In our continuing effort to provide our clients with the best services and technology available, there's always the challenge of providing the information you want and need without overwhelming you with unnecessary complexity. We believe we've struck the perfect balance with our latest enhancements to our secure online client portal. All the information is still there, we just made it faster and easier to see what you want to see.

There’s a great deal of talk these days about a lack of trends and market leadership.  Most recently, homebuilding and real estate have driven the market, along with energy.  With interest rates rising and energy prices declining, the likelihood of these industries continuing their out-performance near-term is doubtful.  Additional leadership has come from investment banks and brokers as their earnings have increased on the rise of mergers and acquisitions.  But this activity is a bi-product of excessive capital and compelling market values.  Better allocation of capital and increased productivity will improve profits to a degree, but it will not significantly drive GDP.  Where’s the next big wave of real growth coming from?

The S&P is up 2% and the NASDAQ is up 3.2% for the week.  Progress continues on the economic front as signs mount that the recovery is fully underway.  The short week following Labor Day started on a high note with ISM Manufacturing rising to 54.7, its highest reading since December.  It was also the second month above 50 signaling thatU.S.manufacturing is growing after four months of contraction.  The Institute’s production index rose to 61.6, the highest in four years.  Inventories are lean so factories must step up production to meet rising demand.  But so far, the increase in factory output has not increased hiring as productivity continues to rise faster than the economy.