Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

FIRST ESTIMATE OF Q3 GDP: 3.5%

A 4.0% gain in consumer spending and a 3.3% advance in government spending helped strengthen the economy in the three months ending in September. Bureau of Economic Analysis data shows that the past two quarters represent the best 6-month period for U.S. growth since 2014. It appears likely that the economy will expand more than 3% this year; if that happens, 2018 will enter the history books as the best year for the economy since 2005.1

    

NEW HOME SALES SLUMP, BUT PENDING HOME SALES IMPROVE

According to the Census Bureau, new home buying decreased 5.5% last month, even as the number of new homes on the market hit a nine-and-a-half-year high. The median sale price of $320,000 was 3.5% lower than it was in September 2017. Pending home sales surprised to the upside in September: they rose 0.5%. Economists polled by Briefing.com expected the National Association of Realtors to announce a housing contract activity decline of 0.3%.2,3

   

A SLIGHT DIP FOR CONSUMER SENTIMENT

Friday, the final University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for October appeared, bearing a reading of 98.6. This was 0.4 points below its preliminary October mark, but little cause for concern.3

   

MORE TURBULENCE ON WALL STREET

Investors would love to see the major indices recapture some of their October losses, and perhaps that will happen as the month ends. The Dow Industrials, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite all retreated significantly last week after five days of sizable ups and downs, as anxieties about reduced profit margins and rising interest rates lingered. The blue chips gave back 2.97% to settle at 24,688.31 Friday. Losing 3.78% for the week, the Nasdaq fell to 7,167.21 at Friday’s closing bell; across the same stretch, the S&P 500 slipped 3.94% to 2,658.69.4

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

If you have adult children living with you, it is perfectly fine to ask them to shoulder some financial responsibility in your household. Ask them to regularly pay one expense a month (such as the electric bill) or have them pay rent.

---

THIS WEEK

Monday, the Department of Commerce presents its snapshot of September personal spending, and the September PCE price index appears; investors will also consider earnings from Akamai, Blackbaud, Bloomin’ Brands, Booz Allen Hamilton, Embraer, Mondelez, Nautilus, Transocean, U.S. Auto Parts, and Wingstop. | Tuesday, Wall Street reviews earnings from Aetna, Allergan PLC, Amgen, Anadarko Petroleum, AutoNation, Baidu, Baker Hughes, Big 5 Sporting Goods, BP, Brinker International, Coca-Cola, Container Store, Cummins, Curtiss Wright, Denny’s, Eaton, eBay, Edison International, Electronic Arts, Extra Space Storage, Facebook, Fiat Chrysler, Fresh Del Monte Produce, GE, Genworth Financial, Herbalife, Honda Motor Co., Huntsman, Hyatt Hotels, Mastercard, MGM Resorts, Pfizer, Public Storage, Regis Corp., Sony, Under Armour, Voya Financial, Vulcan Materials, Waddell & Reed, WestJet, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; the latest Conference Board consumer confidence index and Case-Shiller home price index also arrive. | On Wednesday, the corporations announcing earnings include Air Canada, Allstate, AIG, Anthem, Chesapeake Energy, Clorox, Diebold Nixdorf, Estee Lauder, Express Scripts, Fitbit, Garmin, General Motors, GlaxoSmithKline, Kellogg, Molson Coors, Sprint, Taylor Morrison, Yum! Brands, and Zynga, and ADP releases its September payrolls report. | The October ISM manufacturing PMI comes out Thursday, along with the September Challenger job-cut report, the latest initial unemployment claims numbers, and earnings from AMC Networks, Apple, Arcelor Mittal, Avon, CBRE Group, CBS, Cigna, Cirrus Logic, DowDuPont, Exelon, Fluor, GoPro, Hanesbrands, Kraft Heinz, Live Nation, Marathon Petroleum, MetLife, Motorola Solutions, Pitney Bowes, RE/MAX Holdings, Royal Dutch Shell, Shake Shack, Spotify, Starbucks, Symantec, U.S. Steel, Wayfair, and WW. | Friday, the Department of Labor issues its October employment report, and Alibaba, Chevron, Duke Energy, Enbridge, Exxon Mobil, Seagate Technology, and Willis Towers Watson offer earnings news.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

“Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”

