October 19, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents: Happy Friday!

NUMBERS:

4,400
Books banned in Kuwait over the past five years, sparking public outcry there.  The country was once known as the “Hollywood of the Gulf” for its culturally open society.

37 to 50
Minutes that British readers of The Independent’s now-defunct daily print edition spent reading per issue; half of subscribers read it “almost every day,” according to a study of how readers respond when newspapers go on-line-only.

6
Minutes (on average) that readers of The Independent’s online edition spend reading it each month, according to the study mentioned above.

Sources: Wired, Nieman Lab.

POINTS OF PROGRESS:
NORWAY

The country recently launched a zero-emissions catamaran as part of its efforts to revolutionize the carbon-heavy seafaring industry.  The battery-powered ship carries passengers on sightseeing trips and will be followed by dozens of other zero-emissions vessels currently in production.  Though the effort is funded by proceeds from the country’s vast fossil fuel resources, the emissions and chemicals from traditional ships are particularly noxious and the industry has been reluctant to change.  Norway’s zero-emission fleet is aimed to spur change in that arena; the country also ruled that by 2026 all ships that travel into World Heritage fjords must be zero-emissions. –Smithsonian Magazine.

NEPAL
The population of wild Bengal tigers in Nepal has nearly doubled in the past 10 years.  In 2009, there were 120 tigers; today there are 235.  Conservation groups attribute the success of their efforts to a model that ensures tigers have enough land, prey, and separation from humans too thrive. –National Geographic.

NEW ZEALAND
The Maori language, also known as te reo, has enjoyed a recent rise in popularity despite being historically stigmatized.  The government has pledged to have Maori taught in all New Zealand schools by 2025 and wants more than 20 per cent of the population to speak the language by 2040.  The movement toward accepting the language has been growing since the 1970s but has seen increased visibility as government programming normalized its use. –The Guardian.

BOLIVIA
President Evo Morales opened a solar array that will be the largest in the country.   The 180-hectare (445-acre) array will generate 60 megawatts of electricity, or enough to supply 880,000 people.  Officials say they plan to export energy to other countries in the near future.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

The Couple Sculpture by Sean Henry, which sits out at sea at Newbiggen-by-the-sea on the Northumberland coast, before sunrise. Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire


Silhouette’s of commuters and tourists as they make their way through Grand Central Terminal in New York City during the morning rush hour. Grand Central Terminal serves commuters on the Metro-North Railroad and is also a connection to the New York City Subway at Grand Central 42nd Street. Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP

Mitchell Hatfield and Perrie admire some of the 9,057 stitched poppies on the side of Carmunnock Parish Church, Carmunnock, Glasgow, Scotland, which were stitched by members of the parish. Credit: SWNS.COM
Market Closes for October 19th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25444.34 +64.89

 

+0.26%

S&P 500 2767.78 -1.00

 

-0.04%

NASDAQ 7449.027 -36.111

 

-0.48%

TSX 15740.10 +65.97

 

+0.43%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22532.08 -126.08
-0.56%
HANG

SENG

25561.40 +106.85
+0.42%
SENSEX 34315.63 -463.95
-1.33%
FTSE 100* 7049.80 +22.81
+0.32%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.500 2.499
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.529 2.525
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1920 3.1748
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3766 3.3617

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76299 0.76450
US

$

1.31064 1.30804
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.50949 0.66247
US

$

1.15177 0.86827

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1223.00 1229.05
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 69.12 68.65

Market Commentary:
On Oct. 19, 1987, the stock market crashed as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 508 points, or 22.6 percent in value – its second biggest percentage drop. Go to article »
Canada
By Tatiana Darie

     (Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks rebounded Friday to eke out a small weekly gain for the first time in four weeks. The loonie extended its losses for a third day as Canadian inflation unexpectedly slowed down in September, giving ample ammunition to the BoC’s doves to take things slowly.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 0.4 percent, led by gains in consumer staples, real estate and energy shares. A sell-off in pot stocks weighed on health care, which fell for a fourth consecutive session.
Stocks
* Barrick Gold Corp. advanced 0.2 percent after reporting that ISS recommended shareholders vote to approve issuing shares in connection with the Randgold Resources acquisition.
* Stantec Inc. rose 3.3 percent after Scotia Capital analyst Mark Neville upgraded shares to sector outperform from sector perform.
* TransAlta Renewables Inc. rose 2.5 percent after reporting that the 17.25MW expansion of its wind facility at Kent Hills, New Brunswick, is fully operational, bringing total generating capacity to 167 MW.
Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $43 discount to WTI
* Gold was little changed to $1,230 an ounce 
FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar fell 0.2 percent at C$1.3104 per U.S.dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield gained 0.1 basis point at 2.496%
US
By Randall Jensen and Vildana Hajric

