Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

BLUE CHIPS HIT A 2018 HIGH

On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw its best close since January. Friday took the index even higher, to another record settlement of 26,743.50. That capped a 2.25% weekly advance. The Dow was not the only major benchmark shattering records last week. The S&P 500 also settled at a historic peak Thursday before drifting slightly lower to 2,929.67 a day later; in five days, it rose 0.85%. For the Nasdaq Composite, the story was different: it declined 0.29% last week to 7,986.96.1,2

 

AUGUST WAS A FLAT MONTH FOR HOME BUYING

The National Association of Realtors declared the pace of existing home sales unchanged from July in its August snapshot of the residential real estate market. Economists surveyed by Reuters anticipated an advance of 0.3% after four consecutive months of retreats. Sales were down 1.5%, year-over-year, through August, but existing home inventory grew 2.7% during the same 12 months; that marked the first annualized increase in the supply of homes for sale since 2015. The median existing home price in August: $264,800, 4.6% higher than a year ago.3

 

HOUSING STARTS JUMP; BUILDING PERMITS FALL

Starts and permits went opposite ways during August, according to the Census Bureau’s latest look at U.S. residential construction activity. Groundbreaking increased 9.2% in the eighth month of the year, but permits for new developments declined by 5.7%.4

 

OIL CLIMBS TO A 2-MONTH PEAK

WTI crude settled at $70.78 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Friday, charging 2.6% for the week. This was crude’s best closing price since July 13, preceding a critical meeting of OPEC nations and their allies to address potential supply problems in the fourth quarter.5

 

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

 

In a two-parent household, both parents may want to consider life insurance coverage, even if one of them does not work. Money from the life insurance policy can help a surviving spouse pay for child care and education expenses.

---

 

THIS WEEK

Monday offers no major earnings calls or economic reports. | The Conference Board’s latest consumer confidence index arrives Tuesday, plus a new S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index and earnings from Cintas, Jabil, KB Home, and Nike. | The Federal Reserve makes an interest rate decision Wednesday; in addition, August new home sales figures and earnings from Bed Bath & Beyond, CarMax, and Worthington Industries appear. | Accenture, ConAgra Brands, and Rite Aid present earnings Thursday, complementing the latest initial jobless claims numbers, the third estimate of Q2 economic expansion, and reports on August housing contract activity and hard goods orders. | Friday, August personal spending figures are released, plus the August PCE price index, the final September consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan, and earnings from BlackBerry.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

 

“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.”

ROBERT J. SAWYER

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	8.19	19.61	14.62	14.28
NASDAQ	15.70	24.36	22.32	26.65
S&P 500	9.58	17.16	14.27	14.27
REAL YIELD	9/21 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	0.92	0.44	0.52	1.85

Randy C. Benning, CFP®, President, License # 0816882, Benning Financial Group, LLC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Benning Financial Group, LLC, A Registered Investment Advisor, Benning Financial Group, LLC 

Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov – 9/21/182,6,7,8

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.

---

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. 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. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a 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 a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. 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. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. 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.

CITATIONS:

1 – foxbusiness.com/markets/stock-futures-point-to-added-gains-after-record-day [9/21/18]

2 – markets.wsj.com/us [9/21/18]

3 – reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy-housing/u-s-existing-home-sales-unchanged-in-august-idUSKCN1M026A [9/20/18]

4 – investing.com/economic-calendar/ [9/21/18]

5 – marketwatch.com/story/us-oil-ends-week-at-2-month-high-books-second-straight-weekly-advance-2018-09-21 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F21%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F21%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F21%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F20%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F20%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F20%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F22%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F22%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F22%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/21/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/21/18]
8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/21/18]

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

CONSUMER SENTIMENT EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

In its initial September edition, the University of Michigan’s monthly consumer sentiment index rose 4.6 points to 100.8, a 6-month high. Economists polled by Bloomberg had forecast a reading of 96.6. Fifty-six percent of households responding to the survey said that they had made recent financial gains; the all-time high for the survey is 57%, recorded in both March 2018 and February 1998. The index’s future expectations gauge reached a 14-year peak of 91.1.1

 

RETAIL SALES ALMOST FLAT IN AUGUST

The 0.1% August advance was the smallest monthly gain since February. Core retail purchases (which exclude the automotive, food, and home improvement categories) rose by the same amount. The Department of Commerce did revise the July numbers upward: the overall retail sales increase in that month went to 0.7%; the core retail sales gain, to 0.8%.2

 

ANNUALIZED INFLATION DECREASES

August’s Consumer Price Index shows 12-month inflation at 2.7%, down from 2.9%. Yearly core inflation retreated similarly, lessening from 2.4% to 2.2% last month. The headline CPI rose 0.2% in August; the core CPI, 0.1%. Both the headline and core Producer Price Index declined 0.1% in August, significantly reducing their annualized gains. Twelve-month wholesale inflation shrank 0.5% to 2.8%, while yearly core wholesale inflation retreated to 2.3% from 2.7%.3

 

A POSITIVE FIVE DAYS FOR EQUITIES

All three major stock indices advanced last week. The Dow Industrials gained 0.92% to reach 26,154.67 at Friday’s close. Settling at 8,010.04 Friday, the Nasdaq Composite was up 1.36% for the week. The S&P 500 improved 1.16% to 2,904.98. The main barometer of Wall Street volatility, the CBOE VIX, fell 18.88% for the week to 12.07.4

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

If you recently received a promotion or raise, you need not spend more money simply because you have it. Counter the temptation to buy this or that with the question “Do I really need this?” Living within your means could leave you with more money to save and invest for the future.