ROBERT FROST

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	-0.13	5.50	11.71	20.20
NASDAQ	3.82	9.31	16.35	37.59
S&P 500	-0.56	3.84	10.22	21.32
REAL YIELD	10/26 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	1.02	0.57	0.35	3.02

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 – 10/26/184,5,6,7

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 – marketwatch.com/story/third-quarter-gdp-cools-a-bit-to-a-still-solid-35-rate-2018-10-26 [10/26/18]

2 – bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-24/u-s-new-home-sales-fall-more-than-forecast-to-least-since-2016 [10/24/18]

3 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/10/22-26 [10/26/18]

4 – markets.wsj.com/us [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F26%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F26%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F26%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F25%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F25%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F25%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F27%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]
5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F27%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]
5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F27%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/26/18]
6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/26/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/26/18]     

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

HOMES MOVE AT THE SLOWEST PACE IN 3 YEARS

Existing home sales slumped 3.4% in September as the annualized sales rate decelerated to a degree unseen since November 2015. In reporting this, the National Association of Realtors cited the usual factors: climbing mortgage rates, tight inventory, and ascending prices (the median sale price in September was $258,100, up 4.2% in 12 months). The NAR’s chief economist, Lawrence Yun, now projects a 1.6% reduction in resales for 2018; economists at Fannie Mae are forecasting a 2.0% retreat. In other real estate news, the Census Bureau said that housing starts fell 5.3% last month, while building permits declined 0.6%.1,2

    

AGAIN, RETAIL SALES RISE JUST 0.1%

The Census Bureau said that the overall gain for September matched that of August. With fuel and auto sales factored out, retail sales were flat last month. Core sales retreated 0.1%.2

   

FED MINUTES NOTE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER GRADUAL RATE HIKES

The Federal Reserve released minutes from its September policy meeting Thursday, and they relayed the consensus opinion that a “gradual approach” to tightening monetary policy will be warranted if inflation, labor, and GDP readings keep indicating a thriving economy. Policymakers noted that raising rates too quickly could prompt “an abrupt slowing in the economy and inflation moving below the committee’s objective.” Then again, the minutes also acknowledged “the risk of moving too slowly, which could engender inflation persistently above the objective and possibly contribute to a buildup of financial imbalances.”3

   

A POSITIVE WEEK FOR EQUITIES

All three major Wall Street benchmarks advanced last week. The S&P 500 registered the smallest gain, adding just 0.02% as it reached 2,767.78. Improving 0.41% for the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average settled at 25,444.34. Rising 1.64% in five trading days, the Nasdaq Composite ended the week at 7,449.03.4

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

As a small business grows, a relationship with a good tax professional becomes vital. A thorough tax professional can help you file correctly and see that you take the deductions to which you are legally entitled.

---

THIS WEEK

Monday’s earnings calendar lists announcements from Halliburton, Hasbro, Kimberly-Clark, Lennox International, Sify, TD Ameritrade, and Zions Bancorp. | On Tuesday, earnings roll in from 3M, Ameriprise Financial, Avery Dennison, Biogen, Capital One, Caterpillar, Corning, Fifth Third, GATX, Harley-Davidson, JetBlue, Lockheed Martin, McDonald’s, NextEra Energy, Pulte Group, Quest Diagnostics, Regions Financial, Six Flags Entertainment, Texas Instruments, and Verizon. | Wall Street considers September new home sales data and a new Beige Book from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, along with earnings from Aflac, AT&T, Boeing, CoreLogic, Ford Motor Co., Freeport-McMoRan, General Dynamics, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Ingersoll Rand, Microsoft, Norfolk Southern, Northrop Grumman, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Raymond James, Sirius XM Holdings, Smith Micro, Visa, Whirlpool, and W.R. Grace. | Thursday, investors react to earnings from Alaska Air Group, Ally Financial, Alphabet, Altria Group, Amazon, American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, Briggs & Stratton, Bristol-Myers, Celgene, Chipotle, Comcast, Conoco-Phillips, Discover, Dunkin’ Brands, Expedia, First Solar, Gilead Sciences, GrubHub, Hershey Co., IMAX, Intel, International Paper, Mattel, Merck, Netgear, Nokia, Penske Auto Group, Raytheon, Sherwin-Williams, Snap, Southwest Airlines, Stanley Black & Decker, Stryker, T. Rowe Price, The Hartford, Twitter, Union Pacific, Valero Energy, Verisign, Waste Management, and Western Digital, plus new initial jobless claims numbers, September pending home sales, and a new report on durable goods orders. | The federal government’s first estimate of Q3 GDP arrives Friday along with the final September University of Michigan consumer sentiment index and earnings announcements from AON, Charter Communications, Colgate-Palmolive, Goodyear, Phillips 66, Ryder Systems, and Weyerhaeuser.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.”