     (Bloomberg) — U.S. stocks edged lower as investors assessed the latest batch of corporate earnings and simmering geopolitical tensions ahead of the weekend. The dollar weakened and oil rose. The S&P 500 Index ended the week virtually unchanged, holding near its average price of the past 200 days. The measure earlier powered to a gain of more than 1 percent on the strength of corporate results, but gave back the advance as investors grew concerned tariffs will increasingly dent profit margins.
     Honeywell warned as much during its conference call, dragging down shares in Boeing and Caterpillar. The gyrations capped a wild week of trading that saw stocks put in their biggest rally since March only to tumble almost 1.5 percent two days later. Tech shares remained under pressure, with the Nasdaq indexes falling Friday for their third straight weekly retreat.
     A renewed rise in Treasury yields — the 10-year rate targeted 3.2 percent again — added to pressure on equities, though bank shares benefited. The dollar slumped versus major peers. Oil gave back some gains after Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said tensions between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. pose a geopolitical risk.
     “It seems like it’s another day of uncertainty, digestion,” said Christian Magoon, chief executive officer of Amplify ETFs.  “The two macro forces pushing on the market are the interest rates and how aggressive the Fed is going to be and whether that aggression could take the economy into a recession. The other uncertainty is around what will happen with tariffs. It’s a buyers strike right now.”
     Markets rode a roller coaster this week as investors parsed a mixed bag of earnings to see whether the ongoing trade war and higher rates are eating away at profits. Reports that President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump would meet in November eased concerns early Friday, but they were soon ratcheted higher on worries about the potential impending impact of Chinese tariffs. And still hanging in the background are tensions surrounding the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist, Brexit and the Italian budget drama.
     Elsewhere, Italian bonds weighed on European debt amid the country’s debt crisis, while a slowdown in Chinese growth added to concerns that the world economy is not on firm footing. The pound rose after U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May was said to be ready to ditch a key demand in Brexit talks.
These are the main moves in markets:
Stocks
* The S&P 500 Index fell less than 0.1 percent to 2,767.78 as of 4 p.m. New York time.
* The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.5 percent, while the Nasdaq 100 dropped 0.1 percent.
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.1 percent.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index gained 0.1 percent.
Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell less than 0.1 percent.
* The euro climbed 0.4 percent to $1.1502.
* The Japanese yen declined 0.3 percent to 112.57 per dollar.
* The MSCI Emerging Markets Currency Index increased 0.1 percent.
Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries gained two basis points to 3.19 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield rose four basis points to 0.46 percent.
* Britain’s 10-year yield added four basis points to 1.576 percent.
Commodities
* The Bloomberg Commodity Index climbed 0.2 percent.
* West Texas Intermediate crude gained 0.9 percent to $69.29 a barrel.
* Gold fell less than 0.1 percent to $1,229.50 an ounce.
–With assistance from Randall Jensen, Vassilis Karamanis and Eddie van der Walt.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Be magnificent!

As ever,

 

Carolann

 

But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands and perhaps millions, think.
                                    -Lord Byron, 1788-1824

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 18, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:
I was at a restaurant for dinner last night where there was live music; the female vocalist sang a moving rendition of Autumn Leaves and I had forgotten how beautiful the lyrics (and musical score) are.  The lyrics – inspiring this time of year:

Autumn Leaves

The falling leaves drift by my window
The falling leaves of red and gold
I see your lips the summer kisses
The sunburned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall
I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Songwriters: Giorgio Canali / Francesco Magnelli / Gianni Maroccolo / Massimo Zamboni / Giovanni Lindo Ferretti
Autumn Leaves lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

October 18,1970 – Police find body of QC Labour Minister Pierre Laporte in the trunk of a car at St-Hubert Airport; strangled by FLQ terrorists with the chain of a religious medal.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

A train leaves the main train station in Frankfurt, Germany and provides the photographer with an opportunity to show off his skills. Credit: Michael Probst/AP


Pink-footed Geese flying in front of the Moon taken in South Shields, South Tyneside. The geese arrive in the UK for winter before returning to their breeding grounds of Iceland and Greenland in the early spring. Credit: Lee Harris

The Chimbu Skeleton Tribe of Papua New Guinea. The tribe traditionally dress as skeletons to strike fear into their enemies. The tribe first made contact with the Western world in 1934. Credit: Pongtharin Tanthasindhu/Mediad
Market Closes for October 18th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25379.45 -327.23

 

-1.27%

S&P 500 2768.82 -40.39

 

-1.44%

NASDAQ 7485.141 -157.562

 

-2.06%

TSX 15394.96 -134.94

 

-0.87%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22658.16 -182.96
-0.80%
HANG

SENG

25454.55 -7.71
-0.03%
SENSEX 34779.58 -382.90
-1.09%
FTSE 100* 7026.99 -27.61
-0.39%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.499 2.517
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.525 2.534
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1748 3.1993
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3617 3.3660

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76450 0.76804
US

$

1.30804 1.30202
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.49836 0.66739
US

$

1.14550 0.87298

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1229.05 1230.70
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 68.65 69.75

Market Commentary:
On this day in 1937, the stock market crashed on worries of cutbacks in government spending and rumors that the Roosevelt administration would crack down on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 10.57 points, or 7.8%, to close the day at 125.73. 
 

