Your Weekly Summary – July 16, 2018

Markets Continue Upward For 2nd Week in a Row!

 

Markets added to the prior week’s gains as the Dow was up 2.31%, the S&P 500 1.53%. However, the Russell 2000 Small Cap Index was down .39%, for the week. Over the pond, the MSCI EAFE International Index was up .16%, with the year-to-date down 2.05%.

 

On the Bond side of the fence, the Barclays Aggregate Index rose .18% and is still down 1.20% year-to-date.

 

With Corporate Earnings Season reporting, the battle between Quality Earnings Reports and Tariff Implications will sure prove to be interesting.

 

 

Interest Rates 

 

The 10 Year US Treasury Yield finished flat last week remaining @ 2.83%. The 2-10 spread narrowed from .29% to .25%. Will Corporate Earnings and Guidance reports widen the spread?      I certainly hope so!

 

 

Tidbits

 

  • The Total Debt of the USA is $21.2 Trillion as of 7/12/2018, up from $9.5 Trillion on 7/12/2008, according to the Treasury Department.

 

  • The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), estimates Federal Deficits of $1.2 Trillion per year for years 2019 through 2028.

 

  • 9 Months of the USA’s Fiscal Year-Ending 6/30/2018, find the USA has collected $1 of tax revenue for every $1.24 of outlays. “Now that’s Responsibility at it’s best!”

 

  • The S&P 500 was 10.2% per year for the 10 years ending 6/30/2018. The 10 years prior ending 6/30/2008, the S&P 500 was up 2.9% per year.

 

 

 

Economic Data for the Week

 

 

Monday we’ll hear about Retail sales for June and the Empire State Manufacturing Index. On Tuesday, the Housing Market Index and Industrial Production Reports will be released. Wednesday is about Housing starts and Thursday brings us information on the Philadelphia Fed business outlooks and leading indicators for June.

 

 

Question of the Week?

 

The week features the Annual Major League Baseball Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, so the question is: “Which Player hit the most home runs in the decade of 1980’s?”

 

a) Jim Rice

b) Reggie Jackson

c) Mike Schmidt

d) Jim Rice

e) Eddie Murray

 

Answer to Last Week’s Question of the Week!

 

The Question was.   “Which of our Supreme Court Justices has the longest current tenure?”

 

The Answer is: c) Anthony Kennedy – President Reagan appointed the Chief Justice in 1988

 

a) Chief Justice Clarence Thomas

b) Ruth Bader Ginsburg

c) Anthony Kennedy

d) Sonia Sotamayor

e) Samuel Alito

 

 

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