Weekly Economic Update for June 20, 2011

Provided by Mark K. Lund, Investor Coach.

WEEKLY QUOTE
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
– Maya Angelou

PRICES RISE, BUT INFLATION PRESSURE EASES
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% in May, with core CPI up 0.3%. (Food prices rose 0.4% and energy prices rose 0.6% last month.) This is the tamest monthly increase in inflation since last November. In year-over-year terms, the CPI is up 3.6% over the past 12 months; core CPI advanced 1.5%. The BLS also reported less wholesale price inflation in May: the Producer Price Index rose 0.2% last month after climbs of 0.8% in April and 0.7% in March. The year-over-year PPI gain was 7.3% – the biggest in almost three years.^1,2

LEADING INDICATOR INDEX TURNS NORTH
The Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators was up 0.8% for May, rebounding from a 0.4% retreat in March. Eight of the index’s ten indicators showed improvement last month.³

CONSUMER SENTIMENT WAVERS
The preliminary June University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in at 71.8 last week, below the 74.0 that economists polled by Bloomberg had forecast and beneath the final 74.3 mark of May. The gauges surveying current conditions (-2.3%) and six-month expectations (-2.7%) both declined.³

RETAIL SALES COME IN BETTER THAN EXPECTED
Overall retail sales retreated just 0.2% for May. The Commerce Department said sales actually improved by 0.3% when the 2.9% drop in car sales was factored out. U.S retail sales are now up 7.7% in the last year.⁴

DOW, S&P SNAP LOSING STREAKS
At last! A weekly advance for the Dow (52.45 points) and the S&P 500 (0.52 points). The DJIA closed at 12,004.36 Friday; the NASDAQ and S&P 500 respectively ended the week at 2,616.48 and 1,271.50. The percentage gains and losses last week? DJIA, +0.44%; NASDAQ, -1.03%; S&P 500, +0.03%.⁵

THIS WEEK: Monday, no major economic releases are scheduled – but markets will certainly be responding to results of the meetings on the Greek debt crisis over the weekend. On Tuesday, we learn about May existing home sales and Barnes & Noble, Adobe and Walgreens announce earnings. The Federal Reserve considers an interest rate decision Wednesday, and we have earnings reports out of Bed Bath & Beyond and FedEx. Thursday brings data on May new home sales, earnings from Discover Financial, ConAgra and Oracle, and new initial and continuing jobless claims reports. Friday, the report on June durable goods orders comes out.

Sources: cnbc.com, bigcharts.com, treasury.gov, treasurydirect.gov – 6/17/11^5,6,7,8 Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends.

WEEKLY RIDDLE
How much dirt is in a 2-foot diameter hole that is 4 feet deep? (There isn’t too much math involved here.)

Last week’s riddle:
What do a shark, a zipper and a comb all have in common?

Last week’s answer:
They all have teeth.

Citations.
1 – bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm [6/15/11]           
2 – bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm [6/14/11]
3 – bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-17/u-s-leading-economic-indicators-index-rises.html [6/17/11]
4 – marketwatch.com/story/retail-sales-fall-for-first-time-in-11-months-2011-06-14-919560 [6/17/11]
5 – cnbc.com/id/43444316 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=6%2F17%2F10&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=6%2F17%2F10&x=10&y=18 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=6%2F17%2F10&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=6%2F16%2F06&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=6%2F16%2F06&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=6%2F16%2F06&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=DJIA&closeDate=6%2F18%2F01&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=COMP&closeDate=6%2F18%2F01&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
6 – bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical/default.asp?symb=SPX&closeDate=6%2F18%2F01&x=0&y=0 [6/17/11]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield [6/17/11]
7 – treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyieldAll [6/17/11]
8 – treasurydirect.gov/instit/annceresult/press/preanre/2001/ofm11001.pdf [1/10/01]
9 – montoyaregistry.com/Financial-Market.aspx?financial-market=roth-ira-rules-and-regulations&category=1 [6/19/11]

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. This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., for Stonecreek Wealth Advisors, Inc. a fee only registered investment advisor firm in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Providing wealth management services. Mark Lund is the author of The Effective Investor.