Canada
By Tatiana Darie

     (Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks followed global peers lower as investors flocked to government bonds amid increased concerns  over the U.S.-China trade war’s impact on economic growth and rising interest rates.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index extended losses for a second day, falling 0.8 percent, with industrials and tech shares leading to the downside. Telecom and media stocks rose.
                            Stocks
* Centerra Gold Inc rose 1 percent, outperforming most gold peers after Canaccord upgraded the shares to buy from hold (PTC $6.50 vs C$6.75) citing more attractive risk-reward trade off.
* MEG Energy Corp rose 0.6 percent as Husky Energy said it has reviewed the directors’ circular filed by MEG Energy and that it remains committed to its offer as the “best available option” for MEG holders to maximize value.
* Aurora Cannabis Inc, Aphria Inc rebounded after a lackluster day Wednesday, as Canada’s recreational marijuana legalization looks to be off to a good start, and as two Canadian pot producers seek listings on the New York Stock Exchange.
                            Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $44.25 discount to WTI
* Gold gained 0.1 percent to $1,228.10 an ounce
                            FX/Bonds

* The Canadian dollar fell 0.4 percent at C$1.3071 per U.S.dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield fell 2.3 basis points to 2.496%
US

By Randall Jensen and Vildana Hajric
(Bloomberg) — A risk-off tone gripped global financial markets, with U.S. stocks sliding while Treasuries climbed with the yen on demand for havens.
American equities fell the most since last week’s rout as investors fretted over the U.S.-China trade war’s impact on economic growth, the Italian debt crisis and rising interest rates. High-flying technology shares again led the sell-off, while defensive sectors like utilities and real estate fared better. Mixed earnings, with disappointments from key industrial and tech names, added to investor anxiety.
The S&P 500 slid back toward its 200-day moving average, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed more than 300 points and the Nasdaq 100’s rout topped 2 percent.  The weakness comes after China sank overnight, bringing losses in its major benchmark to 30 percent since January highs.
The dollar touched the highest in more than a week, while the 10-year Treasury yield fell to 3.17 percent. Italy’s yield spread over Germany’s hit the highest level since 2013 as European Union officials questioned the country’s budget plan.
“Like every other spurt of volatility, it’s hard to give an exact reason, but we have all the usual culprits: concern about global trade, earnings season and companies potentially staring down the barrel of another tariff maybe over the winter,” said Kevin Caron, a senior portfolio manager at Washington Crossing Advisors. “It’s a hodgepodge. You have all these things that come together at the same time.”
Earnings remain in focus though the depth of the sell-off overshadowed most major reports. Weak results from Germany’s SAP and Taiwan Semiconductor dragged American tech indexes lower.
Earnings misses from several U.S. industrial firms and a Bank of America downgrade of the housing sector fueled worries that higher interest rates and the trade war are hitting profits.
Philip Morris surged on strong demand, buoying consumer shares.
Here are some key events for the rest of this week:

* Third-quarter GDP for China comes Friday in addition to last month’s retail sales and factory output.
These are the main moves in markets:
                            Stocks
* The S&P 500 Index declined 1.4 percent as of 4 p.m. New York time, the most since Oct. 11.
* The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.1 percent, while the Nasdaq 100 dropped 2.2 percent, both the most since Oct. 10.
* The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 324 points to 25,382.50.
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell. 0.5 percent.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index sank 1.4 percent.
* The MSCI Asia Pacific Index declined 0.7 percent.
                            Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose 0.4 percent, hitting the highest since Oct. 9.
* The euro fell 0.4 percent to $1.1456.
* The British pound fell 0.7 percent to $1.3020.
* The Japanese yen increased 0.4 percent to 112.17 per dollar.
                            Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries fell three basis points to 3.17 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield fell five basis points to 0.42 percent.
* Britain’s 10-year yield fell four basis points to 1.54 percent.
                            Commodities
* West Texas Intermediate crude decreased 1.5 percent to $68.71 a barrel.
* Gold rose 0.1 percent to $1,228.00 an ounce.
–With assistance from Yakob Peterseil.

Have a great night.

Be magnificent!

As ever,

Carolann

 

The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself.
                                                              -Rita Mae Brown, b. 1944

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7 

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 17, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:

1989- San Francisco earthquake.

1915- Arthur Miller, writer, b.

On Oct. 17, 1931, mobster Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion and sentenced to 11 years in prison. He was released in 1939. Go to article »

“The poet and warrior,” Pauli Murray once wrote, “grapple in my brain.”  -from The New York Times, October 17, 2018

The warrior side of that equation is largely responsible for the recent surge of interest in Murray (1910-85), an African-American civil rights activist and lawyer who fought for racial justice and women’s equality. 

lady.jpg
Pauli Murray in 1974. Barton Silverman/The New York Times 

But Murray was also a poet, and today is Black Poetry Day in the U.S. 

She also came to think of herself as a man, a story that resonates for many today. Two biographies of Murray have been published since 2016. 

Orphaned young and raised by an aunt in Durham, N.C., Murray grew up reading Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first famous African-American poets. Later, as a student at Hunter College in New York, she befriended Langston HughesCountee Cullen and other key figures of the Harlem Renaissance. 

Her own poems, collected in the 1970 volume “Dark Testament” (recently reissued, with an introduction by the poet Elizabeth Alexander), grapple with her family’s and her nation’s complicated legacy of oppression. They also unabashedly imagine a country that lives up to its ideals. 

“I sing of a new American / Separate from all others,” she writes in “Prophecy.” 

It concludes: “I seek only discovery / Of the illimitable heights and depths of my own being.” 

