Greetings!
As Cameron pointed out in last week's Periscope, we have so many things to be thankful for. Thank you for your continued trust in our team and your introductions to your friends and family. They are the biggest compliments we receive.
I hope we see you this Friday, December 2nd, from 4 -7, at our Holiday Open House! To RSVP, call us at 303.690.5070 or contact Jane at Jane@assetsandincome.com. This will be your last chance to see our current office. Very soon, we move across the parking lot to the top floor of an adjacent building. Look for announcements about our upcoming move, and another invitation for an "office warming" in January!
What in the World is Happening to My Stock Portfolio?
Let's look at our Economic Researchers at Litman Gregory for perspectives on the stock market. What follows is lengthy and informative. Enjoy!
Recently, stocks around the globe have seen sizable percentage losses while the dollar and Treasuries climbed as investors fled to safety. In considering our investment positioning in light of recent developments, and our expectations about the overall investment climate going forward, it is helpful to briefly look backward for context.
There are two themes we have written about frequently since we began to emerge in 2009 from what has been termed "the Great Recession." First, we made the point that this is not like other business cycles. The huge debt load that precipitated the 2008 financial crisis will take many years to work through, and during that time we expect economic growth to be well below the levels seen in past recoveries (as has been the case so far). Second, as financial markets recovered and investors flocked to riskier assets, we pointed to significant risks, such as Europe's debt problems, that continued to pose threats to the global economy and financial markets.
Click Here for the Full Report |
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| Karl Frank in Investor Advisor Magazine | |
 | | Investor Advisor - November 2011 |
Investor Advisor Magazine's November 2011 edition features Karl Frank. In the article "Never Satisfied" John Sullivan writes: Passion born of tragedy drives Karl Frank to do all he can to help business owners ensure a legacy for loved ones and heirs. Industrial age publisher and philanthropist Frederick Bonfils said there is no hope for the satisfied man. If that's the case, Karl Frank is full of hope.
"I'm never satisfied," Frank says matter-of-factly when asked about his advisory firm.....Read More. |
| Weekly Economic Update | |
A TINY INCREASE IN CONSUMER SPENDING
Personal spending advanced by just 0.1% in October, the smallest gain in four months, as measured by the Commerce Department. Hopefully a strong Black Friday and Cyber Monday will make November a different story. In better news, personal incomes rose 0.4% last month, the best month for that statistic since March. America's savings rate increased 0.2% to 3.5%.(1)
HOUSEHOLD CONFIDENCE RISES
Americans seems to be feeling less pessimistic about the economy. The final November Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in at 64.1, much better than the final October mark of 60.9. (1)
HOME SALES, DURABLE GOODS ORDERS ENCOURAGE
The National Association of Realtors reported a 1.4% increase in existing home sales in October and a 2.2% monthly reduction in the backlog of unsold properties, taking the inventory down to 8.0 months. Overall hard goods orders declined 0.7% in October but were up 0.7% with transportation orders factored out; economists polled by Bloomberg News had expected a 1.2% overall monthly retreat. (2,3,4)
GOLD DIPS UNDER $1,700
The precious metal slipped2.27% last week, and it is down 5.71% in the past two weeks; prices settled at 1,685.50 an ounce. Oil lost 0.92% last week on the NYMEX to settle at $96.77 at closing. (5)
BUYERS CROWD THE MALLS, BUT NOT WALL STREET
Stocks were hit hard during a short trading week by two developments: the failure of the "super committee" on Capitol Hill and a German bond auction at which 35% of the 10-year notes offered went unsold. The numbers for the week: DJIA, -4.78% to 11,231.78; S&P 500, -4.69% to 1,158.67; NASDAQ, -5.09% to 2,441.51. (6) |
| Trust Company of America Announcement | |
Trust Company of America announces a new web site with new, easier-to-understand graphics and features. I think you will appreciate it. They did research with advisors like us and clients like you to find out how to improve, and they've done a great job. Here is a short video explaining the new software, called "Liberty." Check it out! (7)
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| Market Summary |
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% Change |
Y-T-D |
1Yr Chg |
5-Year Avg | |
DJIA |
-2.99 |
+1.26 |
-1.71 | |
NASDAQ |
-7.97 |
-3.67 |
-0.15 | |
S&P 500 |
-7.87 |
-2.58 |
-3.46 |
(Source: cnbc.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov - 11/25/11). Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Indices are unmanaged, and investors cannot invest in them directly. |
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Create a beautiful week!
Karl Frank, MBA, MSF
Certified Financial Planner (R)
A & I Financial Services LLC
303.690.5070
Citations:
(1) - www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/23/as-holiday-season-begins-a-mixed-bag-of-economic-news// [11/23/11]
(2) - montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=retirement-investment-funds&category=3 [11/25/11]
(3) - http://realtors.org/press_room/news_releases/2011/11/ehs_oct [11/21/11]
(4) - www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/11/23/
bloomberg_articlesLV4AM307SXKX.DTL [11/23/11]
(5) - blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/11/25/data-points-energy-metals-532/ [11/25/11]
(6) - blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2011/11/25/data-points-u-s-
markets-66/ [11/25/11]
(7) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y031CrTZBAo
This material has been prepared and is distributed solely for information purposes only. It is not a solicitation or an offer buy any securities or instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. There is no assurance that a particular trading strategy will achieve investment success.
Securities offered through Geneos Wealth Management, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through A & I Financial Services LLC, registered investment advisor.
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| Words for Thought |
"People always call it luck when you've acted more sensibly than they have." Anne Tyler |
| Watch Karl Frank on Channel 9 News & Read his article "Where to Invest in Times of Turmoil" | |
Click Here
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Riddle of the Week |
We all have one, and even though it often demands an answer, it offers no question. What is this everyday item?
Last week's riddle:
Gerald Ford was our 38th President, but he was actually the 37th man to take the job. Why was that?
Last week's answer:
Grover Cleveland held two non-consecutive terms of office - he was both the 22nd and 24th U.S. President.
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