Market Update Report 2/18/2014 | Beacon Rock Wealth Advisors

The KUIK Market Update for Tuesday, February 18:

Markets are mixed.

Index	Direction	Change	Units	Last	Time	Change
Dow	Down	(12)	points	16,142	7:50 AM
S&P500	Up	0.08%	percent	1,840		1.47
Nasdaq Composite	Up	0.55%	percent	4,267		23.47
30 Year Treasury	Down	(2)	Basis Points	3.68	Annual Yield

Manufacturing activity in the New York region fell in February after hitting its highest reading since May 2012 in January, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The bank’s Empire State general business conditions index fell to 4.5 in February from 12.5 in January, and the drop was larger than expected. Economists expected 9.0y. Readings above zero signal expansion.

Fund managers are increasing their allocations towards U.S. stocks, and cutting back on emerging markets, according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch survey of managers for February. A growing number believe an economic hard landing in China and a collapse in commodity prices are the biggest risks to the global economy.

Confidence among home builders fell to 46 in February, dropping to the lowest level in nine months, led by weaker views on sales of single-family homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo, which cited “unusually severe weather conditions,” among other factors. February’s reading is down from 56 in January, and is the first time since May that the index has been below 50 signallinig homebuilder pessimism. Economists polled by MarketWatch expected 56. The index hit a recent peak of 58 in August, highest level since 2005.



Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for AM 1360 KUIK.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/empire-state-index-slips-to-45-in-february-2014-02-18-891303
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/money-managers-get-more-bullish-on-us-stocks-2014-02-18?dist=markets
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/home-builder-confidence-plunges-in-february-2014-02-18


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