Gregory Cowles wrote today’s Back Story.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

The golden couple by Marsel van Oosten, The Netherlands, which is the 2018 winner of Animal Portraits, part of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Credit: Marsel Van Oosten/PA


Photocall at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea to announce the ‘There But Not There’ campaign to commemorate 100 years since the end of WW1. Credit: Paul Grover for The Telegraph

Pepper the robot, appearing before a select committee for the first time, to answer questions about the fourth industrial revolution. Credit: PA Wire
Market Closes for October 17th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25706.68 -91.74

 

-0.36%

S&P 500 2809.20 -0.72

 

-0.03%

NASDAQ 7642.703 -2.786

 

-0.04%

TSX 15528.74 -51.00

 

-0.33%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22841.12 +291.88
+1.29%
HANG

SENG

25462.26 +17.20
+0.07%
SENSEX 34779.58 -382.90
-1.09%
FTSE 100* 7054.60 -4.80
-0.07%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.517 2.501
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.534 2.520
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1993 3.1614
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3660 3.3330

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76804 0.77287
US

$

1.30202 1.29388
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.49752 0.66777
US

$

1.15008 0.86950

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1230.70 1229.95
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 69.75 71.92

Market Commentary:
One of the great defenses – if you’re worried about inflation – is not to have a lot of silly needs in your life – if you don’t need a lot of material goods. –The TAO of Charlie Munger
Canada
By Carolina Wilson

     (Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks declined alongside their U.S. peers even as Canada became the second nation in the world to legalize recreational pot. Cannabis shares added pressure to the health-care sector, which was the largest decliner. The  sell-off for marijuana growers came after about two months of solid gains.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 0.3 percent with technology and energy companies also lagging versus the benchmark. Financial and communication services shares were the strongest groups. Canada manufacturing sales saw a smaller-than-expected monthly drop in August, according to new data. The loonie was weaker against a strong U.S. dollar.
                            Stocks
* Canopy Growth Corp. and Aurora Cannabis Inc. fell after Canada’s legalization of adult use went live. The pot industry “is real, it is here to stay and we believe there is money to be made,” Scotiabank analysts wrote
* Canfor Corp. fell 7.8 percent after CIBC analysts said lumber prices are falling and may be nearing a floor. Norbord Inc. and Interfor Corp. also declined 
* Ensign Energy Services Inc. fell almost 4 percent, continuing its decline after being downgraded at both Scotiabank and Evercore ISI on Tuesday.
                            Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $47.50 discount to WTI
* Gold fell 0.4 percent to $1,225.70 an ounce
                            FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar fell 0.7 percent at C$1.30191 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield rose to 2.514%
US
By Randall Jensen and Vildana Hajric

     (Bloomberg) — Most U.S. stocks fell as a mixed bag of earnings and concerns over rising rates weighed on investor confidence. Treasuries declined and the dollar gained as Fed minutes appeared to lean toward the chance of more hikes in the future.
     The S&P 500 edged lower, failing to add to the biggest rally since March. Gains by banking giants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley couldn’t counter concerns about China that hit Technology stocks, as well as worries about the Fed’s path that seeped into rates-sensitive shares. IBM’s disappointing results dragged on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, while Netflix’s surge and a gain in biotech shares lifted the Nasdaq 100.
     The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 3.19 percent after minutes showed Fed officials appeared to favor an eventual move in rates above the level they see as neutral for the economy. The dollar rose the most in two weeks before a report expected Wednesday by the U.S. that could label China a currency manipulator. Oil fell to $70 a barrel after American stockpiles swelled for the fourth straight week.  “Yesterday, it was such a big rally it was almost a little too much. There are some legit reasons out there why the market has come down,” said Matt Maley, equity strategist at Miller Tabak + Co. “Obviously the higher interest rates, it also looks like this thing with China is getting prolonged. These things are still out there.”
     The risk-off tone across markets highlights the fragility of investor confidence just days after the worst week U.S. stocks since March. The uneven batch of earnings reports rekindled concern that corporate profit growth may have peaked. At the same time, the Trump administration is pressing its trade war with China, Brexit negotiations remain testy and Italian debt worries loom.
     Elsewhere, the Turkish lira gained as the country took advantage of a lull in political turmoil to return to the dollar bond market. Earlier in Asia the mood was more upbeat, with Japanese, South Korean and Australian shares all posting strong gains.  Hong Kong markets were shut for a holiday.
Here are some key events coming up this week:
* Third-quarter GDP for China comes Friday in addition to last month’s retail sales and factory output.
These are the main moves in markets:
                            Stocks
* The S&P 500 Index fell less than 0.1 percent to 2,809.21 as of 4 p.m. New York time.
* The Nasdaq 100 Index rose less than 0.1 percent. 
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index dipped 0.4 percent.
* The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 0.6 percent.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index fell 0.1 percent.
                            Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index advanced 0.5 percent, the most since Oct. 3.

* The euro declined 0.6 percent to $1.1504, the weakest in two weeks.
* The British pound declined 0.5 percent to $1.3122.
* The Japanese yen fell 0.3 percent to 112.57 per dollar.
                            Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries rose three basis points to 3.197 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield decreased three basis points to 0.46 percent, the lowest in more than two weeks.
* Britain’s 10-year yield dipped three basis points to 1.575 percent.
                            Commodities
* West Texas Intermediate crude decreased 2.6 percent to $70.04 a barrel.
* Gold fell 0.4 percent to $1,226.60 an ounce.
–With assistance from Samuel Potter.

Have a great night.

Be magnificent!

