Weekly Economic Update Compliments of C.W. Copeland

C.W. Copeland & Associates presents

Weekly Economic Update for the Week of September 14, 2009

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Quote of the week. "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel Boorstin

Consumer mood brightens. The preliminary September Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in at 70.2 Friday, above the 68.0 expected by economists and much improved from the August reading of 65.7. The measure of current conditions (i.e., consumer feeling about personal financial situations) went up to 71.8 from 66.6 in August. The consumer expectations reading (will things be better or worse six months from now?) rose to 69.2 from 65.0.¹

Beige Book shows improvement. The Federal Reserve's roundup of nationwide economic conditions showed 11 of 12 Fed regions enjoying either growth or stability (the St. Louis region was the exception). The Beige Book noted that businesses in most Fed regions were taking a "cautiously positive" view of the economy.²

Inventories continue to shrink. Wholesalers reduced them by 1.4% in July to the lowest level in three years. July 2009 was the best month for wholesale sales since June 2008: they rose by 0.5%.³

Gold's record close: $1,006.40. Gold futures closed at a new all-time high on the NYMEX Friday. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index touched a 2009 low on Friday and lost roughly 2% last week as interest picked up for riskier assets. As for oil, crude futures fell down to $69.29 per barrel at Friday's close (a 3.68% week-ending drop) on concerns over reduced demand and worries about inventory buildup.^4,5

The rally resumes. Slight Friday losses didn't erase much of last week's Monday-Thursday gains. The S&P 500 advanced 2.59% for the week to 1,042.73.The Dow finished at 9,605.41 Friday. The NASDAQ wrapped up the week at 2,080.90.⁶

% Change	Y-T-D	1-Yr Avg	5-Yr Avg	10-Yr Avg
DJIA	+9.45	-15.99	-1.37	-1.29
NASDAQ	+31.95	-7.85	+1.97	-2.79
S&P 500	+15.44	-16.52	-1.44	-2.29
10YrTIPS Yd	-30.57	-4.79	-2.62	-5.17

(Source: CNNMoney.com, ustreas.gov, bls.gov, 9/11/09)^7,8,9

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends.

Riddle of the week. Name three words in everyday English that begin with the letters "dw".

Contact my office or see next week's Update for the answer.

Last week's riddle:Can you name two perennial vegetables? (That is, vegetables that don't need to be replanted and that can live on to produce in a future growing season?)

Last week's riddle answer: Rhubarb and asparagus.

Regards,

C.W. Copeland

"Your Personal CFO"

Atlanta Planning Group

Lifestyle Management Division

3715 Northside Parkway

Building 200; Suite 490

Atlanta, GA 30327

404.816.1153 ext.540

404.601.9534 (fax)

www.PhDinMoney.com

In Memory of Alvin Tabor

Nicole Rocher Wright

Hello Friends & Family of Alvin Tabor.

Over the past few weeks, Ma Tabor has mentioned to me that she is not on Facebook and would love to be able to preserve the many wonderful comments and sentiments about Alvin.

Facebook is a wonderful way to connect, but it does not preserve, and in a situation like this I would like to request that you take a moment and go to the link below to cut and paste all of your Facebook comments and upload all of your photos so Kelli, Ma Tabor and their family can save them to read when they are able to take all of this in.

Please send this to anyone you know who knows Alvin.

http://www.legacy.com/gb2/default.aspx?bookid=4466897596471

... Read More

Godspeed

Nicole Rocher Wright

Weekly Economic Update for the Week of August 31, 2009

C.W. Copeland & Associates presents

Weekly Economic Update for the Week of August 31, 2009

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Quote of the week. "In a society of super-sophisticated communication, we often suffer from a shortage of listeners." - Erma Bombeck

Wages flat, but spending up. So says the latest data from the Commerce Department. Consumer spending rose 0.2% in July (the third straight monthly gain, in line with economists' forecasts). Personal incomes were flat for July and 2.4% below levels of one year ago.¹

New home sales way up. They increased 9.6% for July, the fourth straight monthly gain. According to the Commerce Department, the sales pace hasn't been this strong since September. Inventory is shrinking: roughly 271,000 new homes were on sale at the end of July, a low not seen since March 1993.²

More demand for hard goods. July was a great month for durable goods orders. They rose by 4.9%, a third straight monthly gain powered by an 18.4% jump in transportation orders. Inventories fell by 0.8%.³

Taking the consumer's temperature. The Conference Board's consumer confidence index rebounded from a quite dismal 47.4 in July to 54.1 this month. The final August Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index was 65.7, hardly changed from July's 66.0 mark.⁴

Good days for oil & gold. A decline in the dollar certainly aids the commodities markets. Gold finished the week at $958.80 per ounce on the NYMEX; gold futures gained $11.50 Friday, and silver, copper and platinum also advanced. As for oil, prices crested above $75 a barrel last week, with futures settling at $72.74 Friday in slight retreat from that 2009 peak.⁵

Low volume, languid week. With so many traders on vacation, the last full week of August was quiet on Wall Street. Make that quietly positive: the S&P 500 advanced 0.27% last week to 1,028.93, the NASDAQ gained 0.39% to reach 2,028.77, and the Dow gained 0.40% in five days to close at 9,544.20 Friday.⁶

% Change	Y-T-D	1-Yr Avg	5-Yr Avg	10-Yr Avg
DJIA	+8.75	-18.53	-1.28	-1.39
NASDAQ	+28.64	-15.88	+1.79	-2.65
S&P 500	+13.91	-20.89	-1.42	-2.37
10YrTIPS Yd	-23.14	+10.13	-1.08	-5.04

(Source: CNNMoney.com, ustreas.gov, bls.gov, 8/28/09)^7,8,9

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends.

Riddle of the week. Name a sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the winner until the match ends.

