“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
- Muhammad Ali

WEEKLY TIP

If you and your partner aren’t married, it might be prudent to create a domestic partnership agreement that states how expenses are shared, how assets are owned, and how those assets should be distributed in the event of your death(s) or the dissolution of the relationship.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

We know that a seahorse isn’t a horse, and we know that a silverfish isn’t a fish. For that matter, a snakehead isn’t a snake – but what is it?

Last week’s riddle:

About 90% of this country’s land area is made up of arid tan desert, yet its flag is solid green – in fact, at present it is the only nation in the world with a flag containing just one color. What nation is this?

Last week’s answer:

Libya.

CONSUMER SENTIMENT HITS A 4-YEAR PEAK

May’s initial Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in with an index reading of 77.8, the highest mark since January 2008. The current economic conditions sub-index rose to 87.3 from last month’s final 82.9 reading. Descending oil and gas prices may have been factors promoting some optimism.¹

BIGGEST DROP IN PPI In 6 MONTHS
Falling energy prices influenced this development as well. Producer prices retreated 0.2% in April according to the Labor Department. Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast no change. The bulk of the retreat was attributed to the 1.4% April drop in energy costs. The PPI has only risen 1.9% in the last 12 months, the smallest annualized wholesale price inflation recorded since October 2009.^2,3

GOLD & OIL PRICES RETREAT

After anxieties emerged last week about a China slowdown, the broad commodities market took a hit. So at Friday’s close, gold had fallen 3.72% across five trading days to $1,584.00 per ounce while crude futures had slipped 2.40% to $96.13 a barrel. As of Friday evening, gold was +1.10% YTD and oil was -2.73% YTD.²

NEW DOUBTS IN THE EU AFFECT STOCKS

Eurozone elections brought new worries about whether Greece would abide by austerity cuts and stick with the euro. Efforts to form a coalition government in Greece stalled last week, and French president Nicolas Sarkozy was defeated in his reelection bid by socialist candidate Francois Hollande. Factor in the usual spring thoughts about whether stocks are ready to pull back, and the weekly losses were as follows: S&P 500, -1.15% to 1,353.39; DJIA, -1.67% to 12,820.60; NASDAQ, -0.76% to 2,933.82.^2,4,8

THIS WEEK: Facebook’s IPO is scheduled for Friday, and there are plenty of other news items on tap. On Monday, Groupon comes out with Q1 results. Tuesday, the April CPI appears plus data on April retail sales and earnings from JCPenney, TJX, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Saks and Home Depot. Wednesday brings data on April housing starts and industrial output, the April 25 FOMC minutes, and Q1 results from Deere, Abercrombie & Fitch, Target, Staples and Limited Brands. The Conference Board’s April consumer confidence index and new initial claims figures are out Thursday, joined by Q1 earnings from Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree, Ross Stores, Gap, Aeropostale and Sears. As Facebook starts trading on Friday, a G8 summit also starts at Camp David; Q1 results also arrive from Ann, Inc. (formerly Ann Taylor).

Sources: money.msn.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 5/11/12^2,5,6,7

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – www.marketwatch.com/story/consumer-sentiment-in-may-at-post-recession-high-2012-05-11 [5/11/12]

2 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=eb995dbd-6940-465b-8bcb-3488ef1c2b7e [5/11/12]

3 – www.nytimes.com/2012/05/12/business/economy/us-wholesale-inflation-falls.html [5/12/12]

4 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=5%2F11%2F11&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=5%2F11%2F11&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=5%2F11%2F11&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=5%2F11%2F07&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=5%2F11%2F07&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=5%2F11%2F07&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=5%2F10%2F02&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=5%2F10%2F02&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=5%2F10%2F02&x=0&y=0 [5/11/12]

6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [5/11/12]

6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [5/11/12]

7 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

8 – www.sacbee.com/2012/05/10/4483985/as-europes-economic-outlook-darkens.html [5/11/12]

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
- Walt Disney

WEEKLY TIP

If you are a single parent, a will, a power of attorney and disability income insurance are crucial to have – after all, you are the sole provider.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

About 90% of this country’s land area is made up of arid tan desert, yet its flag is solid green – in fact, at present it is the only nation in the world with a flag containing just one color. What nation is this?

Last week’s riddle:

Four grown men decided to play on the sidewalk for three hours. No one chided them for childish or immature behavior; many appreciated the noise they made in unison. They even went home a bit richer. What were these men doing?

Last week’s answer:

They were street musicians performing for passerby.

UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN TO 8.1%

The jobless rate dipped 0.1% in April, but Wall Street didn’t exactly cheer about it as just 115,000 non-farm jobs were added to the economy. Economists polled by Briefing.com thought payrolls would expand by 162,000. The Dow fell 168 points Friday on the news. On the bright side, job gains across February and March were revised upward by 53,000. Payrolls grew by a cumulative total of 635,000 positions in Q1 2012, making it the best quarter for hiring since Q1 2006.^1,2,3

CONSUMER SPENDING UP 0.3%
Analysts termed March’s gain disappointing after the (upwardly revised) 0.9% advance in February. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News anticipated a 0.4% improvement. Consumer incomes rose 0.4% in March, the best month in that category since December; consumer wages were up 0.3%.³

U.S. MANUFACTURING INDEX LEAPS NORTH

The Institute for Supply Management’s April manufacturing PMI rose 1.4% in April to 54.8, representing the best monthly gain since June. Now for the bad news: the ISM non-manufacturing index showed a 2.5% drop in the same month to 53.5.^2,4

AVERAGE RATE ON 30-YEAR FRM: 3.84%

That is a new all-time low recorded by Freddie Mac in its May 3 Primary Mortgage Market Survey. A year prior, interest rates on 30-year conventional home loans averaged 4.71%. Rates on the refinancer’s favorite tool – the 15-year FRM – have dropped from 3.89% to just 3.07% in the same time frame.⁵

STOCKS DECLINE

The job report drained enthusiasm from the market Friday, and stocks retreated for the week. The five-day performances: S&P 500, -2.44% to 1,369.10; DJIA, -1.44% to 13,028.27; NASDAQ, -3.68% to 2,956.34. Also notable: oil’s dive back under $100. At Friday’s NYMEX close, crude futures settled at $98.49, down 6.14% in a week.^1,6

THIS WEEK: Monday offers Q1 results from Electronic Arts and Tyson Foods. Tuesday, DirecTV, Wendy’s, Disney and HSBC issue earnings reports. Wednesday brings earnings announcements from Priceline.com, NewsCorp, Toyota, AOL, Dean Foods, Macy’s, Activision Blizzard and Cisco. Thursday, new initial claims figures appear along with Q1 results from Kohl’s, Nordstrom and Sony; Fed chairman Ben Bernanke speaks at the annual Conference on Bank Structure and Competition in Chicago. Friday brings the April PPI and May’s initial University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, and earnings arrive from Nissan and Nvidia.

Sources: money.msn.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 5/4/12^1,7,8,9

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=06187871-41ac-4526-a225-e3067cf18d18 [5/4/12]

2 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2012/04/30-04 [5/4/12]

3 – www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/04/30/bloomberg_articlesM3ALE03T6SRQ01-M3ALE.DTL [4/30/12]

4 – www.ism.ws/ISMReport/MfgROB.cfm [5/1/12]

5 – www.cbsnews.com/8301-500395_162-57427288/record-low-mortgage-rates-what-to-do-now/ [5/4/12]

6 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=5%2F4%2F11&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=5%2F4%2F11&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=5%2F4%2F11&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=5%2F4%2F07&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=5%2F4%2F07&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=5%2F4%2F07&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=5%2F3%2F02&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=5%2F3%2F02&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=5%2F3%2F02&x=0&y=0 [5/4/12]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [5/4/12]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [5/4/12]

9 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

“Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.”
- Robert Frost

WEEKLY TIP

A good will should propose at least a few executors, as there is always the possibility that your first choice for executor might not outlive you.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

Four grown men decided to play on the sidewalk for three hours. No one chided them for childish or immature behavior; many appreciated the noise they made. They even went home a bit richer. What were these men doing?

Last week’s riddle:

They have no bodies, but you could say they have tails and heads. What are they?

Last week’s answer:

Coins.

Q1 GDP: +2.2%

The federal government’s initial estimate disappointed many analysts, even with plenty of potential for upward revision later. After all, Q4 2011 had brought growth of 3.0%. Economists polled by Briefing.com expected the Q1 estimate to come in at +2.5%. Personal spending rose by 2.9% for the quarter, with car sales playing the largest role in the gain; subtract vehicle purchases, and the consumption increase was 1.1%, the smallest in four quarters.^1,2

KEY CONSUMER SENTIMENT SURVEY TOPS ESTIMATES
The final April Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in at 76.4, 0.7% higher than the prior 75.7 reading. Economists polled by Briefing.com thought there would be no advance. March’s final survey had a 76.2 reading.^2,3