As ever,

 

Carolann

 

I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy.
                                     -Marie Curie Sklodowska, 1867-1934

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 16, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents: RIP Paul Allen
On Oct. 16, 1964, China detonated its first atomic bomb.  Go to article »
1853 ~ Start of the Crimean War

1793 ~ Marie Antoinette executed.
Looks like Marie Antoinette is about to lose the family jewels. Gems in her family for two centuries will be up for auction soon. -CNN
PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Winemaker Brian Shirley enjoys the autumn colours breaking out at his vineyard south of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, UK. Credit: Jason Bryant/APEX


Staff members (R) transferring a hot air balloon during the 2018 Outdoor Sports Conference in Xingyi in China’s southwestern Guizhou province. Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images

A street vendor selling helium balloons at the premises of Shikali Temple at Khokana Village, Patan, Nepal. Credit: Narayan Maharian/Nurphoto/SIPA USA
Market Closes for October 16th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25798.42 +547.87

 

+2.17%

S&P 500 2809.92 +59.13

 

+2.15%

NASDAQ 7645.488 +214.745

 

+2.89%

TSX 15579.74 +170.27

 

+1.10%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22549.24 +277.94
+1.25%
HANG

SENG

25462.26 +17.20
+0.07%
SENSEX 35162.48 +297.38
+0.85%
FTSE 100* 7059.40 +30.18
+0.43%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.501 2.501
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.520 2.522
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1614 3.1538
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3330 3.3347

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.77287 0.76974
US

$

1.29388 1.29914
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.49737 0.66784
US

$

1.15735 0.86404

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1229.95 1219.75
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 71.92 71.78

Market Commentary:
On this day in 1973, the Ministerial Committee of the Gulf Members of OPEC announced an immediate hike in the price of crude oil to $5.12 a barrel, “to exercise their sovereign right to determine the price of their natural resources.” Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, closed at $80.78 a barrel Monday. 

Canada
By Tatiana Darie

     (Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks regained their footing on Tuesday, posting their biggest gain since April 18, amid a rally in technology shares. U.S. equities also gained on positive corporate earnings reports.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 1.1 percent, with energy and industrials also contributing to gains. Health care was the only sector that fell in the index as pot stocks fell.
                            Stocks
* Sierra Wireless Inc. rose 2.4 percent after appointing Kent Thexton as president & CEO.
* Bombardier rose 0.8 percent after reporting that its Global 7500 aircraft delivery remains on track for 2021; the better-than-expected announcement on business jet deliveries helped strengthen its backlog, according to BMO analyst Fadi Chamoun(outperform, PT $6). 
* Corus Entertainment Inc. rose 7 percent after Canaccord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige upgraded it to buy from hold.
                            Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $47 discount to WTI
* Gold fell 0.2 percent to $1,228.50 an ounce
                            FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar gained 0.3 percent at C$1.2946 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield fell 0.5 basis points at 2.492%
US
By Randall Jensen and Vildana Hajric

     (Bloomberg) — U.S. stocks gained the most in more than six months as corporate earnings provided a respite from tensions over trade and geopolitics. The dollar declined.  The S&P 500 surged more than 2 percent, all 30 members of the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced and small caps in the Russell 2000 Index notched the best gain since the day after the 2016 election. The Nasdaq Composite saw its biggest gain since March as UnitedHealth Group bolstered health-care firms and Adobe’s forecast lifted software makers. Technology stocks looked set to extend gains in the futures session as Netflix rallied on a surge in net subscribers. IBM fell in late trading as its revenue missed targets.
     The dollar held near a two-week low and the 10-year Treasury yield traded around 3.15 percent as data showed U.S. factory production expanded in September. Oil edged higher amid tensions between the Saudi Arabia and the U.S. over the disappearance of a prominent journalist. “The third quarter, which is now underway, would be the first sign if you’re looking for a smoking gun for either tariffs or tightening conditions,” Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro at Fidelity Investments, said by phone. “People at this point want to be relieved or are feeling that things aren’t as bad as last week suggested.”
     Better results at the start of earnings season are giving many investors breathing room from concerns that a slowdown could be on the horizon. Netflix Inc. becomes the first large technology company to report after today’s close, while minutes from the latest Fed meeting should offer more clues a day later.
     In the background, traders are still grappling with continuing U.S.-China trade war rhetoric and geopolitical strains. Elsewhere, the pound climbed as leaders struck a conciliatory tone a day after Brexit negotiations broke down.  The Turkish lira rose following seven days of gains after the country released U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson on Friday.
     In Asia, Japan’s equities outperformed, while Chinese shares retreated.
Here are some key events coming up this week:
* APEC finance ministers meet in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
* China’s new yuan loans may have risen to 1.36 trillion yuan ($196 billion) in September from August’s 1.28 trillion yuan as officials sought to buoy economic growth. 
* Third-quarter GDP for China comes Friday, with headline growth forecast to slow to 6.6 percent year on year from 6.7 percent, in addition to last month’s retail sales and factory output.
* Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting are due on Wednesday, with investors focused on projections for further interest rate rises.
* Netflix is among companies reporting this week.
* Euro-area governments, including Italy, must turn in fiscal budget proposals to the European Commission by midnight Monday.
     These are the main moves in markets:
                            Stocks
* The S&P 500 Index rose 2.2 percent to 2,809.83 as of 4 p.m. New York time, the most since March 26.
* The Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 2.6 percent, the biggest rise since March 26. 
* The Russell 2000 Index gained 2.4 percent, the most since November 9, 2016.
* The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.9 percent, the most since March 26. 
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained 1.6 percent, the most since April 5. 
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index gained 1.2 percent.
                            Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index dipped 0.1 percent.
* The euro rose 0.1 percent to $1.1585.
* The British pound gained 0.3 percent to $1.3189.
* The Japanese yen dipped 0.4 percent to 112.18 per dollar.
                            Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries was steady at 3.15 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield dipped one basis points to 0.49 percent, the lowest in almost two weeks.
* Britain’s 10-year yield advanced one basis point to 1.624 percent.
                            Commodities
* West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.2 percent at $71.91 a barrel.
* Gold fell 0.2 percent to $1,228.20 an ounce.
–With assistance from John Ainger, Sarah Ponczek and Yakob Peterseil.

