Weekly Update:   Good morning! Summer is in full swing. Wimbledon seemed to have two winners. Novac Djokovic came away with the trophy but Roger Federer, at 37, came away with an incredible feat, and a winner as well in his perseverance and play. Lasting 4 hours and 57 minutes, the match was record-breaking on all fronts and would have probably kept going if not for the new tie-breaker rule.

Weekly Update: Good morning! Happy July 8th: A few fun facts: We are in the longest expansion recorded; we are ten years and eight days into this economic expansion. Jobs – from a bad report to now a good report (I am not surprised). The economy looks good. Other thoughts of the day (new things to worry about or celebrate): Does anyone know all 19 Democrat presidential candidates’ names? I

Weekly Update: Good morning! Happy July 1st: Summer has finally arrived in the northwest part of the country.  The temperature has been in the mid-80’s and the ice cubes are in the drinks and not the lake. This will be a slow week due to the Holiday. The bond market (and our office) is closed on the fourth of July therefore, the fifth of July may be a little quiet. 

Weekly Update: Good morning! Today’s Title: Reflection on reflection. Last week, I wrote about reflecting on the past few weeks speculation of the FOMC and the perceived need to lower interest rates.  I stated, “I think we all need to take a step back and think clearly about the question being debated – Will the FOMC lower the Federal Funds rate any time soon?”. I want to thank all of

Weekly Update: Good morning! Today’s Title: Reflection. As I sit along the water’s edge, I see the reflection of the sun setting and the moon rising.  This serene moment encourages me to reflect on the past week.  News anchors’ have been talking, economists have been prognosticating, and the world is speculating: “Will the FOMC lower the Federal Funds rate any time soon?”. I think we all need to take a

Weekly Update: Good morning! To quote Charley this past Saturday, “The election process has started again? Seriously?” Elections: It has started again.  Nineteen of the twenty (yes 20) Democratic presidential hopefuls visited Iowa this weekend to raise money.  I will now be turning off the TV for the next year. US Treasury yields: US Treasury yields are very low, again.  Mortgage rates are back under 4.00%.  Yields: 3-Month Treasury =

Weekly Update: Good morning! Today’s Title: Skylines Rising… By Charley. Economic Growth: I am currently in New York City for a conference, and as I look at the skyline, it reminds me of my hometown of Detroit. There is a lot of building going on; cranes are all over the city. Economic prosperity is happening everywhere I look. As I chat with clients who have construction suppliers or builders as

Weekly Update: Good morning! Today’s Title: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day… By Charley. Two days in the spring: In mid-May, we celebrate Mother’s Day, and a month later in mid-June, we celebrate Father’s Day.  The founder of the modern-day Mother’s Day is Anna Jarvis (Now all I can think of is the movie Iron Man) in Grafton, West Virginia in 1908. Is Mother’s Day a financial success?  It is, and

Weekly Update: Good morning! Today’s Title: Derby, Rockets, and Unemployment… By Charley. Derby: Lots of sports have interference rules.  Who knew the Kentucky Derby also had them?  Maximum Security (the un-winner) interfered with the other horses.  Thus, the 2nd place horse, Country House was announced the winner.  Conspiracy is sure to follow, as there were $6 million more win bets on Maximum Security. Rockets: Rocket Man, as the North Korean

Weekly Update: Good morning! Today’s Title: Markets and Inflation… By Charley. Markets: The technology sector is on fire.  In the last four months, the value of technology stocks has increased by more than one trillion dollars.  Vanguard investment company has seen its flagship technology fund VGT increase by over $400 million in one day.  The fund now has more than $21 billion in it. Technology is not the only successful