MOre HOME SALES CONTRACTS INKED IN MARCH

Pending home sales improved by 4.1% in March to reach their highest level since April 2010, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors. Another bit of good news was unexpected: February’s S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed prices rising 0.2% overall, the first advance recorded in ten months. Last week, Zillow said the median U.S. home value had increased 0.5% in March, the best monthly gain in six years. The sour note in last week’s real estate roundup was new home sales. The Census Bureau said they were down 7.1% in March. However, the median sale price was up 6.3% year-over-year.^4,5

NASDAQ HAS BEST WEEK IN NEARLY 3 MONTHS

The tech-heavy index rose 2.29% across April 23-27 to settle at 3,069.20 Friday. The Dow gained 1.53% across the same stretch to finish the week at 13,228.31, while the S&P 500 advanced 1.80% last week to 1,403.36 at Friday’s close. With one market day to go in April, only the Dow is in positive territory for the month.^3,6

THIS WEEK: March personal spending data arrives Monday, and so do Q1 results from NYSE Euronext, Shutterfly and Anadarko Petroleum. Tuesday, ISM’s April manufacturing PMI is out, plus data on April auto sales and earnings from BP, Pfizer, Motorola Mobility, Sirius XM Radio, Broadcom, Chesapeake Energy and CBS. Wednesday brings news on March factory orders and earnings from Marathon Oil, MasterCard, Comcast, Time Warner, UBS, Barrick Gold, CVS, DreamWorks, Green Mountain Coffee, Clorox, Sunoco, Transocean, Visa and Whole Foods. Thursday, we get ISM’s non-manufacturing PMI for April, new initial claims data, and results from General Motors, AIG, Kraft and LinkedIn. Friday, the April unemployment report is released and Berkshire Hathaway announces earnings.

Sources: cnbc.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 4/27/12^3,7,8,9

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=4ffe3e5e-7c95-4a95-8b82-e0848c9771de [4/27/12]

2 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2012/04/23-27 [4/27/12]

3 – www.cnbc.com/id/47204037 [4/27/12]

4 – www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/rebuilding-home-resales-highest-2010-article-1.1068578 [4/27/12]

5 – briefing.com/Investor/Calendars/Economic/Releases/newhom.htm [4/27/12]

6 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F27%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F27%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F27%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F27%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F27%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F27%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F26%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F26%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F26%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/27/12]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [4/27/12]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [4/27/12]

9 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.”

- Tony Robbins

WEEKLY TIP

Take a look at your insurance policy and read the fine print about long-term or progressive illness in case you or a loved one are one day diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease or other forms of neurological disease.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

They have no bodies, but you could say they have tails and heads. What are they?

Last week’s riddle:

What is the beginning of sorrow and the end of sickness? Something you cannot express happiness without? Something that is always in risk, but never in danger?

Last week’s answer:

The letter S.

WHAT HELD UP HOMEBUYING LAST MONTH?

The National Association of Realtors said existing home sales fell 2.6% for March. A 1.3% drop in inventory for the month might have been a factor, and mild weather in January and February may have helped homes that would have sold in March sell earlier. Warmer January and February temperatures may have also skewed the numbers for housing starts: the Commerce Department said they slipped 5.8% in March. Now for some good news: building permits rose 4.5% last month to the best pace since September 2008, and Freddie Mac had interest rates on 30-year fixed rate home loans averaging just 3.90% last week.^1,2

RETAIL SALES UP 0.8% IN MARCH
This follows a 1.0% gain in the category in February. Did gas prices account for much of the increase? No. Minus gas and car sales, the March gain was 0.7%, and core retail sales (minus autos, gas, and home supplies) rose 0.5% last month.³

LEADING INDICATORS BACK TO MID-2008 LEVELS

The Conference Board’s index of leading indicators reached 95.7 in March, getting closer to the 100 mark that would imply a healthy economy. The index rose 0.3% for the month with seven of ten indicators positive; interest rate spreads, building permits, stock gains and credit availability were the biggest influences.⁴

DOW BREAKS LOSING STREAK, GOLD PULLS BACK

Across April 16-20, the Dow gained 1.40% to 13,029.26 (its first weekly advance in three weeks), the NASDAQ lost 0.36% to 3,000.45 and the S&P 500 gained 0.60% to 1,378.53. Gold futures fell $17.00 (1.02%) on the week, settling Friday at $1,642.10; oil ended the week at $103.05 after a 0.21% gain across five trading days.^5,6,7

THIS WEEK: Monday, ConocoPhillips, Hasbro, Xerox, DR Horton, Netflix and Texas Instruments announce Q1 results. Tuesday, earnings from Apple, Baidu, AT&T, 3M, US Steel, Amgen and Aflac are out plus the latest Case-Shiller home price index and data on March’s new home sales. On Wednesday, earnings reports roll in from Sprint, Boeing, Caterpillar, Eli Lilly, AutoNation, Delta, Credit Suisse, Motorola Solutions, GlaxoSmithKline and Akamai, March durable goods data is out, and the Fed makes a policy statement. Thursday, the NAR gives us its latest pending home sales report, new initial claims figures are in, and results from Barclays, Pulte, Amazon.com, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chrysler, ExxonMobil, PepsiCo, Royal Dutch Shell, Starbucks and Zynga round out the day. Friday, Chevron, Procter &Gamble and Merck offer Q1 results, and the BEA’s first estimate of Q1 GDP appears plus the final April consumer sentiment survey out of the University of Michigan.

