MWBoone & Associates Wealth Management blog

Made in America

2010-03-18T22:50:55Z

Last Thursday, the U.S. trade data was reported for the month of January reflecting a brief pause in an improving trend of export growth. On the same day, the stock market, measured by the S&P 500, moved up to a new 17-month high. The market reaction was fitting since export growth is a key driver of the economy and profits for S&P 500 companies. In fact, exports accounted for……

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Dour U.S. Consumer Keeps on Spending

2010-03-16T22:48:41Z

What We Make of the Key Reports Last Week:

The vast majority of last week’s U.S. economic reports support our view that the U.S economy remains on track for a sustainable recovery in 2010. The key report of the week was the better-than-expected February retail sales data, but data on jobless claims, merchandise trade, mortgage applications, consumers’ balance sheets, and business inventories also……

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Happy Anniversary?

2010-03-11T17:35:56Z

One year ago, on March 9, 2009, the stock market began a rally that has led to a total return of 72% for the S&P 500, through the end of last week. As we reach this anniversary it is worth taking a look back at the powerful rally that has unfolded and seek clues as to what may lie ahead……

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www.mwboone.com/library/Weekly_Market_Commentary_3_8_10

Current Conditions Index

2010-03-09T17:38:29Z

Over the past week, the LPL Financial Current Conditions Index held steady at 1.7. The level of the Current Conditions Index indicates an environment fostering trend-like growth in the economy and markets. We expect that the CCI may…..

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www.wboone.com/library/Current_Conditions_Index_3_3_10

A Tale of Two Surveys

2010-03-09T17:37:16Z

Key Reports Last Week:

The economic data last week was a mixed bag, but financial markets generally reacted well, even to the data that fell short of expectations. Many of the U.S. economic reports last week were impacted by severe weather in February, but the impact was more muted than we (and most market participants) expected. The key report of the week was the February jobs report. Bad weather kept more than……

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Groundhog Day Comes Late

2010-03-02T20:57:39Z

Groundhog Day came late in February for the stock market. Last Thursday’s worsening weekly unemployment claims data spooked stock market investors worried about job growth as February winter storms negatively impacted the data. In that labor report, the stock market saw……

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A Blizzard of Data

2010-03-02T20:46:58Z

Key Reports Last Week:

It was definitely a mixed bag for U.S. economic data last week, with more good news on the Business sector offset by some disturbing news on the consumer sector and the Labor Market. On balance, the market reacted well to the mix of generally weaker news, suggesting……

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Watch Your Step

2010-02-24T17:47:59Z

The Federal Reserve moved another step in the process of “normalizing” monetary policy last week, announcing a 25 basis point increase to the discount rate—the rate the Fed charges banks who borrow money from the Fed—after the market closed on Thursday. The move was well telegraphed, as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke mentioned ……

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www.mwboone.com/library/Weekly_Economic_Commentary_2_22_10

Snow Day

2010-02-18T00:14:11Z

Believe it or not, 49 of the 50 states (sorry, Hawaii) had some snow on the ground on Friday, February 12, capping off a historic week for snowfall in many mid-Atlantic cities. Barring an unlikely heat wave over the final half of the month, February’s harsh weather pattern is likely to impact economic data ranging from……

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www.mwboone.com/library/Weekly_Economic_Commentary_2_16_10

Where Are the Jobs?

2010-02-09T19:02:04Z

The economic data released last week was solid, but largely overlooked, as markets focused on sovereign credit risk in southern Europe. The week’s attention grabbing report, the January employment report, was……

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www.mwboone.com/library/Weekly_Economic_Commentary_2_08_10

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly… And the FOMC, Too

2010-02-02T17:53:38Z

The data released last week (and early on Monday, February 1) can be grouped into The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. The “Good” news dominated the “Bad” and “Ugly”, suggesting that the economic data was……

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FOMC Meeting, Q4 GDP Report On Tap This Week

2010-01-26T18:38:27Z

The economic data released last week was largely a sideshow, given the news on the special election in Massachusetts, financial regulation, the late -week drama surrounding the reappointment of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and policy tightening in China. The two most disturbing reports released last week were……

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Lost and Found

2010-01-21T16:05:35Z

Many consider the 2000s to be a “lost decade” for stock market investors. This view is not surprising since the 2000s marked the biggest loss for the S&P 500 of any decade, including the 1930s. However, it wasn’t what you invested, as much as how……

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www.mwboone.com/library/Weekly_Market_Commentary_1_19_10

Q4 GDP Tracking to a 4.5% Gain; Relatively Quiet Week Ahead

2010-01-19T23:25:48Z

On balance, last week’s economic data did little to change our forecast for real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Q4 2009, or our outlook for Federal Reserve policy or inflation in 2010.

This week, the economic data takes a backseat to the deluge of Q4 corporate earnings reports, as the market……

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Labor Market Recovery? Not Quite Yet.

2010-01-16T01:16:11Z

Last week’s batch of U.S. economic data provided a favorable backdrop for U.S. equity prices. The reports showed that while the U.S. economy continued to expand in late 2009/early 2010, it was not expanding quickly enough to warrant any immediate action from…….

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