U.S. stocks had significant gains while foreign stocks declined. Fears of a trade war subsided somewhat as China offered to buy an additional $70BN in U.S. goods in a bid to prevent additional tariffs from going into effect. Oil prices fell this week while copper rose. The dollar rose and treasury yields edged higher.
In the numbers this week:
- The Commerce Department reported
- The trade deficit fell 2.1% in April. Both imports fell and exports rose as the U.S. exported a record amount of oil.
- Personal income rose 0.3% in April.
- The Labor department reported
- First time claims for unemployment fell 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 222,000 in the prior week. The four week moving average of claims rose 3250 to a seasonally adjusted 225,500.
- For the first time since it began keeping records in 2000, the number of job openings 6.7MM was greater than the number of unemployed 6.3MM.
- Worker productivity rose in the first quarter at a 0.4% annual rate. From a year ago, productivity gained 1.3%.
- The Energy Information Administration weekly report is here wpsrsummary . Also the EIA reported:
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- Weekly field production of crude oil rose 31 thousand barrels per day.
- Storage of Natural Gas rose 92BN cubic feet.
- According to Baker Hughes, In the past week the number of active oil rigs rose 12 to 862 and the number of active gas rigs 1 to 198.
Please call us if you have any questions.
Loren C. Rex, CFP®, AIF®, MA Erik A Smith
President Managing Partner
Generations Financial Planning & Wealth Management 269-441-4143
77 E. Michigan Ave, Suite 140
Battle Creek, MI 49017
Tel 269-441-4090
Carrie Fuce, Assistant 269-441-4091
Toll Free: 800-513-8180
Fax 866-381-2301
Visit our Website: www.genfinplan.com
Registered Representative of and securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisor Representative, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Generations Financial Planning & Wealth Management are separate companies and are not affiliated.
These are the opinions of Loren Rex and Erik Smith and are not necessarily those of Cambridge, are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. The Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.