Sources: online.wsj.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 4/20/12^5,8,9,10

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – www.omaha.com/article/20120419/AP/120419584 [4/19/12]

2 – www.cnbc.com/id/47072035 [4/17/12]

3 – www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9U6251O0.htm [4/20/12]

4 – www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/19/gauge-us-economy-rose-03-percent-in-march/ [4/19/12]

5 – blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/04/20/data-points-u-s-markets-93/ [4/20/12]

6 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [4/20/12]

7 – blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/04/20/data-points-energy-metals-555/ [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F20%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F20%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F20%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F20%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F20%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F20%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F19%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F19%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F19%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/20/12]

9 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [4/20/12]

9 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [4/20/12]

10 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body. It is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”
- John F. Kennedy

WEEKLY TIP

Do you feel too financially pinched to contribute to an IRA? You could use your tax refund for that very purpose.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

What is the beginning of sorrow and the end of sickness? Something you cannot express happiness without? Something that is always in risk, but never in danger?

Last week’s riddle:

Karen is twice her brother’s age and half her father’s age. In 22 years, her brother will be half the father’s age. How old is Karen now?

Last week’s answer:

Karen is 22 years ol CONSUMER PRICES ROSE 0.3% IN MARCH

Last month’s gain in the federal government’s Consumer Price Index matched the consensus forecast of economists polled by Briefing.com and followed gains of 0.4% in February and 0.2% in January. Gasoline prices were up 1.7% last month. Core CPI rose 0.2%, so that put annualized consumer inflation at 2.7%, less than the 2.9% recorded in February. Headline producer prices were flat in March, while the core Producer Price Index rose 0.3% (the fifth straight monthly rise in core PPI). Economists polled by Reuters had expected overall PPI to rise 0.2% last month.^1,2,3

CONSUMER SENTIMENT WAVERS
April’s initial Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in at 75.7, slightly below the Briefing.com consensus projection of 76.1 and down from the final March number of 76.2. Frustration over gas prices may have had an effect.²

BEIGE BOOK: RECOVERY PROCEEDING NICELY
The Federal Reserve’s latest snapshot of a dozen U.S. economic regions reported “modest to moderate” economic growth overall, with all 12 Fed districts anecdotally noting expansion. For the record, the Fed has described the recovery using the “modest to moderate” phrase in three consecutive Beige Books.⁴

OIL & GAS PRICES FALL; Gold RISES
Friday, AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report had regular unleaded averaging $3.90 a gallon, down $0.035 from last week. On the NYMEX, oil lost 0.46% on the week to settle at $102.83 Friday; gold settled at $1,660.20 after a 1.85% weekly gain.⁵

BULLS BATTLE BEARS

April 9-13 was a volatile stretch for the market. For the week, the DJIA went -1.61% to 12,849.59, the S&P 500 -1.99% to 1,370.26 and the NASDAQ -2.25% to 3,011.33. All S&P 500 sectors lost ground on the week as concerns about Spain’s debt and U.S. corporate earnings affected investor outlooks.^6,7

THIS WEEK: Monday, Census Bureau data on March retail sales complements earnings from Mattel, Charles Schwab, Gannett and Citigroup. Tuesday, reports on March housing starts and factory output come in along with Q1 results from Yahoo!, Coca-Cola, IBM, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson and Intel. Wednesday offers earnings from Yum Brands, Bank of NY Mellon, eBay and Qualcomm. Thursday, Q1 results from Bank of America, DuPont, Morgan Stanley, Travelers, Verizon, Microsoft, Capital One and SanDisk come in plus March existing home sales data. Friday brings earnings from General Electric and McDonalds.