LADY BIRD JOHNSON

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	2.93	9.85	13.05	17.46
NASDAQ	7.90	12.78	18.06	32.08
S&P 500	3.52	8.03	11.73	18.09
REAL YIELD	10/19 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	1.09	0.49	0.42	2.76

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 – 10/19/184,5,6,7

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 – marketwatch.com/story/existing-home-sales-slump-to-a-near-3-year-low-as-buyers-back-out-2018-10-19 [10/19/18]

2 – investing.com/economic-calendar/ [10/19/18]

3 – tickertape.tdameritrade.com/market-news/investors-seem-to-continue-digesting-fed-minutes-17062 [10/18/18]

4 – markets.wsj.com/us [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F19%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F19%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F19%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F18%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F18%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F18%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F20%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]
5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F20%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F20%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/19/18]
6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/19/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/19/18] 

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

UNCERTAINTY BREEDS SELLING, FOLLOWED BY A RELIEF RALLY

On Friday, Wall Street rebounded from a disquieting slump that saw the blue chips take an almost 1,400 point dive. The S&P 500 gained 1.42% to snap a 6-session losing streak, the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.29% to fight back from a correction, and the Dow rose 1.15%. A new earnings season may take investors’ minds off the insecurities they have felt recently about bond yields, tariffs, and interest rate hikes. Those uncertainties weighed on equities again this past week: the Dow fell 4.19% to 25,339.99; the S&P, 4.10% to 2,767.13; the Nasdaq, 4.86% to 7,496.89. Small caps had it worse than the big three last week: the Russell 2000 lost 5.23%.1,2

   

INFLATION SOFTENED LAST MONTH

Advancing only 0.1% for September, the headline Consumer Price Index showed a yearly gain of 2.3%, quite a contrast from the 2.9% increase measured in July. The core CPI also advanced 0.1%, and its 12-month gain was unchanged at 2.2%. If further deceleration in the annual inflation rate occurs, that might give the Federal Reserve some pause.3

  

A LITTLE LESS CONFIDENCE ON MAIN STREET

The latest University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell short of the heights forecast by economists surveyed by Briefing.com. They expected a preliminary October reading of 100.0. Instead, the index fell to 99.0, 1.1 points below its final September mark.4

  

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS WILL GROW 2.8% IN 2019

Retirees will soon see a boost in their Social Security payments. Thursday, the Social Security Administration announced that retirement benefits will receive their largest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) since 2012 next year. The improvement will lift the average monthly payment to an individual from $1,422 to $1,461. The mean monthly payment to a retired couple will rise from $2,381 to $2,448.5

  

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

 

Looking for more money to save or invest? You may find it by eating out less. If you spend $300 a month eating out, you could lower that to $100 a month and free up $2,400 a year to put into a retirement account or emergency fund.

---

THIS WEEK

On Monday, Bank of America reports Q3 results and the Census Bureau releases its latest monthly retail sales snapshot. | BlackRock, Comerica, CSX, Del Taco, Domino’s, J.B. Hunt, IBM, Infosys, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley, Netflix, UnitedHealth, and W.W. Grainger all announce earnings Tuesday. | Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s September policy meeting surface Wednesday, along with data on September housing starts and building permits and earnings from Abbott Labs, Alcoa, Kaiser Aluminum, Kinder Morgan, Northern Trust, Union Bank, U.S. Bank, United Rentals, and Winnebago. | American Express, Bank of New York Mellon, BB&T, Blackstone Group, Celanese, E*Trade, KeyCorp, Novartis, Nucor, PayPal, Philip Morris, Snap-On, Sonoco, Textron, Travelers Companies, and WD40 present earnings Thursday, when the latest initial jobless claims figures also appear. | Friday, Honeywell, Manpower, Procter & Gamble, Schlumberger, State Street, SunTrust, VF Corporation, and Volvo offer earnings news, and September existing home sales data emerges from the National Association of Realtors.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love and how to let it come in.”

