A hot inflation print and the growing concern of a Russian invasion of Ukraine sent stocks tumbling late in the week, leaving major indices lower for the five-trading days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 1.00%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 retreated 1.82%. The Nasdaq Composite index slumped 2.18%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 2.26%.1,2,3 |
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A Double Whammy
When the report hit, it showed accelerating inflation, and stocks dropped and bond yields bounded higher. Stocks managed to recover from the initial reaction to the unexpectedly high inflation number. But when the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis commented that the Fed may consider a more aggressive move against inflation, stocks resumed their slide lower. The stock skid accelerated into Friday on White House reports that an invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces may be imminent.4 Inflation Sizzles
Many economists and market analysts had expected inflation to moderate, but driven by a surge in prices of used cars, gasoline, and energy, inflation remained at elevated levels. The persistence of inflation at these heights has fueled investor concerns that the Fed might consider a more aggressive 50-basis points increase in short term interest rate. This Week: Key Economic Data
Wednesday: Retail Sales. Industrial Production. FOMC Minutes. Thursday: Housing Starts. Jobless Claims. Friday: Existing Home Sales. Index of Leading Economic Indicators. Source: Econoday, February 11, 2022 This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings
Wednesday: Nvidia Corporation (NVDA), Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO), Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT), Shopify, Inc. (SHOP), DoorDash (DASH). Thursday: Roku, Inc. (ROKU), Walmart, Inc. (WMT), The Southern Company (SO). Friday: Deere & Company (DE). Source: Zacks, February 11, 2022 |
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“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.“ – James Baldwin |
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How to Verify Your Identity When Calling the IRS
Having all this information handy before you call the IRS will make the process faster because IRS phone operators will only speak with the taxpayer or a legally designated representative. * This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific, individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional. Tip adapted from IRS.gov6 |
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How to Get the Recommended 10,000 Steps a DayGetting 10,000 steps in throughout the day (or moving at all!) might sound like an impossible goal, but there are a few small tweaks you can make throughout your day to get those feet moving. Here are a few ideas:
Tip adapted from Organizing Moms7 |
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What is the smallest number of cars that can be driven down the road in this formation: two cars ahead of a car, two cars behind a car, and a car between two cars? Last week’s riddle: They never move, even when we walk on them, but signs and arrows may indicate that they go “up” and “down.” What are they? Answer: Stairs. |
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The blue domed churches of Agios Spyridonas and Anastaseos, Oia, Santorini, Greece. |
Footnotes and Sources1. The Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2022 2. The Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2022 3. The Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2022 4. CNBC, February 10, 2022 5. CNBC, February 10, 2022 6. IRS.gov, September 1, 2021 7. OrganizingMoms.com, September 30, 2020 |
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Weekly Market Insights: Inflation and Ukraine Fears Cool Markets
February 14, 2022