Stocks ended the week with modest gains.  The FED released their minutes from last month’s meeting and indicated they saw little need to raise interest rates this year.  First quarter earnings have started to be released and this will continue for several weeks.  Stocks were bolstered on Friday by some positive financial company earnings.

The dollar declined against a basket of currencies.  Oil prices gained and gold ended the week lower.  The 10-year treasury bond yield rose to 2.55%

In the numbers this week:

• The International Monetary Fund reduced its 2019 global growth estimate from 3.5% to 3.3%.
• China reported a 14.2% increase in exports in March from a year earlier while imports fell 7.6%.
• The Labor Department reported
  • First time claims for unemployment fell 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 196,000, the lowest level since October 1969 when the workforce was much smaller.  The four week moving average of claims fell to 207,000.
  • The consumer price index rose 0.41% in March mainly due to a 3.5% rise in energy prices.  Excluding volatile food and energy, prices rose just 0.15%.  From a year earlier consumer prices were 1.9% higher and 2.0% excluding food and energy.
  • Producer prices rose 0.6% in March.  Excluding volatile food and energy, producer prices rose 0.3%.  For the past 12 months producer prices rose 2.2% and 2.4% excluding food and energy.
• The Energy Information Administration weekly report is here wpsrsummary .  Also, the EIA reported in the prior week:

• • U.S. Crude oil production was unchanged at 12.1MM barrels per day.
  • Storage of natural gas rose 25BN cubic feet.
  • Baker Hughes reported in the past week that the number of active oil rigs fell 2 to 829 and the number of active gas rigs fell to 189.

Please call us if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

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.