---

THIS WEEK

FedEx announces earnings Monday. | AutoZone, Cracker Barrel, and General Mills present earnings Tuesday. | On Wednesday, the Census Bureau provides a snapshot of August residential construction activity, and Red Hat reports quarterly results. | Investors consider August existing home sales numbers, a new initial jobless claims report, and earnings from Darden Restaurants, Micron Technology, Steelcase, and Thor Industries on Thursday. | Nothing major is slated for Friday.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

 

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

WALTER BAGEHOT

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	5.81	17.80	14.02	13.96
NASDAQ	16.03	24.59	23.04	26.74
S&P 500	8.65	16.40	14.42	14.36
REAL YIELD	9/14 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	0.89	0.35	0.80	1.70

Randy C. Benning, CFP®, President, License # 0816882, Benning Financial Group, LLC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Benning Financial Group, LLC, A Registered Investment Advisor, Benning Financial Group, LLC 

Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov – 9/14/184,5,6,7

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.

---

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. 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. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a 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 a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. 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. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. 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.

CITATIONS:

1 – bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-14/u-s-consumer-sentiment-rises-to-six-month-high-above-estimate [9/14/18]

2 – cnbc.com/2018/09/14/us-retail-sales-august-2018.html [9/14/18]

3 – investing.com/economic-calendar/ [9/14/18]

4 – markets.wsj.com/us [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F14%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F14%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F14%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F13%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F13%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F13%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F15%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]
5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F15%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]
5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F15%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/14/18]
6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/14/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/14/18]   

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

LATEST JOBS REPORT CONFIRMS WAGE GROWTH IS ACCELERATING

According to the Department of Labor’s newest employment report, average pay for U.S. private sector workers improved 2.9% in the 12 months ending in August. That is the best annualized wage boost since the end of the Great Recession in 2009 and an improvement from 2.7% in July. The economy added 201,000 net new jobs last month. The headline jobless rate remained at 3.9%; the U-6 rate, which includes both unemployed and underemployed Americans, declined 0.1% to 7.4%, a 17-year low.1

 

STRONG AUGUST SHOWINGS FOR THE ISM INDICES

Both purchasing manager indices maintained by the Arizona-based Institute for Supply Management rebounded last month. ISM’s PMI tracking the U.S. service sector rose 2.8 points to 58.5, and its factory sector PMI climbed to an impressive 61.3 from the previous mark of 58.1.2

 

OIL TAKES A WEEKLY LOSS

Retreating 2.9% in four trading days, West Texas Intermediate crude ended the week at $67.75 on the NYMEX. Light sweet crude had its first down week since August, and its Friday closing value was its lowest since August 21. The big concern: the potential impact of tariffs on global oil demand.3

 

STOCKS DECLINE; POSSIBLE NEW TARIFFS ON CHINA ANNOUNCED

Friday, President Trump told reporters that he was willing to authorize import taxes on another $267 billion of Chinese goods entering the U.S.; this would effectively put an across-the-board tax on Chinese imports in place. This development and a broad tech selloff impacted Wall Street during a shortened trading week. In trading Tuesday through Friday, the S&P 500 fell 1.02%, to 2,871.68; the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.27%, to 25,916.54; the Nasdaq Composite 2.30%, to 7,902.54.4,5,6

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

 

If you plan to age in place, think about the future upkeep of your home. Could the cost of maintenance and “senior upgrades” to enhance safety and accessibility prove too much to handle financially? Or does it appear to be manageable?

---

THIS WEEK

Hovnanian Enterprises and Sonos present earnings on Monday. | Tuesday, nothing major is scheduled. | On Wednesday, Apple holds its iPhone XS launch event, and the August Producer Price Index and a new Federal Reserve Beige Book appear. | Thursday, investors pay attention to the August Consumer Price Index and quarterly results from Kroger. | On Friday, Wall Street considers August retail sales figures and the preliminary September consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

 

“Part of being a hero is knowing when you don’t need to be one anymore.”

ALAN MOORE

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	4.84	18.97	14.73	12.52
NASDAQ	14.47	23.52	23.18	24.82
S&P 500	7.41	16.49	14.70	12.65
REAL YIELD	9/7 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	0.84	0.26	0.87	1.68

Randy C. Benning, CFP®, President, License # 0816882, Benning Financial Group, LLC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Benning Financial Group, LLC, A Registered Investment Advisor, Benning Financial Group, LLC 

Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov – 9/7/186,7,8,9

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.

