Pat Webb - Phase 2 Advisors
 
Weekly Update - September 12, 2011

Ten Years Later

In This Issue
Performance
Headlines
Recipe
Golf Tip
Health Tip
Green Fact
For most of us, 9/11 feels like yesterday. For a younger generation, Sunday's services etched a memory of that day onto minds too young to recall it. Three-thousand-six-hundred and fifty-two days have since passed, but as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg so poignantly stated, "We can never un-see what happened here." While most Americans wish they never had to witness the events of that defining day, they are equally determined never to forget them.

The 10th anniversary closed a decade that witnessed two wars, massive changes in national security, the Great Recession, and most recently, the death of the elusive terrorist who masterminded the attack. And no longer is ground zero merely a reminder of what was, but a symbol of rebirth. With the breathtaking National September 11 Memorial now open and the yet-to-be-finished Freedom Tower rising 961 feet above the street where 2,983 lost their lives, history remembers the resilience of the human spirit.

The financial world also stands changed by the events of September 11. Once the physical financial center of the country, the area near ground zero has become largely an upscale residential neighborhood. Pre 9/11, tourists could visit the New York Stock Exchange and stand in a galley to watch the trading, but not anymore. Even though the building itself sustained no damage when the Twin Towers fell, the exchange has since been considered a target and the visitor center remains closed. On the floor of the exchange, traders must now go through security barriers and x-ray machines under the watch of armed officers - something those who have flown on a commercial airliner since 9/11 can relate to.

While Sunday marked a day of reflection and tears for many of us, and while both the tragedy and heroism of 9/11 will long be remembered, Americans will move forward this week. Concerns surrounding Europe's debt crisis will rear their ugly heads again, and headlines about stock market volatility will doubtless be featured in the news. And when they are, we would all do well to keep things in perspective and be thankful for the life we enjoy, even if it has been altered by the events of September 11th, 2001.

ECONOMIC CALENDAR:
Tuesday - Import and Export Prices, Treasury Budget
Wednesday -Producer Price Index, Retail Sales, Business Inventories, EIA Petroleum Status Report
Thursday - Consumer Price Index, Empire State Mfg Survey, Jobless Claims, Industrial Production, Philadelphia Fed Survey
Friday - Treasury International Capital, Consumer Sentiment


Performance


9_12_11_Chart

Notes: All index returns exclude reinvested dividends, and the 5-year and 10-year returns are annualized.
Sources: Yahoo! Finance, MSCI Barra. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. N/A means not available.

Headlines

Moments of silence were observed in New York City Sunday on the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and killed nearly 3,000 people. "Ten years have passed since a perfect blue sky morning turned into the blackest of nights. Since then, we have lived in sunshine, and in shadow," said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.[1]

 

China's record imports and a rebound in lending signaled strength that offers a bright spot in a global economy contending with Europe's debt crisis and weakening U.S. job gains. Government reports in the past two days showed that shipments from abroad jumped 30% and new local-currency loans were a more-than-forecast 548.5 billion yuan ($86 billion).[2]

 

The average price for regular gasoline at U.S. filling stations rose 5.76 cents to $3.6669 a gallon last week.[3]

 

Bank of America Corp. is preparing to slash 40,000 or more jobs and close 10% of its branches nationwide. The details of the plan were not officially announced, but the information was disclosed by three Bank of America executives who have been briefed on the plan but were not authorized to speak publicly.[4]

 

 

 

Quote of the Week
"The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it." - C.C. Scott
Recipe of the Week

Roasted Asparagus with Garlic-Lemon Sauce


Recipe_09_12_11

From: Eating Well

Ingredients:
2 bunches asparagus, (about 2 pounds), trimmed  
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided  
1/8 teaspoon salt  
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise  
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese  
2 tablespoons water  
2 anchovy fillets, minced  
1 small clove garlic, minced  
1 tablespoon lemon juice  
2 chopped hard-boiled eggs (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2) Toss asparagus with oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3) Combine mayonnaise, Parmesan, water, anchovies, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl. To serve, drizzle the asparagus with the sauce and top with hard-boiled egg (if using).

 

 

 

Golf Tip
Practice your Putting at Home

Believe it or not, 40% or more of the strokes you make take place on the putting green. And yet, so often, the club responsible for so many strokes receives the least amount of quality practice time.

 

You can even practice your putting while at home. Here's an old Arnold Palmer tip: On a smooth floor (cement, wood, linoleum, etc.) throw down a nickel and putt it around the room without scuffing the floor or missing the nickel. If you can execute this drill consistently, you will see your putting improve. Plus, it's fun. One note: Be careful not to scratch your floors.

  

Healthy Lifestyle
Vitamin D and Sunshine

 

Most Americans are Vitamin-D deficient which can lead to health risks like osteoporosis, heart disease, and high blood pressure. The main sources of Vitamin D are sunlight, foods, and supplements. The National Institute of Health recommends that adults get 15 mcg per day. While sunlight is the most efficient way to get the full daily dose of Vitamin D, be careful not to indulge more than 15 minutes at a time, a few times a week. And always wear sun protection if you plan to spend extended periods of time in the sunshine.

 

Green Living
Water Conscious Watering

 

Americans waste millions of gallons of water in gardens and lawns each year. Regularly check your sprinkler system and adjust sprinklers so that only your lawn is watered, not sidewalks or driveways.

 

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The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general.

 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 significant stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq. The DJIA was invented by Charles Dow back in 1896.

 

The MSCI EAFE Index was created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) that serves as a benchmark of the performance in major international equity markets as represented by 21 major MSCI indexes from Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia.

 

The 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S. Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market.

 

Google Finance is the source for any reference to the performance of an index between two specific periods.

 

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 [1] http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/11/national/main20104450.shtml 

 [2] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-11/china-strength-defies-hard-landing-scenario.html 

 [3] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-11/u-s-gasoline-rises-5-76-cents-to-3-69-a-gallon-survey-shows.html 

 [4] http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bank-america-jobs-20110910,0,4275951.story 

 

Pat Webb
Pat Webb - Phase 2 Advisors
8100 Turman Ct
Fort Collins, CO 80525
970-776-3306
patwebb@phase2adv.com
http://www.phase2adv.com