MITCH ALBOM

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	2.51	10.94	13.26	16.99
NASDAQ	8.60	13.73	19.54	30.65
S&P 500	3.50	8.48	12.49	17.58
REAL YIELD	10/12 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	1.03	0.44	0.50	2.97

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 – 10/12/182,6,7,8

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 – thestreet.com/markets/stocks-on-wall-street-rebound-friday-14742963 [10/12/18]

2 – markets.wsj.com/us [10/12/18]

3 – marketwatch.com/story/housing-costs-nudge-inflation-higher-in-september-cpi-shows-2018-10-11 [10/11/18]

4 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/10/08-12 [10/12/18]

5 – kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T051-C001-S001-social-security-benefits-to-increase-in-2019.html [10/11/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F12%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F12%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F12%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F11%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F11%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F11%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F13%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F13%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F13%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/12/18]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/12/18]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/12/18]    

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

10-YEAR TREASURY YIELD HITS A 7-YEAR PEAK

Friday, the yield on the 10-year note reached 3.23%, its highest level since 2011. Its yield rose dramatically last week, influenced by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and reports showing minimal unemployment and a swiftly expanding business sector. All this strengthened investor perception that the U.S. economy has hit its stride. It also suggested a near future with recurring interest rate hikes, costlier borrowing, and subdued spending. That possibility weighed on equities. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.21% to 7,788.45, and the S&P 500, 0.97% to 2,885.57; the Dow Industrials retreated just 0.04% to 26,447.05.1,2

 

LESS HIRING IN SEPTEMBER

A look at the Department of Labor’s latest jobs report reveals good news and bad news. The good news? Unemployment declined further to 3.7%, annualized wage growth improved to 3.4% in the third quarter, and monthly net hiring averaged 190,000 in Q3. The bad news? Payrolls expanded with just 134,000 net new jobs last month, as underemployment ticked up 0.1% to 7.5% and year-over-year wage growth slowed to 2.8%. Some economists feel that Hurricane Florence significantly impacted the September data.3

 

SERVICE SECTOR EXPANDS AT A HISTORIC PACE

The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing manager index rose 3.1 points in September to 61.6. It has never been that high in its decade-long history. ISM’s PMI for the factory sector took a slight dip in September, slipping from 61.3 to 59.8 but still showing fast expansion.4

 

OIL MAKES ANOTHER WEEKLY ADVANCE

Crude is on a 4-week winning streak. At Friday’s closing bell, the price stood at $74.34 a barrel on the NYMEX, reflecting a 1.5% rise in five days. Again, worries over upcoming U.S. sanctions against Iran helped to send prices higher. WTI crude settled at $76.41 Wednesday, which approached a 4-year peak for the commodity.5

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

Yes, clipping coupons can save you money at the grocery store – but keep in mind, coupon deals may lead you to buy unneeded items. The cost of the extra purchases could cancel out any coupon savings.

---

THIS WEEK

While the U.S. bond market is closed Monday in observance of Columbus Day, U.S. stock exchanges are open for business; no major economic or earnings releases are scheduled. | Nothing major is slated for Tuesday, either. | Wednesday, investors consider the September Producer Price Index and earnings from Fastenal. | On Thursday, the September Consumer Price Index appears, along with the latest initial jobless claims report and earnings news from Delta Air Lines and Walgreens Boots Alliance. | The fall earnings season begins Friday, with announcements from Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Financial Services Group, and Wells Fargo; in addition, the University of Michigan’s preliminary October consumer sentiment index arrives.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

 

“Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.”

