A&I Financial Services Periscope

A & I Financial Services LLC Newsletter

For the Week of
 March 15, 2013
 
  
 Greetings!  
    
St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and we may see lots of green this Sunday!  Here's one way to consider "going green."  An application called Paper Karma helps you contact companies who send unwanted mail. 
  
The app helps you take a photo of the sender's address using your phone, request removal electronically, and monitor the status of your request.  Give it a try!
  
Lunch and Learn: Behavioral Portfolio Management
 
How does investor behavior affect portfolio management?  

A & I Financial Services is pleased to introduce you to a leader in Behavioral Portfolio Management research.  Please join us for lunch and conversation with Dr. Tom Howard Ph.D., who will share his insights on this topic.
  
Dr. Howard will discuss the practical application of behavioral factors in constructing and managing portfolios.  These include asset allocation, investment selection, and tactical management.    
 
Let us know if you are interested in attending lunch or receiving a complimentary portfolio analysis.

Behavioral Portfolio Management Luncheon
Tom Howard Ph.D. - University of Denver, CEO and Director of Research AthenaInvest

Date:  Wednesday,  March 20, 2013
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
 
Location:  A & I Financial Services
9800 Mt. Pyramid Ct., Suite 450
Englewood, CO 80112

Lunch will be provided.
 

RSVP by e-mail to [email protected]
or call 303-690-5070
Please RSVP by Monday, March 18th. Seating is limited.
 
Friends and colleagues are welcome to attend!
             Beating the Recession
 
 

 

  
Weekly Economic Update 

 

HIRING HAS REALLY PICKED UP
During June-August 2012, non-farm payrolls grew by an average of 135,000 jobs a month. Across September-November, that average improved to 181,000 per month. From December-February, the economy added an average of 191,000 jobs a month. The icing on the cake: the latest monthly report from the Labor Department showed 236,000 new jobs generated in February, including the biggest monthly surge of hiring in the construction industry in six years. Unemployment fell to a four-year low of 7.7% in February, but the percentage of Americans either working or looking for work hit a 30-year low - 130,000 people dropped out of the job hunt. (1)
  
KEY INDEX SHOWS HEALTHY SERVICE SECTOR
The Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing PMI came in at 56.0 for February - the best reading in 12 months, up from 55.2 in January. ISM noted a 3.8% increase in new orders, a 5.5% rise in backlogs of orders and a 3.7% gain in prices last month. (2)
 
BEIGE BOOK ENCOURAGES, BUT FACTORY ORDERS DIP
The Federal Reserve's latest "Beige Book" survey of economic conditions noted modest growth in most of its 12 districts since January, with increased hiring a major factor. Last week, the Commerce Department reported a 1.2% rise in wholesale inventories and a 2.0% drop in factory orders for January. (3,4)
   
 

Market Summary

% Change

Y-T-D

1Yr Chg

5-Year Avg

DJIA

+9.87

+11.54

+4.21

NASDAQ

+7.45

+9.22

+9.33

S&P 500

+8.76

+13.56

+2.82

(Source: cnbc.com, usatoday.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov -03/08/13).  Past performance is no guarantee of future results.  Indices are unmanaged, and investors cannot invest in them directly
Create a beautiful week!

Karl Frank, MBA, MSF
Certified Financial Planner (R)
A & I Financial Services LLC
303.690.5070  
  
Citations:   

 

1  - www.cnbc.com/id/100511717 [3/1/13]
2 - www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/01/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE91P0W220130301 [3/1/13]
3 - www.mercurynews.com/real-estate/ci_22670982/new

-home-sales-hit-highest-level-more-than [2/26/13]
4 - briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2013/02/25-01 [3/1/13]
5 - www.census.gov/manufacturing/m3/adv/pdf/durgd.pdf
6 - ConvergEx - Morning Market Commentary 1/31/2013 

 

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

"Simplicity is the key to brilliance."
     
Bruce Lee

Karl Frank is Featured in the June 2012 edition of The Journal of Financial Planning

 

Click Here to Read "Leadership in Action"  Article 

 

Riddle of the Week

 

  
You can't outrun it or hide from it. You only notice it when there is light, but it shows only darkness. What is it? 
  

  Last week's riddle:

 

     Kristi and David live at opposite ends of a metro area but attend the same college. David left for campus 30 minutes before Kristi and they met at a coffee house. Who was closer to campus when they met? 

 

    Last week's answer:
  

 They were both at the same distance from campus when they met each other, as they met at the same location.