Sources: cnbc.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 4/13/12^7,8,9,10

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/business/economy/consumer-inflation-up-modestly.html [4/13/12]

2 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2012/04/09-13 [4/13/12]

3 – www.cnbc.com/id/47027476 [4/12/12]

4 – www.marketwatch.com/story/modest-to-moderate-economic-growth-beige-book-2012-04-11-148140 [4/11/12]

5 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=fadc5c34-4c33-4af9-90e2-9c80bb50cbcb [4/13/12]

6 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [4/13/12]

7 – www.cnbc.com/id/47040305 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F13%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F13%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F13%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F12%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F12%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F12%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F12%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F12%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

8 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F12%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/13/12]

9 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [4/13/12]

9 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [4/13/12]

10 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

“The more that you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it.”
- Bill Nye

WEEKLY TIP

A Roth IRA can be used to save for your future and your children’s future. The money can help fund your retirement and it can optionally help to fund a child’s college education.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

Karen is twice her brother’s age and half her father’s age. In 22 years, her brother will be half the father’s age. How old is Karen now?

Last week’s riddle:
Take one letter out of a 7-letter word and it becomes longer. What is this word?

Last week’s answer:

Lounger.

UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS TO 8.2%That good news was tempered by some disappointments. The U.S. economy only managed a net gain of 120,000 non-farm jobs in March; analysts were hoping for a gain of at least 200,000. The private sector added 121,000 positions in March; ADP had projected an increase of 209,000. However, the underemployment rate declined again last month (to 14.5%) and the manufacturing sector grew by 37,000 jobs.¹

ONE PMI TOPS EXPECTATIONS; ANOTHER DOESN’T
The start of each month brings the latest surveys of purchasing managers from the Institute for Supply Management. ISM’s March service sector PMI came in at 56.0 and its March manufacturing PMI came in at 53.4. Economists polled by Briefing.com thought the manufacturing PMI would reach 53.0 and the service sector PMI would reach 56.7.²

A GREAT MARCH FOR AUTOMAKERS
Warm weather fostered greater car and truck buying. The following firms reported the following monthly sales increases last week: General Motors, 12%; Chrysler Group, 34%, Toyota, 15%; Ford, 5%; Volkswagen, 35%; Nissan, 12.5%.³

OIL ADVANCES, GOLD SLIPS
Oil prices rose 0.28% last week to settle at $103.31 a barrel on the NYMEX, while retail unleaded gas prices averaged $3.94 a gallon nationally on Friday. Gold futures fell 2.50% on the COMEX to wrap up last week at $1,630.10 an ounce.¹

STOCKS RETREAT IN SHORT TRADING WEEK

Across four market days, the Dow lost 1.15% to 13,060.14, the S&P 500 fell 0.74% to 1,398.08 and the NASDAQ dipped 0.36% to 3,080.50. So the worst week for stocks so far in 2012 wasn’t that bad. A contributing factor: the minutes from the March 13 FOMC meeting signaled that the Federal Reserve might not attempt further stimulus efforts. However, the March jobs report could help to alter the Fed’s outlook.¹

THIS WEEK: Monday evening, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke speaks at the Atlanta Fed’s Financial Markets Conference. Tuesday, Alcoa offers Q1 results. Wednesday, the Fed puts out a new Beige Book and earnings arrive from Progressive. Thursday, the March PPI is out to complement weekly initial claims numbers and earnings from Google and Rite Aid. Friday brings the March CPI, the initial April consumer sentiment survey from the University of Michigan, and earnings reports from Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan; also, Ben Bernanke speaks in New York about the federal policy response to the Great Recession.

Sources: msn.money.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 4/6/12^1,5,6,7

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=98ca0651-75b8-4c7e-afb9-3e390da03ecf/ [4/6/12]

2 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2012/04/02-06 [4/6/12]

3 – www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9TTICGO2.htm [4/3/12]

4 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F6%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F6%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F6%2F11&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F5%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F5%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F5%2F07&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=4%2F5%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=4%2F5%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

5 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=4%2F5%2F02&x=0&y=0 [4/6/12]

6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [4/6/12]

6 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [4/6/12]

7 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

  WEEKLY QUOTE

“He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass.”
- Edgar Fiedler

WEEKLY TIP

At a 4% rate of inflation, expenses will double every 18 years. That’s a pretty good argument for growth investing in retirement.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

Take one letter out of a 7-letter word and it becomes longer. What is this word?

Last week’s riddle:
You need to take a gallon of oil out of a barrel of oil. How can you do it using only a 3-gallon container and a 5-gallon container?

