Archive for April, 2009

Weekly Insight: Week of April 27, 2009

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
by Kane Cotton
  24-Apr-09 17-Apr-09 Weekly
% Change		 YTD
% Change		 12 month
% Change
S&P 500 Index   866.23 869.60 -0.39% -4.10% -38.03%
Dow Jones Industrial Average   8076.29 8131.33 -0.68% -7.98% -37.35%
Nasdaq Composite   1694.29 1673.07 1.27% 7.44% -30.07%
Wilshire 5000   8863.06 8889.64 -0.30% -2.47% -37.09%
MSCI EAFE (Intl.)   1165.07 1158.53 0.56% -5.85% -44.83%
10 Year U. S. Treasury Yield   2.89% 2.95% -2.03% NA NA
30 year U.S. Treasury Yield   3.89% 3.80% 2.37% NA NA

Manage your expectations. That is the message of the week. Investment managers throw around a lot of numbers, statistics and analysis, but for investors and advisors, psychology is a major factor in investing. Generally, investors are told that 8% to 10% per year on average is a reasonable return expectation for stocks over the long-term, though those results are not linear. At the trough of the last bear market, those numbers were criticized as investors were in a state of fear and anger from their losses. Then at the market peak, less than a year and a half ago, investors again became comfortable with those numbers. (more…)

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EconWatch—April 20, 2009

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
by Jonathan Scheid, CFA

As we track the constant developments occurring with banks, corporations, consumers and Washington, we watch intently for some indication of direction or relevancy in each economic measure, business update or policy decision. In an attempt to keep tabs on what is developing and organize that information in a useful way, EconWatch identifies what news and developments we feel are positive, negative or could go either way. (more…)

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Weekly Insight: Week of April 20, 2009

Monday, April 13th, 2009
by Kane Cotton

  10-Apr-09 3-Apr-09 Weekly% Change YTD% Change 12 month% Change
S&P 500 Index   869.60 856.56 1.52% -3.73% -37.45%
Dow Jones Industrial Average   8131.33 8083.38 0.59% -7.35% -36.72%
Nasdaq Composite   1673.07 1652.54 1.24% 6.09% -30.37%
Wilshire 5000   8889.64 8744.55 1.66% -2.17% -36.58%
MSCI EAFE (Intl.)   1158.53 1125.77 2.91% -6.38% -45.01%
10 Year U. S. Treasury Yield   2.95% 2.93% 0.68% NA NA
30 year U.S. Treasury Yield   3.80% 3.72% 2.15% NA NA

We are now in the heart of earnings season, and investors were prepared for the worst. Many were fearful that the doom and gloom that dominated the Q4 2008 reporting cycle and spurred market declines from January to early March would haunt Q1 2009 reporting. The good news is that many companies surprised estimates to the upside and had some very positive things to say about what they had just been through and what they see ahead. In fact, of the 52 companies in the S&P 500 Index that have reported to date, 32 beat analysts’ expectations, 3 met expectations and 17 fell short. (more…)

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Weekly Insight: Week of April 13, 2009

Monday, April 13th, 2009
by Kane Cotton
  10-Apr-09 3-Apr-09 Weekly% Change YTD% Change 12 month% Change
S&P 500 Index   856.56 842.50 1.67% -5.17% -35.73%
Dow Jones Industrial Average   8,083.38 8017.59 0.82% -7.90% -34.42%
Nasdaq Composite   1652.54 1621.87 1.89% 4.79% -27.84%
Wilshire 5000   8744.55 8,599.34 1.69% -3.77% -35.01%
MSCI EAFE (Intl.)   1125.77 1083.63 3.89% -9.02% -46.22%
10 Year U. S. Treasury Yield   2.93% 2.89% 1.38% NA NA
30 year U.S. Treasury Yield   3.72% 3.69% 0.81% NA NA

The focus of the last many weeks has been the economy, the recession and what the government is doing in an attempt to improve both. This week, however, earnings will take center stage, as first quarter reporting season kicks into high gear. Who better to show investors how their books look than the major banks? (more…)

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