Trade News Moves the Market
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BI-WEEKLY UPDATE - MAY 20, 2019
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The Week on Wall Street
Stocks fell sharply at the start of last week over trade tensions, then recovered with help from strong earnings and indications that U.S.-China trade talks would continue. Even so, the major indices had a down week.
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The Latest Trade Developments
A broad selloff occurred Monday after China announced it would respond to increased U.S. tariffs by boosting its own import taxes on $60 billion of U.S. products. Friday morning, the Street breathed a sigh of relief as the Trump administration decided to delay 25% tariffs planned for imported cars and car parts; they had been slated to take effect on May 18. Just hours later, President Trump announced an end to U.S. tariffs on metals coming from Canada and Mexico.
At midweek, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin told reporters that he expected the U.S. to resume trade negotiations with China in "the near future."
[3][4][5]
Earnings Season Winds Down
The first-quarter earnings scorecard is nearly complete, as more than 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported actual Q1 results.
Stock market analytics firm FactSet notes that 76% of these firms have beaten consensus earnings-per-share estimates. Overall earnings for S&P 500 components have surpassed expectations by 5.4%. Both these percentages are above 5-year averages.
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Final Thought
The market is quite sensitive to trade developments at the moment, and it is unclear whether this will be a short-term trend or a long-term influence on prices. While the U.S. prepares its next moves, China also is preparing its response to any new U.S. tariffs, which could include manipulating its currency.
THE WEEK AHEAD: KEY ECONOMIC DATA
Tuesday: The April existing home sales report from the National Association of Realtors.
Wednesday: Minutes from the Federal Reserve's May policy meeting.
Thursday: April new home sales figures from the Census Bureau.
Source: Econoday / MarketWatch Calendar, May 17, 2019
The Econoday and MarketWatch economic calendars list 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.
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Our office has fully embraced playoff fever and has been cheering on the Blues. Scott has even been growing out his beard to help his favorite team. He has attended every home game, and Scott K. also attended the Dallas clincher.
Be ready to see blue the next time you visit the office, as we will only get more excited as we get closer to the Stanley Cup. Let's Go Blues!!!
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May 27: Office Closed
Our office, and the stock market, will be closed on Memorial Day.
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: Workshop
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 5:00 PM
We are thrilled to offer you an unique retirement workshop! You will receive actionable tips on what you can start doing today to enrich your life in retirement. Throughout the workshop, you will engage in thought-provoking exercises specifically designed to create the life you envision.
Register toda
y.
September 2: Office Closed
Our office, and the stock market, will be closed on Labor Day.
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"Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door."
- Coco Chanel
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Red and White Roasted Potatoes
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Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. small, similar-sized red and white potatoes
- ¼ cup good olive oil (can use avocado or a vegetable oil)
- 1 to 2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt, to taste
- 1 to 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 to 4 Tbsp. garlic, minced (6 to 8 cloves)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
Directions:
- Set the oven to 400°F. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters, keeping them the same size.
- Toss them in a stainless-steel bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic until the potatoes are evenly coated.
- Scatter the potatoes on a sheet pan in one layer, making sure the potatoes are not touching each other.
- Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Remove the potatoes from the oven a few times to toss so that they brown evenly.
- Once the potatoes are done roasting, season more, if needed, then sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
Recipe adapted from Food Network
[7]
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Sweet Tips to Reduce Sugar Intake
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Consuming excess sugar can pose all sorts of health problems, including weight gain, insulin resistance, diabetes, inflammation - the list goes on and on. If you're eating a balanced diet, then food items with added sugar should be consumed sparingly because if you're eating an adequate, well-balanced diet, you should be getting enough carbohydrates (including sugar) from your daily intake. If you'd like to reduce your sugar intake, here are some tips:
- Skip low-fat options: Low-fat snacks and yogurt products may be lower in fat, but they might also be higher in added sugar. If this is the case, choose full-fat versions with lower sugar, instead. You might feel fuller longer, too.
- Eat whole foods: Eating a diet that is mostly fruits, vegetable, meats, nuts, and grains in their most natural state with minimal processing will ensure that you're getting less added sugar and more of the good stuff - like the vitamins, minerals, and a better balance of fat, carbohydrates, and protein.
- Saucy, but sweet: Condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce, hoisin, and sweet chili sauces have added sugar. Herbs, spices, mustard, mayonnaise, and vinegar-based dressings with olive or avocado oil are great replacements.
Tip adapted from Healthline
[10]
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Save Paper, Print Less, Scan, and Store More
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It's no surprise: it's a digital world. But are you truly "digital"? It is a definitely a paradigm shift to be "paperless," but it's a reality for many and a wonderful possibility for the rest. Instead of supplying paper, we need trees to produce oxygen and shade, provide habitats for animals, and reduce greenhouse gases. So, why not go digital using some of these tips?
- Scan when you can. Most printers have a scanning bed, which makes it easy to scan and keep a digital file.
- The cloud. Cloud storage apps like Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive will hold your data for you. It's not really a cloud; it just means it's stored over the internet in logical pools spanning multiple servers, possibly in multiple locations.
- Storage devices. Thumb drives and external hard drives will store documents, images, photos, and videos, and you have something tangible (not a "cloud") to keep.
- Paper and fonts. When you do need to print, consider this: choosing a font like Century Gothic uses less ink. Also, check your paper weight. You may be able to use thinner paper, which can help save money and trees.
Tip adapted from Laserfiche[11]
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[3] www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china/tough-talk-from-china-leaves-trade-talks-with-u-s-in-limbo-idUSKCN1SN207
[4] www.marketwatch.com/story/mnuchin-says-he-expects-to-go-to-beijing-to-continue-trade-talks-in-the-near-future-2019-05-15
[5] www.npr.org/2019/05/17/724357441/u-s-to-lift-tariffs-on-canadas-and-mexico-s-steel-and-aluminum
[6] insight.factset.com/market-punished-sp-500-companies-reporting-negative-eps-surprises-in-q1
[7] www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/garlic-roasted-potatoes-recipe-1913067
[10] www.healthline.com/nutrition/14-ways-to-eat-less-sugar
[11] www.laserfiche.com/ecmblog/9-sneaky-ways-to-get-employees-to-print-less/
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