Have a great night.

Be magnificent!

As ever,

 

Carolann

 

Art is never finished, only abandoned.
           -Claude Monet, 1840-1926

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 15, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:
On this day in…
1986 – John Polanyi joint winner of Nobel Prize for Chemistry for development of chemical laser. 

1989 – Wayne Gretzky passes Gordie Howe as NHL scoring leader; 1,851 career points.
1917 – Mata Hari executed.
1908 – John Kenneth Galbraith, b.
1844 – Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher, b.
1881 – P.G. Wodehouse, writer, b.
70 BC – Virgil, epic poet, b.
1959 –  Duchess Sarah Ferguson, b.
PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Sailboats gather at the start of the Barcolana regatta at Trieste harbour, Italy. Credit: Reuters/Alessandro Garofalo


The Alexander Pushkin Boldino State Literature Memorial and Nature Museum Reserve in Nizhny Novgorod Region. Credit: Stanislav Krasilnikov/Tass/Barcroft Images

The centrepiece of the Pickering events calendar is the ever-popular Wartime Weekend, which is held every October, and includes a full programme of WWII and 1940s themed entertainment and events. The event is run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway but is now so popular events have sprung up all over the town. Attractions including singing, dancing, workshops, parades and fashion shows, in addition to living history showcases, period vehicle exhibitions and re-enactments. Incredibly popular with visitors from all over the UK and beyond. Credit: Charlotte Graham CAG Photography
Market Closes for October 15th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25250.55 -89.44

 

-0.35%

S&P 500 2750.79 -16.34

 

-0.59%

NASDAQ 7430.742 -66.152

 

-0.88%

TSX 15409.47 -4.82

 

-0.03%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22271.30 -423.36
-1.87%
HANG

SENG

25445.06 -356.43
-1.38%
SENSEX 34865.10 +131.52
+0.38%
FTSE 100* 7029.22 +33.31
+0.48%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.501 2.496
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.522 2.510
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1538 3.1651
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3347 3.3373

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76974 0.76795
US

$

1.29914 1.30217
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.50450 0.66463
US

$

1.15820 0.86341

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1219.75 1205.55
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 71.78 71.34

Market Commentary:
The Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stones, and the oil age will end long before the world runs out of oil. -Sheik Ahmed Zaki Yamani(Saudi oil minister 1962-1986, b. 1930)

Canada
By Tatiana Darie

     (Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks ended the session little changed, after erasing earlier gains fueled by a rally in pot shares. U.S. equities also fell as investors weighed a growing list of global concerns against a backdrop of strong economic growth. The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 0.03 percent, with tech shares leading to the downside. Pot stocks lifted health care to its highest since April 2016, two days ahead of the legalization of recreational marijuana on Oct. 17.
                            Stocks
* Canopy Growth Corp rose 14 percent after it bet on potential growth in the U.S. hemp industry with a deal to buy Colorado-based Ebbu Inc. for about C$430 million ($330 million) in cash and shares.
* SNC-Lavalin Group Inc rose 5.9 percent, paring last week’s slump. After the “unexpected announcement” that the Canadian government is unwilling to negotiate a remediation agreement, BMO wrote that a breakup might be “a way to bring value to a battered shareholder base.”
* Green Organic Dutchman Ltd fell 3.7 percent after ending a milestone option pact with Aurora Cannabis that would have let it take a bigger stake in the company.
                            Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $46 discount to WTI
* Gold gained 0.7 percent to $1,230.30 an ounce
                            FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar gained 0.3 percent at C$1.29887 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield was little changed at 2.497%
US
By Randall Jensen and Vildana Hajric

