08 Mar 2013

Posted at 17:27h in The Friday Brief by
Today's jobs report is lifting stocks to new heights. The Dow Jones Industrial Index crossed its historic high on March 5th and is now 200 points, or 1.4% beyond its high last reached in October of 2007. The total US Stock market as measured by the Vanguard Total Market Index is 2.3% above its October record and crossed that mark on February 8th. The S&P 500 has just under 2% to go before it makes a new high.

01 Mar 2013

Posted at 13:09h in The Friday Brief by
Perhaps you know the saying, 'if March comes in like a lion, it will go out as a lamb.' As the Washington tragedy continues with its latest act entitled 'Sequestration', the audience seems increasingly disinterested by the day. Stocks are up and life goes on as usual.

22 Feb 2013

Posted at 12:48h in The Friday Brief by
In one week less a day sequestration is set to go into effect and neither President Obama nor Congress seem willing or able to avert it. Left unchanged the policy mandates $85 billion in automatic, across-the-board government spending cuts to begin March 1st.

15 Feb 2013

Posted at 13:04h in The Friday Brief by
After six long years US stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 index, are poised to reach new heights. The last record high was set October 12, 2007 at 1,561.80, on the eve of the financial crash and Great Recession. After rallying 123% from its low of 683 set March of 2009, the index looks ready to make some fresh tracks. Our VTI, which represents the Total US Stock Market Index, reached its new high on February 1st of this year.