Last week’s answer:

Fill the 3-gallon container with oil and pour it into the 5-gallon container. Then fill the 3-gallon container again and use it to fill the 5-gallon container the rest of the way. One gallon will be left in the 3-gallon container. HIGH GAS PRICES DON’T DENT PERSONAL SPENDING

Consumer spending increased by 0.8% in February, even with fuel prices soaring. That topped the 0.6% gain projected by economists polled by Reuters. February’s inflation-adjusted gain was 0.5%, the largest in six months. January’s headline personal spending gain was doubled to 0.4% in a Commerce Department revision.¹

HOW IS THE CONSUMER FEELING?
The final March University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey hints that morale may be rising on Main Street. It came in at 76.2, well above the 74.3 consensus of economists polled by Briefing.com. On the other hand, the March consumer confidence poll from the Conference Board fell to 70.2 from February’s 71.6 mark, which was in line with the expectations of those economists.²

MORTGAGE RATES DIP BACK UNDER 4%
Freddie Mac’s March 29 survey found the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate home loan at 3.99% with an average 0.7 point. Rates on 15-year FRMs averaged 3.23% with an average 0.8 point last week. A sour note: the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index fell 3.8% in January to a low unseen since the end of 2002.^2,3

DURABLE GOODS ORDERS UP 2.2% FOR FEBRUARY
This reverses some of the 3.6% retreat from January. However, economists polled by Briefing.com had expected a 2.8% gain for the month.²

A TREMENDOUS QUARTER WRAPS UP

The best first quarter for stocks in 14 years ended with another solid week: DJIA, +1.00% to 13,212.04; S&P 500, +0.81% to 1,408.47; NASDAQ, +0.77% to 3,091.57. Look at these Q1 performances: NASDAQ, +18.67% (its best quarter in 21 years); Dow, +8.14%; S&P 500, +12.00%. Gold futures climbed $9.50 for the week, settling Friday at $1,671.90 an ounce. Gold gained 6.71% for the quarter. NYMEX crude fell $3.85 last week, but still ended March at $103.02 with a 4.24% quarterly gain.^4,5

THIS WEEK: The March ISM manufacturing index and February construction spending data arrive Monday. Tuesday presents Commerce Department reports on February factory orders and March vehicle sales along with the March 13 FOMC minutes. On Wednesday, the March edition of ISM’s service sector index is out, plus Q1 earnings from Monsanto and Bed Bath & Beyond. Thursday brings earnings from CarMax and the latest initial claims numbers. On Good Friday, U.S. financial markets will be closed and banks will be open; the March unemployment figures will also be released.

Sources: msn.money.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 3/30/12^4,6,7,8

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – www.cnbc.com/id/46902933/ [3/30/12]

2 – briefing.com/investor/calendars/economic/2012/03/26-30 [3/30/12]

3 – freddiemac.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=12329&item=126095 [3/30/12]

4 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=087cac64-3d67-4737-b94a-31c3ff49ba16 [3/30/12]

5 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F30%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F30%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F30%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F30%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F30%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F30%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F28%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F28%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F28%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/30/12]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [3/30/12]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [3/30/12]

8 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”

- Albert Einstein

WEEKLY TIP

Succession planning isn’t just about an orderly ownership transition. It is also about tax efficiency. Waiting too long can mean paying more in insurance premiums, fees and taxes.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

You need to take a gallon of oil out of a barrel of oil. How can you do it using only a 3-gallon container and a 5-gallon container?

Last week’s riddle:
It is a short and simple word, and something that everyone needs. Put an ‘r’ on the end and you have a new friend, but if the first letter goes away, you are sad. What is this word?

Last week’s answer:

Love.

HOUSING MARKET COOLS DOWN IN February

Nationally, home sales took a step back last month. Last week, the National Association of Realtors reported a 0.9% drop in residential resales in February. The federal government subsequently announced a 1.6% slip in new home purchases last month, although new home prices rose by over 8.0%. The year-over-year numbers are better: existing home sales have jumped 8.8% in the last 12 months, and new home sales have picked up by 11.4%. Housing starts were down 1.1% in February from January’s 4-year high, but building permits were up 5.1% for the month.^1,2

INITIAL CLAIMS HIT A NEW 4-YEAR LOW
According to the Labor Department, claims fell by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 348,000 for the week ending March 17. This is the smallest amount since March 2008.³

LEADING INDICATORS MOVE NORTH AGAIN
The Conference Board’s monthly index rose 0.7% for February, with reduced jobless claims and the interest rate spread exerting the most influence. Eight of the index’s ten indicators were up for the month.³

BULLS PRESS PAUSE BUTTON

Stocks pulled back for the week as anxieties over subpar foreign manufacturing indices inspired some profit-taking. A new concern surfaced Friday: Reuters said Iran’s oil exports had dropped 14% this month. The S&P 500 retreated 0.50% last week to 1,397.11 Friday. The DJIA lost 1.15% on the week to settle Friday at 13,080.73, while the NASDAQ advanced 0.41% in five days to wrap up Friday at 3,067.92. Gold ended the week at $1,662.40 an ounce, oil at $106.87 a barrel. Unleaded gasoline averaged $3.89 a gallon nationally in AAA’s newest price survey.^4,5

