Further June Gains
WEEKLY UPDATE - JUNE 20, 2019
In This Issue
Last Week on Wall Street
Stocks advanced for a second straight week. The market seemed to put its recent preoccupation with trade issues aside, with attention shifting to this week's Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting. Traders in futures markets now believe the Fed will make a rate cut in July, so its June policy statement will be of great interest. [3]
Oil Prices Rollercoaster
Attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the busy oil shipping channel, helped to push the price of West Texas Intermediate crude 2.2% higher June 13th, just a day after a 4% fall. Even so, WTI crude lost 2.7% in five days, closing Friday at $52.51 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.[4]

Investors wondered at mid-week if tensions in the Persian Gulf region would soon impact oil output and transport. Looking beyond the short term, however, the International Energy Agency reduced its 2020 projection for global oil demand.[5]  

Households Bought More in May
Retail sales rose 0.5% last month, according to the Department of Commerce. Across the year ending in May, they advanced 3.2%. The previously announced 0.2% April retreat was revised into a 0.3% gain.[6]

These numbers affirm strong household spending this spring. Consumer spending accounts for roughly two-thirds of the nation's gross domestic product.

This Week
In terms of news, yesterday offered what may prove to be the biggest economic event of the week: a Federal Reserve policy statement and press conference.

Blattel News
Back row: Erin Peterson, Gary Scott, Scott Kincaid, Adam Hofer; Front row: Scott Blattel, Bob Blattel, Kate Christopher


Our St. Louis Blues are Stanley Cup Champions!


Play Gloria!

We hope you had just as much fun as us celebrating the Blues win!

Calendar

July 4 & 5: Office Closed
Our office will be closed for Independence Day weekend. The stock market will close at noon on July 3, and be closed July 4.
 
July 16 from 5-6 pm: Workshop
Join us for the Retire on Purpose workshop. You will receive actionable tips on what you can start doing today to enrich your life in retirement. A great experience for those about to retire or who have recently retired! Register today for  Retirement on Purpose Workshop.

 

September 2: Office Closed
Our office, and the stock market, will be closed on Labor Day.
 
October: Client Event
Our semi-annual client breakfast seminar is currently being planned. Look for more details later this summer!



"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today."

- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Veg-Out Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Salad
  • 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper
  • 1 large orange bell pepper
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 English cucumber
  • 10 oz. yellow/red cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 5 green onions
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh dill
Dressing
  • 4 Tbsp. sunflower oil (you can use olive oil or avocado oil)
  • 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar are good replacements)
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt, to taste
  • ¼ to ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
Directions:

Salad
  1. Begin by prepping the vegetables. Shred 1 cup red cabbage, cut the bell peppers, and slice the English cucumber. Cut the vegetables into similar thinness and sizes. Peel and grate 1 medium carrot, halve cherry tomatoes, chop green onions (green part only), and finely chop parsley and dill.
     
  2. Gently toss the vegetables in a large bowl.
Dressing
  1. Mix the oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and fresh ground black pepper, then add chopped garlic cloves. 
     
  2. Whisk the dressing until it comes together then pour over salad (be careful to not overdress).  
     
  3. Refrigerate the salad for about 2 hours to give it time to absorb the dressing. 
     
  4. Serve and enjoy.
     
Recipe adapted from Olga in the Kitchen[7]

Sleep Tight with a Health-Giving Night's Rest

Sleep is one of the most important, health-giving things you can do for your body. When you sleep, your body heals itself in all kinds of ways, including metabolism, brain function, and tissue growth and repair. Here are some tips to ensure a better night of healing:
  • Schedule it. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, including the weekends. Your body's internal clock will thank you.

  • Create a before-bed ritual. Try a relaxing routine, preferably without electronics. Try incorporating activities like stretching or yoga, enjoying a cup of herbal tea, taking a bubble bath, or reading a good book.

  • No napping. If you're having trouble sleeping at night, try to avoid afternoon naps to improve your evening snooze.

  • Sleep space. Arrange your bedroom for a good night's sleep. Keep it cool (between 60°F and 67°F), quiet, and dark. You may want to try listening to mediations or "white noise." Make sure your mattress is comfortable and isn't ready for retirement (it's time to replace when yours is around 10 years old). Old pillows should be replaced too.

Tip adapted from The National Sleep Foundation[10]

Share the Wealth of Knowledge!
 
Please share this market update with family, friends, or colleagues. If you would like us to add them to our list, simply click on the "Forward email" link below. We love being introduced!

 

 

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 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S. Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market.
 
Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance.
 
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
 
You cannot invest directly in an index.
 
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.
 
By clicking on these links, you will leave our server, as the links are located on another server. We have not independently verified the information available through this link. The link is provided to you as a matter of interest. Please click on the links below to leave and proceed to the selected site.

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

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

[3] www.cnbc.com/2019/06/14/stock-market-middle-east-tensions-weigh-china-data-in-focus.html

[4] www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-steady-as-market-keeps-watch-on-strait-of-hormuz-after-tanker-attacks-2019-06-14

[5] www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-steady-as-market-keeps-watch-on-strait-of-hormuz-after-tanker-attacks-2019-06-14

[6] www.cnbc.com/2019/06/14/retail-sales-may-2019.html

[7] www.olgainthekitchen.com/all-veggie-salad/

[8] www.irs.gov/newsroom/dos-and-donts-for-taxpayers-who-get-a-letter-from-the-irs

[9] practical-golf.com/practice-every-day-take-30-day-challenge/

[10] www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips

[11] www.greeneatz.com/foods-carbon-footprint.html

Visit My Site