---

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. 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. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a 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 a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. 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. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. 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.

CITATIONS:

1 – bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-07/u-s-payrolls-rise-201-000-while-wage-gains-accelerate-to-2-9 [9/7/18]

2 – instituteforsupplymanagement.org/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm?SSO=1 [9/6/18]

3 – marketwatch.com/story/oil-price-stabilizes-after-retreat-on-rising-product-inventories-2018-09-07 [9/7/18]

4 – nytimes.com/2018/09/07/business/trump-china-trade-war-tariffs.html [9/7/18]

5 – forexlive.com/technical-analysis/!/us-stocks-end-lower-nasdaq-worst-week-since-march-23rd-20180907 [9/7/18]

6 – markets.wsj.com/us [9/7/18]
7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F7%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]
7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F7%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F7%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]
7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F6%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]
7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F6%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F6%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F8%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]
7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F8%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F8%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/7/18]
8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/7/18]
9 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/7/18]

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

OPTIMISM REIGNS ON MAIN STREET

In August, the Conference Board’s respected consumer confidence index made a remarkable leap, rising 5.5 points to 133.4. This was its highest reading in almost 18 years. (Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast an August reading of 126.5.) The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index also improved in its final August edition, ending the month at a mark of 96.2, 0.9 points above its preliminary reading.1,2

 

STRONG SHOWING FOR PERSONAL SPENDING, IMPROVEMENT FOR Q2 GDP

Households boosted their outlays by 0.4% in July, according to the Department of Commerce. The seventh month of the year also saw a 0.3% gain in personal incomes. In June, both indicators displayed an advance of 0.4%. The Department also issued its first revision to second-quarter economic growth last week, taking the number up 0.1% to an even stronger 4.2%.1

 

WILL NAFTA BE REPLACED NEXT YEAR?

Last week, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada progressed toward a new trade deal that would supplant the North American Free Trade Agreement. The proposed new accord, which would be in place for the next 16 years and reviewed every six years, stipulates that 75% of the value of a vehicle sold in North America must be produced in either America, Canada, or Mexico, up from 62.5%. It would require Mexico to put higher wages in place for workers, while keeping Mexican farm exports free from U.S. tariffs. By law, President Trump must give Congress 90 days of notice prior to signing any new trade deal. The Trump administration urged Canada to join the new agreement by September 1, but it actually has until the end of this month to submit a fully detailed trade pact to Congress for review. Capitol Hill lawmakers are unlikely to vote on the deal until mid-2019.3,4

 

NASDAQ PUSHES PAST 8,000

Another week, another market milestone: the tech benchmark settled at 8,109.68 Wednesday, a record. It ended the week just a hair lower at 8,109.54, advancing 2.06% in five trading sessions. Up 0.93% for the week, the S&P 500 closed out August at 2,901.52. Rising 0.68% in five days, the Dow Industrials finished the month at 25,964.82.5,6

 

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

 

Retirement plans should be updated with time. As your financial situation changes, your plan should change and evolve.

---

 

THIS WEEK

Monday is Labor Day, so Wall Street has the day off. | The Institute for Supply Management’s August manufacturing PMI appears Tuesday. | Nothing major is scheduled for Wednesday. | ADP’s August payrolls report, the latest Challenger job-cut numbers, a fresh Department of Labor initial jobless claims snapshot, and a new ISM service sector PMI all surface Thursday. | On Friday, the Department of Labor presents its August employment report.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

 

“Look before you leap.”

AESOP

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	5.04	18.30	15.06	12.54
NASDAQ	17.47	26.15	25.18	24.52
S&P 500	8.52	17.39	15.54	12.71
REAL YIELD	8/31 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	0.78	0.36	0.68	1.68

Randy C. Benning, CFP®, President, License # 0816882, Benning Financial Group, LLC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Benning Financial Group, LLC, A Registered Investment Advisor, Benning Financial Group, LLC 

Sources: wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov – 8/31/186,7,8,9

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.

---

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. 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. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a 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 a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. 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. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. 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.

CITATIONS:

1 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/08/27-31 [8/31/18]

2 – cbsnews.com/news/consumer-confidence-hits-18-year-high/ [8/28/18]

3 – reuters.com/article/us-trade-nafta-factbox/winners-and-losers-from-the-new-nafta-deal-idUSKCN1LF2O9 [8/30/18]

4 – washingtonpost.com/business/2018/08/30/friday-isnt-real-deadline-nafta [8/30/18]

5 – tinyurl.com/y7gfl9dq [8/31/18]

6 – markets.wsj.com/us [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=8%2F31%2F17&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=8%2F31%2F17&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=8%2F31%2F17&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=8%2F30%2F13&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=8%2F30%2F13&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=8%2F30%2F13&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F2%2F08&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

 

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F2%2F08&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

 

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F2%2F08&x=0&y=0 [8/31/18]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [8/31/18]

9 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [8/31/18]