Contact my office or see next week's Update for the answer.

Last week's riddle of the week. Name a vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked or in any other form except fresh.

Last week's riddle answer: Lettuce.

Regards,

C.W. Copeland

"Your Personal CFO"

www.PhDinMoney.com

GA FUNERAL SERVICES FOR DR. ALVIN TABOR

August 21st, 2009
Friday 7-8PM
Viewing for Family and Friends
EDWARDS FUNERAL HOME
409 Preston St
Fort Valley, GA 31030-2739
(478) 825-2730

August 22nd, 2009
Saturday 11AM
Funeral Services
SAINT JAMES CME CHURCH
1007 WF RAGIN DRIVE
PERRY, GA 31069
(478)987-4404

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the:

Tuskegee Veterinary Alumni Association for Dr. Alvin Tabor, to be used to support students of the Vet School at the following address.
This address shall supersede any and all addresses previously published:

The Family of Dr. Alvin Tabor
c/o Melvin Ragin
207 Rosewater Drive
Warner Robbins, GA 31088

http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=1019953166

Please refer to notes for additional information

Weekly Economic Update for the Week of August 17, 2009

C.W. Copeland & Associates presents

Weekly Economic Update for the Week of August 17, 2009

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Quote of the week. “We are happy when we are growing.” – William Butler Yeats

Fed: “economic activity is leveling out”. Does that sound mildly bullish? It doesn’t seem bearish. In addition to that pronouncement, last week’s Federal Reserve policy statement contained the opinion that inflation will be “subdued for some time” and said that the key interest rate will remain at “exceptionally low levels” for the near future. In another hopeful sign, it said it would end its emergency program to buy $300 billion worth of Treasuries in October.1

Surprise drop in confidence. Consumer confidence, that is. The August Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey came in at 63.2, down from 66.0 in July and way below the 69.0 forecast by economists polled by MarketWatch. The August number is the lowest since March.2

Friday reports raise hopes. Countering the consumer sentiment figures, we got better news at the end of last week. Industrial output rose 0.5% for July – the first increase in nine months. Consumer prices did not rise - the Consumer Price Index was flat for July, after gaining 0.7% in June. Consumer prices were down 2.1% from 2008 levels.3,4

Gold & oil wrap up week with losses. Oil futures settled at $67.51 on the NYMEX Friday, dropping $3.01 for the day. Gold ended the week with a $7.80 drop, closing at $948.70 per ounce.3

Retail sales retreat. They declined mildly for July, with Commerce Department data showing a 0.1% drop. Economists polled by Bloomberg News had expected a gain of 0.8%, mirroring the gain in June.5

4-week winning streak ends. Stocks had their first down week since mid-July, with the S&P 500 declining 0.63% last week to close at 1,004.09 Friday. The NASDAQ ended the week at 1,985.52, after a 0.74% weekly loss. The DJIA fell 0.52% to close at 9,321.40 Friday.6

% Change	Y-T-D	1-Yr Avg	5-Yr Avg	10-Yr Avg
DJIA	+6.21	-19.75	-1.03	-1.51
NASDAQ	+25.90	-19.08	+2.60	-2.47
S&P 500	+11.16	-22.34	-1.14	-2.44
10YrTIPS Yd	-19.21	+10.78	+0.90	-4.97

(Source: CNNMoney.com, ustreas.gov, bls.gov, 8/14/09)7,8,9

Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. These returns do not include dividends.

Riddle of the week. Name six or more things that you can wear on your feet starting with the letter S.

Contact my office or see next week’s Update for the answer.

Last week’s riddle. What famed North American landmark is constantly moving lower and moving backward?

Last week's riddle answer: Niagara Falls (the rim is worn down about 2.5' each year due to the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute).

___________________________________________________________________

Please feel free to forward this article to family, friends or colleagues.

If you would like us to add them to our list, please reply with their address
and we will contact them and ask for their permission to be added.

Regards,

C.W. Copeland

"Your Personal CFO"

Atlanta Planning Group

Lifestyle Management Division

3715 Northside Parkway

Building 200; Suite 490

Atlanta, GA 30327

404.816.1153 ext.540

404.601.9534 (fax)

www.PhDinMoney.com

Dr. Alvin Tabor's Funeral information

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=145967362008

What is the secret?

Many people of late have asked what is your secret – the truth is there is not one a secret. There are steps anyone can take if they are willing to commit. While this is not all inclusive this list can make a different between making positive forward progress

• Loyalty – you must be committed to the success and positive progress of those you associate with
• Honesty - And this above all unto thine own self be true and it shall follow as the day the night - thou can'st not then be false to any man.
• Customer/Client/Follower focus – give you customer what they are asking for not what you want to sell them based on what you have – seek to exceed their expectation by thinking strategically and planning long term taking into account things and situations they may not have considered at the time. By placing their success over your personal profit both can do well. Most importantly listen to what they are saying do not focus on what you want to hear.
• Solution focused – anyone can criticize or find reasons why things will not work – be the person who finds the unique solutions that allow for creative and inventive solution
• Knowledgeable – ignorance is not bliss, stupidity is not a placid place or ultimate peace – however neither is arrogance. Seek to confident in what you know while being honest to admit and work on the areas where you are unsure – commit to constant life long learning
• Willingness to learn/Grow/Change
• Humility – understanding that you are not self contained your success and failure are due to how others regard you personally and professionally – there is no such thing as a separate personal and professional life – they are all connected
• Consistency – make sure you are consistent and dependable (I did not say perfect – we all make mistakes) but be known as someone who goes out of their way to keep commitments

Feel free to add any other pointers or tops that you think will assist people in either improving their social media presences, business and or customer service success

Stopping for the night - just finished looking over these cameras http://ping.fm/S50rl will look more tomorrow