     (Bloomberg) — Technology companies pulled stock indexes lower, while the dollar dropped as investors eyed a growing list of global concerns. Treasuries rose. The tech-heavy Nasdaq indexes led losses Monday, while small caps gained after President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened more tariffs on Chinese goods. The S&P 500 deepened declines following its biggest weekly retreat since March, holding near the key 200-day moving average. Bank of America Corp. dropped after posting quarterly results, while Harris Corp. and L3 Technologies Inc. surged on the announcement of a merger.
     The dollar touched a two-week low against peers, while the 10-year Treasury yield traded around 3.15 percent after U.S. retail sales in September fell short of analysts’ estimates. West Texas crude advanced amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. over the disappearance of a prominent journalist. Gold headed toward its fourth gain in five days.
     “The overall trade tensions and geopolitical tensions with China leads to more worries about global growth and about general growth in the marketplace. That certainly impacts tech,” Chris Gaffney, president of world markets at TIAA Bank, said in an interview. “We’re not seeing a follow-through on the big recovery we saw on Friday. Instead, we’re seeing investors stay on the sidelines today. They’re trying to figure out if this is the start of a longer-term correction or just a healthy move lower setting up for a longer recovery.”
     While global tensions were on full display this weekend, with the IMF warning of more market volatility and U.S.-China trade war rhetoric increasing, investors are also trying to gauge the direction of the American economy and earnings from last quarter that are starting to roll in. Anything hinting of a slowdown or stronger growth that could impact the pace of Federal Reserve rate hikes will push markets around.
     Elsewhere, European equities rose while Asia stocks fell.  In Frankfurt, stock trading resumed after the opening was delayed by a technical glitch. Italian bonds pared earlier gains as the nation prepared to meet Monday’s midnight deadline for euro-area governments to turn in fiscal budgets.
     Here are some key events coming up this week:
* APEC finance ministers meet in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
* China’s new yuan loans may have risen to 1.36 trillion yuan ($196 billion) in September from August’s 1.28 trillion yuan as officials sought to buoy economic growth. On Tuesday, consensus is for CPI to pick up to 2.5 percent growth and PPI to slow to 3.6 percent.
* Third-quarter GDP for China comes Friday, with headline growth forecast to slow to 6.6 percent year on year from 6.7 percent, in addition to last month’s retail sales and factory output.
* Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting are due on Wednesday, with investors focused on projections for further interest rate rises.
* Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Netflix are among companies reporting this week.
* Euro-area governments, including Italy, must turn in fiscal budget proposals to the European Commission by midnight Monday.
     These are the main moves in markets:
                            Stocks
* The S&P 500 Index fell 0.6 percent to 2,750.79 as of 4 p.m. New York time. 
* The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.9 percent, while the Nasdaq 100 slid 1.2 percent. 
* The Russell 2000 Index rose 0.4 percent. 
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained 0.1 percent.
* The MSCI All-Country World Index dipped 0.2 percent.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index declined 0.7 percent.
                            Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.2 percent.
* The euro climbed 0.2 percent to $1.1581.
* The Japanese yen gained 0.3 percent to 111.82 per dollar, the strongest in four weeks.
* The MSCI Emerging Markets Currency Index advanced 0.2 percent.
                            Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries decreased less than one basis point to 3.15 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield fell less than one basis point to 0.50 percent, the lowest in more than a week.
* Britain’s 10-year yield dipped three basis points to 1.606 percent.
                            Commodities
* The Bloomberg Commodity Index gained 1 percent.
* West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.4 percent at $71.63 a barrel.
* Gold gained 0.7 percent to $1,230.80 an ounce, the highest since Aug. 1. 
–With assistance from Eddie van der Walt.

Have a great night. 

Be magnificent!

As ever,

Carolann

Every man is the builder of a temple called his body.
                     -Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 12, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents: 
HAPPY FRIDAY!

1970 – FLQ October Crisis – Canadian Army troops from Camp Petawawa deploy in Ottawa to meet FLQ terrorist threats.

Luciano Pavarotti, b. 1935.
1999~ World population reaches 6 billion people.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Bunting flutters in the wind in front of Windsor Castle, ready for the royal wedding of Britain’s Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, in Windsor, UK. CREDIT: THE TELEGRAPH

Social humanoid robot Sophia, a latest creation by Hanson Robotics company, attends a news conference after a meeting with young inventors and officials in Kiev, Ukraine. CREDIT: REUTERS/VALENTYN OGIRENKO
Market Closes for October 12th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25339.99 +287.16

 

 

+1.15%

S&P 500 2767.13 +38.76

 

+1.42%

NASDAQ 7496.895 +167.834

 

+2.29%

TSX 15414.29 +97.15

 +0.63%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22694.66 +103.80
+0.46%
HANG

SENG

25801.49 +535.12
+2.12%
SENSEX 34733.58 +732.43
+2.15%
FTSE 100* 6995.91 -11.02
-0.16%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.496 2.501
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.510 2.509
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1651 3.1498
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3373 3.3233

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76795 0.76765
US

$

1.30217 1.30267
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.50526 0.66434
US

$

1.15590 0.86512

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1205.55 1188.60
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 71.34 70.97

Market Commentary:
Canada
By Tatiana Darie

(Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks rebounded with their U.S. peers, but still closed more than three percent lower for the week, its worst weekly performance since February. Technology shares that led the longest rout in U.S. equities in almost two years bounced back Friday to power major indexes higher.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 0.6 percent, the most since Sept. 18, with health care, tech and consumer discretionary leading gains. Gold and silver miners dragged materials shares lower.
                                                   Stocks
* Detour Gold Corp fell 2.4 percent after Paulson & Co. said it made two settlement alternatives to Detour Gold this morning and has not received a response other than via the media; Paulson also said Detour had failed to engage in good-faith discussions by making the talks public.
* Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd rose 1.9 percent after Stifel analyst Michael Baudendistel upgraded to buy from hold, saying the company has room for growth given strategic plans to expand capacity in key locations near terminals, invest in high-capacity grain cars and improve intermodal operations.
* Sunniva Inc rose 0.4 percent after reporting it has retained Canaccord to commence a formal process to review all strategic alternatives potentially including a sale, investment in or joint venture of some or all of its Canadian assets with the intention to spin out the assets.
                                                   Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $48.50 discount to WTI
* Gold fell 0.5 percent to $1,221.30 an ounce
                                                   FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar little changed at C$1.3035 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield fell 1.3 basis points to 2.483%
US
By Vildana Hajric and Sarah Ponczek

