Hello Eagle Wealth Community,
There’s a lot we could be talking about this week.
The pandemic.
Vaccination rates.
Earnings.
Impeachment.
Markets.
Stimulus bills.
Instead, how about we talk about something nice?
What makes you happy?
What does “happiness” even mean?
Is it a temporary state? Is it a long-term thing?
We’ve heard happiness called being mindful of small moments of joy.
We like that definition because it implies happiness is a practice we can cultivate.
Is there a special recipe for achieving happiness?
Maybe.
We’ll start. One recipe for happiness might be:
FAMILY + FRIENDS + FULFILLING WORK + NATURE/TRAVEL/FUN + GRATITUDE = Happiness
If we can get some of that into each day, we can call it a happy one.
We’ve also found that simple things bring us joy, even when we’re stressed or not feeling our best.
Smiles and laughter from a spouse.
Time spent in nature, breathing in the Central Oregon air.
Getting lost in a really good book.
Doing something selfless when no one’s watching.
A relaxing meal with someone we care about.
What do you think? What’s your personal recipe for happiness? What simple things feed your soul? Has it changed over time? Has it changed over the last year?
Be well,
Your Eagle Wealth Team
P.S. The market boom times are here, and a lot of folks are looking for magic bullets. But there aren’t any. It’s easy to look brilliant in a rising market or feel like you’re missing out on a hot trend. But the tide will turn. It usually does. If the fear of missing out is keeping you up at night, (or keeping your kids up at night because they’re experiencing their first big bull market) please reach out. We’ll talk about the difference between gambling and investing. And how building wealth takes consistent, incremental progress, not chasing fads.
Tax Season Check-in
We’re now getting into the thick of tax season, so we want to share a few reminders.
- Make sure to check out our guide for key dates and frequently asked questions.
- You can access your SEI 1099s through the AccessMyPortolio website. See the tutorial here.
- If you’re self-preparing your taxes, you can import SEI 1099s directly into Turbo Tax. Check out the tutorial here.
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Markets Insights
Weekly Update - February 22, 2021
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The Week on Wall Street
Rising bond yields dampened investor enthusiasm for high-multiple growth companies last week, sending market averages mostly lower in a holiday-shortened week of trading.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.11% for the week. But the Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 0.71% and the Nasdaq Composite index slid 1.57%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, declined 0.26%.1,2,
Mixed Signals
The 10-year Treasury Note yield hit its highest level in a year last week on worries of a pick-up in inflation, while the 30-year Treasury Bond yield ticked over 2.0%. Rising yields weighed on the high-valuation growth stocks, most specifically the big tech names, in addition to dragging down interest rate sensitive sectors, like utilities and real estate investment trusts (REITs).4
Economic data painted a mixed picture of the economy. Jobless claims reflected a still-struggling labor market while a strong retail sales number and an above-consensus PPI (Producer Price Index) reflected strong consumer spending and building inflationary pressures.5,6,7
Stocks were flat as the week came to a close, as traders wrestled with the crosscurrents of positive economic data and a further rise in yields.
Inflation Worries
After a long period of low inflation, concerns are growing that higher consumer prices may return as a result of an accommodative Federal Reserve monetary policy and fiscal spending in response to the pandemic. Tensions heightened last week with the release of January’s PPI report, which saw a jump of 1.7%, the biggest monthly increase since 2009.8
While the Fed believes that any price increases will be fleeting, the market appears to view inflation a bit differently. The prospect of further stimulus and more reopenings are adding to investors’ unease, which may revive an old Wall Street practice—inflation watching.
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THE WEEK AHEAD:
KEY ECONOMIC DATA
Monday: Index of Leading Economic Indicators.
Tuesday: Consumer Confidence.
Wednesday: New Home Sales.
Thursday: Jobless Claims. Durable Goods Orders. GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
Friday: Consumer Sentiment.
Source: Econoday, February 19, 2021
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.
THE WEEK AHEAD:
COMPANIES REPORTING EARNINGS
Monday: Palo Alto Networks (PANW).
Tuesday: Home Depot (HD), Intuit, Inc. (INTU), Ingersoll Rand, Inc. (IR).
Wednesday: Nvidia (NVDA), Etsy, Inc. (ETSY), Lowe’s Companies (LOW), TJX Companies (TJX), Teledoc Health, Inc. (TDOC).
Thursday: Salesforce.com (CRM), Best Buy (BBY), Workday, Inc. (WDAY), Dell Technologies (DELL), VMware (VMW), American Tower Corp. (AMT).
Friday: Draftkings, Inc. (DKNG).
Source: Zacks, February 19, 2021
Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.
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