Markets Turn Jittery
WEEKLY UPDATE - AUGUST 14, 2017
In This Issue
Last week, rising tension between North Korea and the U.S. rattled the world's markets. As the two countries traded tough words, concerns escalated and markets reacted emotionally to the news.[1] Though stress is building internationally, we remain committed to focusing on the market fundamentals that drive long-term value.
In the coming days, we will publish a white paper outlining the details of how markets have reacted to other significant geopolitical events. History shows that markets can fall in the wake of alarming news but do recover, given time.[2] We encourage you to stay tuned for the white paper and talk to us if you have questions or concerns.

Amidst the pressure last week, volatility returned to markets - and all three major U.S. market indexes turned south. [3] The Dow dropped 1.06%, the S&P 500 fell 1.43%, and the NASDAQ declined 1.50%. [4] Global markets also reacted as the MSCI EAFE lost 1.59% for the week. [5]

Though international developments dominated headlines, economic news important to markets and investors continued to roll out. The data reflects a solid economy, but some possible headwinds are on the horizon. Here are the highlights:
  • Impressive Corporate Earnings: Q2 corporate earnings reports both domestically and internationally were impressive. Reported corporate earnings in the U.S. increased an average of over 10% for the second quarter in a row - their first time doing so since 2011.[6]
  • Low Inflation: The consumer price index, which measures changes to the average price of specific goods and services, rose only 0.1% in July.[7] Expectations for a 0.2% increase failed to materialize as housing and travel costs, wireless services, and auto sales all slumped in July.[8] At 1.7%, year-over-year inflation remains below the Federal Reserve's targeted 2% growth rate. Continued low inflation may cause the Fed to rethink its plans to raise interest rates.[9]
  • Rising Demand for Labor: Labor markets continue to be a key economic driver as evidenced by sharply rising job openings. June's job openings jumped to 6.2 million from 5.7 million in May.[10] Year-over-year, job openings climbed an impressive 11.3%.[11] Moreover, jobless claims remain at historic lows.[12]
  • High U.S. Household Debt: The current outstanding consumer debt of $12.7 trillion is now higher than the previous record reached in 2008. This debt load could wind up being a drag on consumer spending and the economy as a whole.[13]
What Is Ahead

Tense geopolitical headlines may continue, but there will be plenty of market news, too. Retail, manufacturing, and housing data will come out this week, and Friday's August consumer sentiment numbers will be of interest. [14] Though the markets may move with emotions, economic fundamentals should continue to be the base for long-term value.  

No matter what questions you may have, we always welcome you to reach out and contact us. We are here to help.


ECONOMIC CALENDAR
Tuesday: Retail Sales, Import and Export Prices, Housing Market Index, Business Inventories
Wednesday: Housing Starts
Thursday: Jobless Claims,Industrial Production
Friday: Consumer Sentiment  

 

Notes: All index returns (except S&P 500) exclude reinvested dividends, and the 5- year and 10-year returns are annualized. The total returns for the S&P 500 assume reinvestment of dividends on the last day of the month. This may account for differences between the index returns published on  Morningstar.com  and the index returns published elsewhere. International performance is represented by the MSCI EAFE Index. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.



"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
 
- Anais Nin

Cheddar-Chive Biscuits

Yields 30 biscuits

Ingredients:
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup baking powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 8 oz white cheddar cheese, grated
  • cup sliced chives (or green onions)
  • 1½ cup cold salted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for brushing
  • 2½ cups buttermilk
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and chives in a food processor. Pulse until everything is mixed together. Add butter and pulse until mostly incorporated but with a few remaining chunks of butter. Pour in buttermilk while pulsing, stopping just when the dough comes together. (Add a little more buttermilk if dough is overly dry.)

3. Drop dough onto a baking sheet in ¼ cup portions (bigger if you'd like) and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with more chives.

5. If you do not have a food processor, cut together the dry ingredients with the butter, then stir in the other ingredients.


Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman [15]

Unleash Your Inner Lag

Just what is "lag," anyway? Lag comes from proper sequencing on the downswing, not from trying to artificially hold onto the angle. Proper force generation and sequencing comes from the ground up and winds "out" into the club. Try the following drill to see if you can get the feel for the proper downswing sequence. 

1. Set up to the ground, no ball, with a 6 or 7-iron. Bend both arms and place the shaft on the outer part of your right upper arm. You may have to let go slightly with your right hand.

2. Turn your shoulders 90 degrees as if you had made a backswing, but keep the club shaft against your right arm.

3. Make your downswing and see how long you can keep the shaft touching your right arm - at least until your hands get even with your right leg.

Feel the delayed release and then whipping of the clubhead through impact. You should feel your forearms and club turn over naturally.

Result: Delaying the club release through proper sequencing will help you maximize your distance.


Tip courtesy of Stan Moore | Golf Tips Magazine [17]
Benefits of Reducing Wasted Food

We may not realize how much food we throw away every day - from spoiled produce and expired meat to uneaten leftovers. In 2014, we threw out 38 million tons of food waste. About 95% of the food we throw away winds up in landfills or combustion facilities. Managing food sustainability and reducing waste can help businesses and consumers save money, as well as provide for those who do not have enough to eat, and conserve resources for future generations. Here are other ways reducing wasted food contributes to greener living:
  • Saves money from buying less food.
  • Reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers our carbon footprint.
  • Conserves energy and resources, preventing pollution involved in the growing, manufacturing, transporting, and selling of food.
  • Supports your community by providing donated, untouched food that would have otherwise gone to waste to those who might not have a steady food supply.
For more tips on reducing food waste, visit the EPA website.


Tip courtesy of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [19]
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Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.

Diversification does not guarantee profit nor is it guaranteed to protect assets.

International investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuation and political instability and may not be suitable for all investors.

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 Nasdaq Composite is an index of the common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market and is considered a broad indicator of the performance of stocks of technology companies and growth companies. 

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 indices from Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia. 

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are the leading measures of U.S. residential real estate prices, tracking changes in the value of residential real estate. The index is made up of measures of real estate prices in 20 cities and weighted to produce the index.

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