ZIG ZIGLAR

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	6.99	16.12	15.09	16.57
NASDAQ	12.82	18.27	20.91	31.81
S&P 500	7.93	13.07	14.14	17.30
REAL YIELD	10/5 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	1.07	0.49	0.46	2.21

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 – 10/5/182,6,7,8

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 – thestreet.com/markets/stocks-rise-slightly-on-friday-after-september-jobs-report-14735092 [10/5/18]

2 – markets.wsj.com/us [10/5/18]

3 – bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-05/u-s-payrolls-and-wages-cool-while-jobless-rate-hits-48-year-low [10/5/18]

4 – instituteforsupplymanagement.org/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=30177 [9/26/18]

5 – marketwatch.com/story/us-oil-benchmark-ends-nearly-flat-but-tallies-a-4th-straight-weekly-rise-2018-10-05 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F5%2F17&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F4%2F13&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=10%2F6%2F08&x=0&y=0 [10/5/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [10/5/18]
8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [10/5/18]   

Randy C. Benning, CFP Presents:

FEDERAL RESERVE MAKES ITS THIRD RATE HIKE OF 2018

The central bank set the target range for the federal funds rate at 2.00-2.25% last week, in a move that economists and investors widely expected. One development was unexpected: the Fed removed the word “accommodative” from its latest policy statement, a hint that it may be on the verge of altering its monetary policy outlook. The Fed dot-plot still shows one more interest rate hike for 2018 and three hikes in 2019.1

 

HOUSEHOLDS SEE A VERY STRONG ECONOMY

Both marquee U.S. consumer confidence indices finished September in good shape. The Conference Board’s index reached an 18-year peak of 138.4, rising 3.7 points from its August mark. The University of Michigan’s gauge declined 0.7 points to a still-impressive reading of 100.1.2,3

 

A PERSONAL SPENDING MISS; A NEW HOME SALES GAIN

Looking at other economic indicators in a data-heavy week, consumer spending rose 0.3% in August, falling short of the 0.4% gain forecast by economists polled by Briefing.com. While reporting that advance, the Commerce Department also announced an improvement of 0.3% for personal incomes in August. The National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index declined 1.8% in the eighth month of the year; in better real estate news, the Census Bureau found new home buying up 3.5% in August, measuring a 12.7% yearly increase in the pace of new home sales.3,4

 

NASDAQ ADVANCES FOR THE WEEK, BUT S&P AND DOW RETREAT

The S&P 500 finished the month at 2,913.98, losing 0.54% during a relatively calm week on Wall Street, which also saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average head 1.07% lower to 26,458.31. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.74% on the week to wrap up September at 8,046.35. Across the month, the S&P rose 0.43%, and the Dow, 1.90%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.78%. The small-cap Russell 2000 sank 2.62% in September, settling Friday at 1,695.10.5

 

 

---

T I P   O F T H E   W E E K

When you inherit real estate, you immediately face some financial questions. Do you want to sell the property, rent it out, or keep it? What would each choice mean, tax-wise? Can you handle payments on an outstanding mortgage and maintenance costs? Talking to tax or real estate professionals is essential.

---

THIS WEEK

Monday, the Institute for Supply Management presents its September manufacturing PMI. | Paychex and PepsiCo announce earnings Tuesday morning; just before the closing bell, Fed chairman Jerome Powell delivers a speech on the U.S. inflation and employment outlook in Boston. | On Wednesday, ADP’s latest payrolls report appears along with the latest ISM service sector PMI and earnings from Lennar. | The September Challenger job-cut report and a new weekly initial jobless claims snapshot arrive Thursday, plus earnings from Constellation Brands and Costco. | The Department of Labor issues its September employment report on Friday.

 

---

Q U O T E   O F T H E  W E E K

“A pound of pluck is worth a ton of luck.”

JAMES GARFIELD

---

 

% CHANGE	Y-T-D	1-YR CHG	5-YR AVG	10-YR AVG
DJIA	7.04	18.22	14.68	15.53
NASDAQ	16.56	24.68	22.56	30.56
S&P 500	8.99	16.09	14.45	16.34
REAL YIELD	9/28 RATE	1 YR AGO	5 YRS AGO	10 YRS AGO
10 YR TIPS	0.91	0.44	0.46	2.03

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 – 9/28/185,6,7,8

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 – businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-fomc-statement-and-interest-rate-decision-september-2018-2018-9 [9/26/18]

2 – conference-board.org/data/consumerconfidence.cfm [9/25/18]

3 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2018/09/24-28 [9/28/18]

4 – cnbc.com/2018/09/26/august-new-home-sales.html [9/26/18]

5 – markets.wsj.com/us [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F28%2F17&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F27%2F13&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=9%2F29%2F08&x=0&y=0 [9/28/18]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [9/28/18]
8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [9/28/18]