STOCK INDEX PERFORMANCE
Index Week YTD 12-mo. 2007 5-yr.
DOW JONES 30 (11951) 0.55% -9.37% 0.80% 8.88% 11.24%
S&P 500 (1288) -0.36% -11.86% -5.33% 5.49% 11.11%
NASDAQ 100 (1714) 0.37% -17.71% -1.20% 19.24% 11.12%
S&P 500/Citigroup Growth 0.09% -11.67% -1.35% 9.25% 8.82%
S&P 500/Citigroup Value -0.84% -12.06% -9.00% 2.03% 13.51%
S&P MidCap 400/Citigroup Growth 0.25% -10.88% -1.19% 13.55% 14.13%
S&P MidCap 400/Citigroup Value -0.10% -11.20% -11.14% 2.84% 16.35%
S&P SmallCap600/Citigroup Growth -0.25% -11.24% -6.45% 5.66% 15.26%
S&P SmallCap600/Citigroup Value 0.95% -9.45% -13.24% -5.19% 16.23%
MSCI EAFE -0.08% -10.76% 1.20% 11.76% 21.60%
MSCI World (ex US) -0.09% -10.21% 2.98% 13.04% 22.11%
MSCI World -0.18% -10.93% -0.88% 9.69% 16.34%
MSCI Emerging Markets -2.20% -12.13% 27.78% 39.23% 34.42%
Source: Bloomberg. Returns are total returns. The 5-yr. return is an average annual.
One-week,YTD, 12-mo. and 5-yr. performance returns calculated through 03/14/08.
S&P SECTOR PERFORMANCE
Index Week YTD 12-mo. 2007 5-yr.
Consumer Discretionary -0.61% -8.68% -18.84% -13.21% 7.47%
Consumer Staples -0.42% -6.17% 8.31% 14.36% 10.55%
Energy 1.51% -6.46% 29.94% 34.41% 28.01%
Financials -1.81% -18.16% -29.87% -18.52% 5.69%
Health Care -3.26% -12.80% -5.93% 7.32% 5.46%
Industrials 1.28% -7.88% 3.70% 12.04% 14.90%
Information Technology 0.08% -16.94% -1.39% 16.30% 9.39%
Materials 3.24% -1.97% 13.94% 22.53% 20.68%
Telecom Services -1.98% -20.31% -13.37% 11.88% 11.65%
Utilities 0.41% -10.87% 2.00% 19.38% 20.41%
Source: Bloomberg. Returns are total returns. The 5-yr. return is an average annual.
One-week,YTD, 12-mo. and 5-yr. performance returns calculated through 03/14/08.
BOND INDEX PERFORMANCE
Index Week YTD 12-mo. 2007 5-yr.
U S Treasury: Intermediate 0.58% 4.76% 12.11% 8.83% 4.37%
GNMA 30 Year 1.11% 2.03% 7.49% 6.97% 4.68%
U S Aggregate 0.70% 1.42% 6.60% 6.97% 4.43%
US Corporate High Yield -1.12% -4.26% -4.65% 1.88% 8.69%
US Corporate Investment Grade -0.26% -0.44% 2.01% 4.56% 4.25%
Municipal Bond: Long Bond (22+) -0.88% -4.42% -5.29% 0.46% 4.03%
Global Aggregate 1.35% 6.12% 14.28% 9.48% 7.32%
Source: Lehman Bros. Returns include reinvested interest.The 5-yr.return is an average annual.
One-week,YTD, 12-mo. and 5-yr. performance returns calculated through 03/14/08.
KEY RATES
As of 03/14
Fed Funds 3.00% 5-YR CD 3.37%
LIBOR (1-month) 2.89% 2-YR Note 1.47%
CPI - Headline 4.00% 5-YR Note 2.38%
CPI - Core 2.30% 10-YR Note 3.44%
Money Market Accts. 2.60% 30-YR T-Bond 4.36%
Money Market Funds 2.88% 30-YR Mortgage 6.11%
6-mo. CD 2.96% Prime Rate 6.00%
1-YR CD 3.03% Bond Buyer 40 5.18%
Sources: Bankrate.com, iMoneyNet.com and Bloomberg
WEEKLY FUND FLOWS
Week of 03/12 Previous
Equity Funds -$1.4 B -$1.8 B
Including ETF activity, Domestic funds reporting net inflows of $1.949 B
and Non-domestic funds reporting net outflows of -$3.380 M.
Bond Funds $1.3 B $2.9 B
Municipal Bond Funds $677 M -$338 M
Money Markets $9.832 B $16.758 B
Total net assets in the Money Markets sector exceed $3.4 Trillion.
Source: AMG Data Services
FACTOIDS FOR THE WEEK OF
MARCH 10TH - MARCH 14TH
Monday, March 10, 2008 — FDIC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is looking to grow its
division of resolutions and receiverships by 40% in 2008, according to
MarketWatch.com. This group deals with failed banks. In 2007, only three
banks failed – the first failures since 2004. The FDIC had 76 institutions on
its problem bank list as of December 31, 2007.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 — Global Speculative-Grade Default Rate
The global speculative-grade default rate stood at 1.3% in February, up
from 1.1% in January, according to Moody's. Three of the four defaults
were by U.S. issuers. The rate stood at 1.6% a year ago. Moody’s expects
it to rise sharply to 5.4% by December and 6.1% by February 2009. The
default rate on senior loans rose from 1.14% in January to 1.50% in
February, according to Standard & Poor's LCD.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 — Caterpillar
Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining
equipment, hiked its revenue forecast for 2010. It noted that demand is
ramping up in part because of an increase in infrastructure spending
around the world, according to USA TODAY. It is calling for sales to
approach $60 billion in 2010, up from its previous forecast of around $50
billion. It sees earnings per share growing at an annual rate of 15% to 20%
through 2012.
Thursday, March 13, 2008 — Gold
The price of an ounce of gold traded above $1,000 for the first time
yesterday, but closed at $996.70. Gold is up 18.9% in 2008 largely due to
the weakness in the dollar. The dollar fell below 100 yen for the first time
since 1995 and trades at a record low against the euro. In 1980, gold
reached $850 an ounce due to double-digit inflation in the U.S. and
instability in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg. Its all-time inflation
adjusted record price is $2,224 per ounce on January 21, 1980, according
to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
Friday, March 14, 2008 — Dividend Payments
The dividend yield on the S&P 500 index is currently 2.2%, roughly 70
basis points over the two-year Treasury note. This spread is approaching
the 94 basis point high set in 2003, according to SmartMoney.com. S&P
500 dividend payments are expected to increase 9.3% in 2008, according
to Howard Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst at Standard & Poor's.
The above was gathered by and posted from a subscription service provided by
FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P. • APPROVED FOR PUBLIC USE • 03/17/08