on.nytimes.com/research/markets/usmarkets/usmarkets.asp
[3/13/15]
5 - markets.wsj.com/us [3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F13%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F13%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F13%2F14&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F12%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F12%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F12%2F10&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F14%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F14%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
6 - bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F14%2F05&x=0&y=0
[3/13/15]
7 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield
[3/13/15]
8 - treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll
[3/13/15]
|
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