May 26, 2015 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:

Carolann is out of the office, I will be writing the newsletter on her behalf.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

A sparrow tries to drink water from a faucet at a park in Suwon, South Korea, Tuesday. Shin Young-Geun/Yonhap/Reuters

An art student lies on a giant canvas as she paints with her limbs during a demonstration, at an exhibition of art works from the faculty of the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.

Market Closes for May 26^th, 2015

International Markets

Bonds

Currencies

Commodities

Market Commentary:

Canada

By Joseph Ciolli

     (Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks declined the most in almost three weeks as raw-material and energy companies dropped with oil and metals prices.

     Kinross Gold Corp. and Goldcorp Inc. dropped more than 3.3 percent to pace declines among raw-material stocks. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. and Precision Drilling Corp. decreased at least 3.9 percent as a stronger dollar pulled crude prices lower.

     The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index slid 136.59 points, or 0.9 percent, to 15,050.81 at 4 a.m. in Toronto, for the biggest drop since May 6. The gauge added 0.6 percent last week.

     Eight of the 10 main groups in the S&P/TSX slipped. Energy companies decreased 1.2 percent. The S&P/TSX Gold Index dropped 2.8 percent and Brent crude fell 2.7 percent on strength in the dollar amid speculation that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year.

     Crude’s correlation with the dollar became the most pronounced since 2012. The stronger dollar will add to pressure on crude, according to Morgan Stanley. A rising greenback curbs the appeal of raw materials priced in the U.S. currency.

     The dollar rose to an almost eight-year high against the yen as U.S. data from housing to manufacturing beat estimates, boosting the case for higher interest rates.

US

By Jennifer Kaplan

     (Bloomberg) — U.S. stocks fell the most in three weeks, as better-than-forecast economic data and comments by Federal Reserve officials bolstered bets for an interest-rate increase this year.

     Energy and raw-material companies retreated as the dollar jumped, while Apple Inc. and Intel Corp. paced a drop in technology shares. Hewlett-Packard Co. decreased 4 percent, and Google Inc. lost 1.4 percent. Time Warner Cable Inc. added 7.3 percent after Charter Communications Inc. agreed to buy the cable provider for about $55 billion in cash and stock. Cablevision Systems Corp. climbed 3.5 percent.

     The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 1 percent to 2,104.20 at 4 p.m. in New York, after a third straight weekly advance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 190.48 points, or 1 percent, to 18,041.54. The Dow ended a six-session stretch without a 100-point intraday swing, the longest in almost a year. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 1.1 percent.

     “The looming Fed change is always out there,” said Richard Sichel, chief investment officer at Philadelphia Trust Co., which oversees $2 billion. “You have a couple of items that could be considered good, things are looking better, the dollar is strong, basically it’s working against the market at the moment.”

     Better-than-estimated increases in capital goods orders and new-home sales came after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated the central bank will raise borrowing costs this year if the economy improves as she expects. Fed Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester echoed her comments on Monday, saying the U.S. economy is close to the point where it can support higher rates.

     Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said central bankers are weighing the risk of raising them prematurely against the danger of having to play catch-up if they wait too long. He also said policy makers will consider global growth as they begin to raise interest rates, and they could increase them more gradually should the world economy falter.

     Economists expect the Fed to increase rates in September, according to a Bloomberg survey. Purchases of new homes rose more than projected in April, and a separate report showed home prices increased at a faster pace than forecast in the year through March. A gauge on May consumer confidence also advanced more than estimated.

     “The market is kind of striking this in-between, wanting better economic data but then the flip side meaning the Fed is that much sooner to raising rates,” said Walter Todd, who oversees about $1 billion as chief investment officer for Greenwood, South Carolina-based Greenwood Capital. “I’m fine with that, with seeing better economic data and dealing with the implications.”

     While U.S. stocks had their slowest week of trading since New Year’s and the tightest range for equities in six months, the S&P 500 reached a fresh record on May 21. The index climbed 0.2 percent last week to mark its longest weekly winning streak since February. Equity markets were closed on Monday for the Memorial Day holiday.

     The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index jumped 16 percent to 14.06 Tuesday, the most since January. The gauge, known as the VIX, closed Friday with its second straight weekly decline.

     All 10 main groups in the S&P 500 fell, with energy, raw materials and technology shares losing more than 1.2 percent. All 30 Dow components dropped. About 6.4 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges, 1 percent below the three-month average.

     First Solar Inc. slumped 7.3 percent, the most in six months, after the solar module maker was cut to the equivalent of a sell by RBC Capital Markets. Apple, H-P and Juniper Networks Inc. all fell at least 2.2 percent as tech companies in the benchmark index retreated 1.4 percent.

     Tech hardware and equipment companies lost 1.9 percent, the most of 24 industry groups in the S&P 500. Hewlett-Packard Co. led the decline, down 4 percent, the most in three months. Seagate Technology Plc and Juniper Networks Inc. dropped 2.2 percent.

     Steel producer Allegheny Technologies Inc. and miner Freeport McMoRan Inc. retreated at least 3.6 percent as raw- material companies fell 1.2 percent, the most in two months. A Bloomberg measure on the dollar reached its highest level in a month, curbing the appeal of commodities priced in the U.S. currency.

     Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips lost more than 1.5 percent to weigh on the energy group as oil sank. Energy companies fell the most of 10 industry groups in the S&P. Transocean Ltd. and Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. decreased at least 4.1 percent as energy shares in the benchmark hit their lowest level in seven weeks.

     Coal stocks were among the biggest losers after the protracted slump in demand for the fossil fuel led to a rash of layoffs last week. Alpha Natural Resources Inc. fell 8.2 percent to a record low after announcing plans Friday to idle a West Virginia mine and fire 439 workers. Peabody Energy Corp. also dropped to an all-time low, down 6.1 percent, while Consol Energy Inc. lost 5.7 percent.

     The Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index tumbled for a fifth straight day Tuesday amid concerns that carriers are losing power to raise fares even as oil prices rise. Hawaiian Holdings Inc, JetBlue Airways Corp. and Spirit Airlines Inc. slipped at least 3.8 percent.

     Genworth Financial Inc. and Lincoln National Corp. slid more than 2.4 percent as financial companies in the S&P 500 fell for a fourth session, the longest streak in two months.

Principal Financial Group declined 1.8 percent.

Have a wonderful evening everyone.

Be magnificent!

“One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca

As ever,

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Karen

Queensbury Securities Inc.,

St. Andrew’s Square,

Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7