Growth Report – Monday, June 18, 2018

FED, NEW TARIFFS GET WALL STREET’S ATTENTION
As expected, the Federal Reserve adjusted the target range on the federal funds rate to 1.75%-2.00% on Wednesday. The central bank’s latest dot-plot projection, however, raised some eyebrows: it showed four interest rate increases planned for 2018 instead of three. The median forecast of Fed officials puts the benchmark interest rate at 2.4% at the end of this year, on the way to a peak of 3.4% in 2020. Friday morning, the Trump administration announced new 25% tariffs on at least $34 billion of Chinese imports. Hours later, China retaliated, declaring that it would levy 25% import taxes on a minimum of $34 billion of goods from America. The U.S. and China both plan to implement their new tariffs on July 6.1,2

YEARLY INFLATION REACHES 2.8%
The latest Consumer Price Index shows the highest 12-month inflation reading in six years; the core CPI (which leaves out food and fuel costs) rose 2.2% in the year ending in May. Both the headline and core CPI were up 0.2% last month. Wholesale inflation, as measured by the Producer Price Index, increased 0.5% in May.3,4

AN IMPRESSIVE ADVANCE FOR RETAIL SALES
According to the Department of Commerce, the May gain was 0.8% (0.9% with car and truck buying factored out). This follows an April improvement of 0.4% (revised up from 0.3%).4

A MIXED WEEK FOR THE MAJOR INDICES
Once again, the Nasdaq Composite outran the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500. Last week, the tech benchmark added 1.32% to settle at 7,746.38 at Friday’s closing bell. The S&P 500 ended up flat for the week (+0.01%) at 2,779.42. At Friday’s close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had slipped 0.89% in five days to 25,090.48.5

THIS WEEK: Nothing major is slated for Monday. Wall Street considers earnings from FedEx, La-Z-Boy, and Oracle on Tuesday, along with the latest Census Bureau snapshot of housing construction activity. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell discusses monetary policy at a European Central Bank forum on Wednesday morning; investors will also eye earnings from Micron Technology, Steelcase, and Winnebago, and a National Association of Realtors report on existing home sales. Thursday, the Conference Board issues its May leading indicators index, a new initial jobless claims report arrives, and Barnes & Noble, Darden Restaurants, Kroger, and Red Hat present earnings. Friday, Blackberry, and CarMax offer Q1 results.

% CHANGE Y-T-D 1-YR CHG 5-YR AVG 10-YR AVG
DJIA +1.50 +17.47 +13.30 +10.45
NASDAQ +12.21 +25.64 +25.25 +21.30
S&P 500 +3.96 +14.26 +14.17 +10.43
REAL YIELD 6/15 RATE 1 YR AGO 5 YRS AGO 10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS 0.81% 0.49% 0.09% 1.76%

Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov – 6/15/185,6,7,8
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.

WEEKLY QUOTE

“Where there is friendship, there is our natural soil.”

– Voltaire

WEEKLY TIP

When a lender permits a borrower to defer a college loan, the borrower may still have to pay interest on the remaining loan balance. The lender, not the borrower, will decide when the loan payments need to restart.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

It inhibits sight, makes the air colder, and it will come back for you before the day is done. What is it?

Last week’s riddle:
I am plain, thin, and lonely, but you use me all the time. I can appear with one keystroke or just one movement when you write. What am I?

Last week’s answer:
The number 1.

Citations.
1 – marketwatch.com/story/fomc-lifts-fed-funds-rate-to-175-2-signals-4-hikes-in-2018-2018-06-13 [6/13/18]
2 – cnbc.com/2018/06/15/china-announces-retaliatory-tariffs-on-34-billion-worth-of-us-goods-including-agriculture-products.html [6/15/18]
3 – bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-12/u-s-consumer-prices-rise-by-most-since-2012 [6/12/18]
4 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/06/11-15 [6/15/18]
5 – markets.wsj.com/us [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=6%2F15%2F17&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=6%2F15%2F17&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=6%2F15%2F17&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=6%2F14%2F13&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=6%2F14%2F13&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=6%2F14%2F13&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=6%2F16%2F08&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=6%2F16%2F08&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=6%2F16%2F08&x=0&y=0 [6/15/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [6/15/18]
8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [6/15/18]

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. 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. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. 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. This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., for Mark Lund, Mark is known as a Wealth Advisor, The 401k Advisor, Investor Coach, The Financial Advisor, The Financial Planner and author of The Effective Investor. Mark offers investment advisory services through Stonecreek Wealth Advisors, Inc. a fiduciary, independent, fee-only, Registered Investment Advisor firm providing investment and retirement planning for individuals and 401k consulting for small businesses. Cities served but not limited to are: Park City, Salt Lake City, Murray City, West Jordan City, Sandy City, Draper City, South Jordan City, Provo City, Orem City, Lehi City, Highland City, Alpine City, and American Fork City in Utah.

Category: Blog, Growth Report