A New Dow Milestone
WEEKLY UPDATE - NOVEMBER 18, 2019
In This Issue
The Week on Wall Street
Stock benchmarks were little changed for much of last week, but a rally occurred Friday after news broke that the U.S. and China could be closing in on the first phase of a new trade pact. 
At Friday's close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed the 28,000 level. The Dow rose 1.17% for the week, outgaining the S&P 500 (which advanced 0.89%) and the Nasdaq Composite (which added 0.77%). The MSCI EAFE index, representing developed overseas stock markets, fell 0.77%.[1][2]

Will There Be a Trade Breakthrough?
Friday, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross told the media that "in all likelihood," a phase-one trade deal between China and the U.S. would presently happen, stating that the talks were "down to the last details." Thursday evening, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow expressed similar optimism, noting that negotiations were "coming down to the short strokes."

That said, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that President Trump is not yet committed to signing a phase-one trade deal. Secretary Ross noted that such an agreement would be "relatively limited in scope."[3][4]

Consumers Boost Their Buying
Retail sales advanced 0.3% in October, according to the Department of Commerce. That surpassed the 0.2% gain forecast by economists polled by MarketWatch. Even so, households bought fewer big-ticket items than they did in September.[5]

THE WEEK AHEAD: KEY ECONOMIC DATA
Wednesday: Minutes from the October Federal Reserve meeting appear.
Thursday: The National Association of Realtors presents data on October existing home sales.
Friday: The University of Michigan publishes its final Consumer Sentiment Index for November (an assessment of consumer confidence).

Source: Econoday, November 15, 2019
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

THE WEEK AHEAD: COMPANIES REPORTING EARNINGS
Tuesday: Home Depot (HD), Medtronic (MDT), TJX Companies (TJX)
Wednesday: Lowe's (LOW), Target (TGT)
Thursday: Intuit (INTU), Ross Stores (ROST)

Source: Zacks, November 15, 2019
Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Any investment should be consistent with your objectives, time frame and risk tolerance. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.


"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

- George Bernard Shaw
The World's Easiest Fish Tacos

Who says it needs to be summer to enjoy some delicious fish tacos? Bring the beach in with these tasty treats!

[4 servings]

Ingredients
  • Frozen, prepared fish sticks (8 pieces)
     
  • 8 small tortillas (flour or corn)
     
  • Lettuce
     
  • Avocado
For the sauce:
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
     
  • ⅓ cup mayo
     
  • 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
     

For the bean salsa:

  • 1 can black beans
     
  • 1 can sweet corn
     
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
     
  • ½ cup red onion, diced
     
  • Cilantro to taste
     
  • 2 limes
     
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Cook fish sticks according to the package instructions. 
     
  2. While the fish is cooking, mix all the sauce ingredients together. 
     
  3. For the bean salsa, mix all the ingredients together. 
     
  4. To assemble, place one piece of fish onto a tortilla and top with bean salsa, taco sauce, lettuce, and avocado. Garnish with the remaining cilantro. 

Recipe adapted from Lauren's Latest [6]


This Simple Trick Will Help You Eliminate Half of the Hole

Whether you tend to slice or hook your drives, where and how you set up your ball matters. You may not put much thought into where and how you tee up, but this tip will encourage you to think more about your setup.

To eliminate half the hole and improve your chances of hitting a good shot, play off the tee in a way that will compensate for your swing trend. In other words, if you tend to hit a slice, tee your ball up near the right tee marker and address the ball so that both your stance and clubface point to ten o'clock. This effectively opens up the left side of the fairway visually for you and orients you toward that direction. Before you employ this tip, know your shot trend for the day. On the practice tee, for example, were you tending to slice or hook today? This way, you'll have an idea of which side to set up on. It's also important to note that with this tip, you're not trying to force a different swing (aka stop slicing). You are recognizing your swing trend for the day and wisely playing to that.


Tip adapted from Golf Tips Magazine[8]
Thanksgiving Day - Offices Closed & Reduced Hours
 
Our offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28,
in observance of the Thanksgiving Day Holiday
 
We will have reduced hours on
Friday, November 29, from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Central.
 
We will return to normal business hours
on Monday, December 2, at 8:00 am.

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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.

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Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.

Fixed income investments are subject to various risks including changes in interest rates, credit quality, inflation risk, market valuations, prepayments, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors.

These are the views of Platinum Advisor Strategies, LLC, and not necessarily those of the named representative,
Broker dealer or Investment Advisor and should not be construed as investment advice. Neither the named representative nor the named Broker dealer or Investment Advisor gives tax or legal advice. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please consult your financial advisor for further information.

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[1] www.wsj.com/market-data

[2] quotes.wsj.com/index/XX/990300/historical-prices

[3] www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-15/kudlow-says-phase-one-china-deal-down-to-the-short-strokes-k2zgbx0k

[4] www.foxbusiness.com/politics/u-s-china-trade-deal-near-but-trump-not-signing-yet

[5] www.marketwatch.com/story/us-retail-sales-rebound-in-october-but-a-small-group-of-stores-reap-most-of-the-gains-2019-11-15

[6] laurenslatest.com/the-easiest-fish-tacos/

[7] www.irs.gov/newsroom/not-too-early-here-are-steps-taxpayers-can-take-now-to-get-ready-to-file-their-taxes-in-2019

[8] www.golftipsmag.com/video/driving/eliminate-half-the-golf-hole/

[9] www.health.harvard.edu/blog/12-tips-for-holiday-eating-201212245718

[10] morningchores.com/rainwater-harvesting/

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