Infinex Investments

MillRiver Wealth Management

Leeann Maxwell
Financial Advisor
89 North Main St
Concord, NH 03301
603-223-2710
lmaxwell@infinexgroup.com

Market Week: March 14, 2016

The Markets (as of market close March 11, 2016)
Both the large-cap Dow and S&P 500 posted gains for the fourth consecutive week, helped by a late rally at
week's end. The latest run of gains has pulled the Dow and S&P 500 to within 1.22% and 1.06% of their
2015 year-end levels. The Global Dow, possibly boosted by additional stimulus measures announced by
the European Central Bank, gained 1.2% and is also closing in on its 2015 closing value. The midcaps also
posted marginal gains of under 1%, and remain farthest away from their 2015 year-end levels compared to
the other indexes listed here.
The price of crude oil (WTI) is clearly trending upward as the price increased again last week, closing the
week at $38.49 a barrel, $2.16 ahead of the prior week's closing price. The price of gold (COMEX) fell by
last week's end, selling at $1,251.10 by late Friday afternoon, down from the prior week's closing price of
$1,260.10. The national average retail regular gasoline price increased for the third week in a row, selling at
$1.841 per gallon on March 7, 2016, $0.058 over the prior week's price but $0.646 under a year ago.
Market/Index

2015 Close

Prior Week

As of 3/11

Weekly Change YTD Change

DJIA

17425.03

17006.77

17213.31

1.21%

-1.22%

Nasdaq

5007.41

4717.02

4748.47

0.67%

-5.17%

S&P 500

2043.94

1999.99

2022.19

1.11%

-1.06%

Russell 2000

1135.89

1081.93

1087.56

0.52%

-4.25%

Global Dow

2336.45

2260.08

2287.17

1.20%

-2.11%

Fed. Funds rate 0.25%-0.50%

target

0.25%-0.50%

0.25%-0.50%

0 bps

0 bps

10-year
Treasuries

1.87%

1.98%

11 bps

-28 bps

2.26%

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not
be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week's Headlines

In a further effort to boost its sagging economy, the European Central Bank initiated additional stimulus
moves intended to spur the eurozone's low inflation. Only three months after instituting similar--though
less comprehensive measures--the latest ECB program includes cutting interest rates and increasing its
monthly bond purchases. ECB President Mario Draghi said the latest stimulus measures are intended to
"further ease financing conditions, stimulate new credit provision and thereby reinforce the momentum of
the euro area's economic recovery and accelerate the return of inflation to levels below, but close to,
2.0%." With euro area inflation dropping to -0.2% in February from 0.3% in January, Draghi cautioned
that the Governing Council will closely monitor price-setting behavior and wage developments to "ensure
that the current low inflation environment does not become entrenched in second-round effects on wage
and price-setting." How these moves will affect the eurozone economy and the U.S. equity markets
remains to be seen.

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Key Dates/Data Releases

3/15: Producer Price Index,
retail sales, business
inventories, housing market
index
3/16: Consumer Price Index,
housing starts, industrial
production, FOMC meeting
announcement
3/17: JOLTS
3/18: Consumer sentiment

The Treasury statement for February shows the federal deficit is at $192.6 billion. There was a surplus
of $55 billion in January. The deficit for fiscal 2016 (October through February) sits at $353 billion.
Compared to the first five months of fiscal 2015, receipts for fiscal year 2016 are up 5.3%, while outlays
are up 1.86%.
U.S. import prices (for goods bought in the United States but produced abroad) fell 0.3% in February
following a 1.0% drop in January, according to the latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics. The February decrease was mostly led by declining fuel prices. The price index for exports of
goods made in the United States and sold abroad decreased 0.4% in February, after falling 0.8% the
previous month. Import prices actually gained 0.1% excluding food and fuels--the first positive reading
since last May. Generally, falling import prices are a strike against rising inflation. Low oil prices and a
strong dollar continue to keep prices of goods down for U.S. buyers.
Claims for unemployment insurance and the insured unemployment rate are down. For the week ended
March 5, there were 259,000 initial claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 18,000 from the
prior week's revised level of 277,000--the lowest level since last October. The advance seasonally
adjusted insured unemployment rate dropped to 1.6% for the week ended February 27. Also for the
same week, the advance number for continuing unemployment insurance claims was 2,225,000, a
decrease of 32,000 from the week ended February 20.

Eye on the Week Ahead

There's plenty of information available this week, including the outcome of FOMC meeting. Reports on
producer prices, retail sales, industrial production, and the Fed's announcement from its latest meeting are
sure to have some influence on equities.
Data sources: News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news
sources (i.e. wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as
government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. Market data: Based on data
reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information
Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI Cushing, OK); www.goldprice.org (spot
gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates). All information is based on sources deemed
reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither the information
nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and
should not be relied on as financial advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing
involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing
strategy will be successful.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded
blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common
stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index
is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Russell
2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2,000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow
is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. Market indices
listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.
Investment and insurance products and services are offered through INFINEX INVESTMENTS, INC.
Member FINRA/SIPC. Infinex and the bank are not affiliated. Products and services made available
through Infinex are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency of the United States and are not deposits
or obligations of nor guaranteed or insured by any bank or bank affiliate. These products are subject to
investment risk, including the possible loss of value.
NOT FDIC-INSURED. NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY. NOT
GUARANTEED BY THE BANK. MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE.

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Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2016