THIS WEEK: Plenty of crucial data appears. On Monday, the National Association of Realtors tells us about February’s pending home sales, and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke speaks about the labor market at NABE’s annual conference. Tuesday, we get the January S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, the Conference Board’s March consumer confidence poll and Q4 results from Lennar and Walgreens. Wednesday, February durable goods orders figures come out plus earnings from Family Dollar and Texas Industries. Thursday offers the government’s final take on Q4 GDP and earnings from Best Buy and Research in Motion. On Friday, February consumer spending data arrives plus the final University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey for March.

Sources: msn.money.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 3/23/12^4,6,7,8

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/new-home-sales-fell-in-february-but-prices-rose/2012/03/23/gIQA92X8VS_story.html [3/23/12]

2 – business.time.com/2012/03/20/us-builders-start-fewer-homes-but-permits-jump/ [3/20/12]

3 – www.nasdaq.com/article/us-jobless-claims-fall-in-week-indicators-rise-20120322-01286 [3/22/12]

4 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=c38964a6-60ee-42a2-8b4e-cd45ed26f39d [3/23/12]

5 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F23%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F23%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F23%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F23%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F23%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F23%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F22%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F22%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F22%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/23/12]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [3/23/12]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [3/23/12]

8 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

- Winston Churchill

WEEKLY TIP

If you are a caregiver, you recognize the role long term care insurance can play in funding the care of a loved one. If you are considering it for yourself, you should know that it is most affordable when you are in your fifties.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

It is a short and simple word, and something that everyone needs. Put an ‘r’ on the end and you have a new friend, but if the first letter goes away, you are sad. What is this word?

Last week’s riddle:
What word doesn’t belong in this group: blast, paper, castle, coin, box, storm.

Last week’s answer:

The word that doesn’t belong is “coin” – you can put “sand” in front of all of the other words and end up with a new word.

PRICES Rise Most In TEN MONTHSConsumer prices were up 0.4% in February according to the Commerce Department, yet core inflation rose only 0.1%. A 6% jump in gasoline prices represented 80% of the Consumer Price Index’s biggest gain since April, while food prices were flat for the first time since July 2010. Economists polled by Bloomberg expected a 0.5% rise in CPI for the month. Producer prices also rose 0.4% last month, but prices for finished products were up but 0.1%. Annualized inflation was at 2.9% in February; annualized core CPI was at 2.2%.^1,2

AN ILLUMINATING STATESIDE STRESS TEST
Applying a hypothetical “doomsday” scenario of the Dow losing half of its value, joblessness at 13% and home prices at 1996 levels, the Federal Reserve put 19 major U.S. banks through its annual stress test last week and found that 15 passed: American Express, Bank of America, Bank of New York Mellon, BB&T, CapitalOne, Fifth Third, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Keycorp, Morgan Stanley, PNC, Regions, State Street, U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo. Four lenders did not pass – the Fed concluded that Citigroup, SunTrust, Ally and MetLife would lose enough assets under the stress test scenario to pose systemic risk.³

CONSUMERS BUY MORE, SHOW LESS CONFIDENCE
The Census Bureau noted a 1.1% rise in retail sales for February and revised the January gain north to 0.6%. Elsewhere, the initial University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey for March showed a slight dip to 74.3 from 75.3 in late February.^4,5

BEST WEEK FOR U.S. EQUITIES SINCE DECEMBER

The NASDAQ? It went +2.24% on the week to settle Friday at 3,055.26. The Dow? Up 2.40% in five days to end the week at 13,232.62. The S&P 500? +2.43% to 1,404.17 at Friday’s close. More good news: the CBOE VIX settled below 15 Friday after touching a 5-year low. Crude oil was down 0.32% for the week to $107.06, gold down 3.25% last week to $1,655.80.^2,6

THIS WEEK: Monday, Adobe Systems issues Q4 results. Tuesday, February housing starts figures complement earnings from Tiffany, Krispy Kreme, Oracle and Cintas, and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke speaks at George Washington University. Wednesday, existing home sales figures are out for February as well as Q4 earnings from General Mills and Discover Financial. Thursday brings around round of initial claims, the Conference Board’s February leading indicators index and earnings from Nike, FedEx, Dollar General, Accenture and GameStop. Friday, we get data on February new home sales plus earnings from Darden Restaurants and KB Home.

Sources: cnbc.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 3/16/12^6,7,8,9

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2012-03-16/February-inflation-consumer-price-index/53561880/1 [3/16/12]

2 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=7b65a645-53f2-4b26-8b37-7c9c88448197 [3/16/12]

3 – www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/03/16/investopedia77515.DTL [3/16/12]

4 – www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdf [3/13/12]

5 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [3/16/12]

6 – www.cnbc.com/id/46758651 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F16%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F16%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F16%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F16%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F16%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F16%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F15%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F15%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

7 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F15%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/16/12]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [3/16/12]

8 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [3/16/12]

9 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]

  WEEKLY QUOTE

“Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.”

- Adam Smith

WEEKLY TIP

Financial strategies sometimes need to be revised due to career, family or lifestyle changes. So review your saving and investing approach annually. Few people do; more people should.

WEEKLY RIDDLE

What word doesn’t belong in this group: blast, paper, castle, coin, box, storm.

Last week’s riddle:
Two fathers and two sons shopped for computers at their local big box retailer. Each bought a PC, yet they bought only three PCs total. How could this be?

Last week’s answer:

The shoppers were a man, his son and his grandson.

227,000 NEW JOBS, BUT JOBLESS RATE STILL AT 8.3%

While unemployment levels remained unchanged in February, Labor Department data showed that nonfarm payrolls expanded by more than 200,000 positions for the third straight month. The private sector added 233,000 jobs in February, so it was basically responsible for the impressive net job gain. The underemployment rate (representing the jobless plus those settling for less than a 40-hour workweek) was 14.9% in February, a 1.8% drop from a year before. With such consistent job growth, the Federal Reserve faces less pressure to roll out another monetary stimulus.¹

SERVICE SECTOR GROWS IN February
The Institute for Supply Management’s service sector PMI climbed to 57.3 for February, seeing a half-percent gain. A 3.1% jump in business activity/production and a 1.8% rise in new orders were nice highlights.²

OIL, GOLD END WEEK WITH MODERATE GAINS
From Wednesday to Friday, gold futures rose $39.50 and oil futures $2.70. For the week, gains were actually modest: oil advanced but $0.70 on the NYMEX to $107.40 a barrel, while gold racked up a $2.10 gain to end Friday’s COMEX session at $1,710.90 per ounce. The price of unleaded gas was $3.76 a gallon nationally on Friday per AAA’s survey.^1,3

LITTLE VOLATILITY AFTER GREEK BOND SWAP

On Wall Street, March 5-9 mirrored the week before: the Dow pulled back (-0.43% to 12,922.02) and the NASDAQ (+0.41% to 2,988.34) and S&P 500 (+0.09% to 1,370.87) advanced. The market was still wary of the debt deal out of the EU – last week, 86% of investors holding Greek bonds agreed to swap securities issued by the Greek government for replacement ones worth less, and collective action clauses will force about 10% more of these bondholders to do so. While this seemingly opens the door for a new €130 billion EU/IMF rescue package for Greece, it could be the last bailout Greece receives.^1,4

THIS WEEK: In addition to what goes on in Europe, we have a lot of stateside data. Monday, Urban Outfitters and Burger King issue Q4 results. On Tuesday, a Fed policy meeting concludes and February retail sales figures arrive. Wednesday, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke speaks in Nashville and Guess and Youku (China’s equivalent of YouTube) provide Q4 earnings. Besides new initial claims figures, Thursday offers February’s PPI and earnings from Ross Stores and Dole. Friday, February’s CPI arrives plus the initial March consumer sentiment survey from the University of Michigan; the iPad 3 also hits the shelves.

Sources: money.msn.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 3/9/12^1,5,6,7,8

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly.

These returns do not include dividends.

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.
If you would like us to add them to our distribution list, please reply with their address.
We will contact them first and request their permission to add them to our list.

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is an unmanaged, market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. Market indices discussed are unmanaged. Investors cannot invest in unmanaged indices. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional.

Citations.

1 – money.msn.com/market-news/post.aspx?post=e280f203-b968-4fde-b06c-075eaf9a5756 [3/9/12]

2 – www.ism.ws/ISMReport/NonMfgROB.cfm [3/5/12]

3 – blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/03/09/data-points-energy-metals-552/ [3/9/12]

4 – www.ism.ws/ISMReport/MfgROB.cfm [3/1/12]

5 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=common-financial-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them&category=29 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F9%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F9%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F9%2F11&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F9%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F9%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F9%2F07&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=3%2F8%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=3%2F8%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=3%2F8%2F02&x=0&y=0 [3/9/12]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [3/9/12]

7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [3/9/12]

8 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2002/ofm10902.pdf [1/9/02]