(Bloomberg) — Stocks rose the most in six months Friday as technology shares, which led the longest rout in U.S. stocks in almost two years, bounced back to power major indexes higher.
     Treasuries fell, and the dollar rose with oil.
     The S&P 500 Index gained 1.4 percent in the final hour of a wild up-and-down session, with trading 30 percent above average, to post its best performance since April 10. The benchmark had all but erased a morning rally that reached 1.7 percent, only to bounce higher after JPMorgan analysts said that selling forced by computer-driven strategies had likely run its course.
     Volatility ruled, though, with the index making another run at wiping out the gain before resuming its climb.
     Technology buoyed all the major averages, with the Nasdaq 100 Index rising 2.8 percent just two days after its worst rout since 2011. Netflix Inc. rallied 6 percent amid an “opportunistic upgrade” from analysts at Citigroup Inc.
     Activision Blizzard Inc. drove gains in gaming shares after releasing a new version of “Call of Duty.” The 10-year Treasury yield for the first time in three days, reaching 3.16 percent.  Still, rising interest rates weighed on banks even after mostly positive earnings reports from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. The group was down almost 5.5 percent for the week.
     The reasons for Friday’s rally were as varied as for the weeklong pounding. Trade data from China helped ease concerns about global growth, while signs emerged of relaxing tensions with the U.S. amid a planned meeting between the countries in November and the Treasury Department’s determination that China isn’t manipulating its currency. Relief that bank earnings weren’t bad cooled anxiety that corporate profits might not live up to lofty expectations amid higher costs from the Trump tariffs.  “Solid bank earnings, Chinese trade data and excessively oversold conditions is charging the equity rebound,” Ben Emons, chief economist at Intellectus Partners LLC, wrote in an emailed note. “All of these set in motion what you could dub as a ‘stock reflation’ trade after several days of brutal moves.”
     The rally, which came after two days of market tumult, was global, with the MSCI All-Country World Index adding more than 1 percent. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index climbed from the lowest level since May 2017. European shares, however, slid into the close, with the Stoxx 600 Index turning negative to erase a gain that had reached almost 1 percent and cap its worst week since February.
     Emerging-market stocks headed for the biggest gain in more than two years as risk appetite improved, and most developing-nation currencies advanced against the dollar. Turkey’s lira retreated from earlier gains after it was reported that a Turkish court set free U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson after two years in jail, removing a source of tension between the countries.
     Despite the strong one-day performance, the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average all had their worst week since March. With investors debating whether this correction has created immediate buying opportunities, earnings remain key as third-quarter reports from U.S. companies will show whether the Trump Administration’s tax breaks are still boosting corporate profits.
     “We expect further volatility and possible additional down moves,” though “the bear checklist is not yet flashing red,” Pascal Blanque, chief investment officer at Amundi SA, said in a client note. “The focus will be on the U.S. earnings season, so any news will be carefully assessed by the market.”
     West Texas crude recovered but remained on track for the biggest weekly drop since May. The International Energy Agency cut forecasts for demand this year, but said dwindling supply will keep prices high. Gold slipped, but copper led a gauge of industrial metals higher.
These are the main moves in markets:
                                                   Stocks
* The S&P 500 rose 1.4 percent to 2,767.13, while the Nasdaq 100 jumped 2.8 percent.
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.3 percent, retreating from an increase of 1 percent. 
* The MSCI All-Country World Index gained 1.1 percent. 
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index surged 2.6 percent, the first advance in more than a week and the largest jump since March 2016.
                                                 Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index climbed 0.1 percent. 
* The euro declined 0.3 percent to $1.1558. 
* The British pound fell 0.6 percent to $1.3155
* The Japanese yen was little changed at 112.21 per dollar.
                                                 Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries rose one basis point to 3.16 percent. 
* Germany’s 10-year yield slid two basis point to 0.497 percent.
* Britain’s 10-year yield fell four basis points to 1.633 percent. 
                                                Commodities
* The Bloomberg Commodities Index rose 0.4 percent after two days of losses.
* West Texas Intermediate crude added 0.8 percent to $71.56 a barrel. 
* Gold declined 0.5 percent to $1,218.05 an ounce.

–With assistance from Cecile Vannucci, Robert Brand and Blaise Robinson.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Be magnificent!

As ever,

Carolann

I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.
                                   -Walt Whitman, 1819-1892

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 11, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:
On Oct. 11, 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, was launched with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Fulton Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham aboard.
Go to article »

~1975: Saturday Night premieres.

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Children play in a water installation titled “Circular Appearing Rooms” by artist Jeppe Hein in Bonn, western Germany, where temperatures reached 21 degrees Celsius. CREDIT: FREDERICO GAMBARINI/AFP

Balloons take off from Balloon Fiesta park during the 2018 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is one of the largest hot air balloon festivals drawing more than 500 balloons from all over the world. CREDIT: MADDIE MEYER/GETTY
Market Closes for October 11th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25052.83 -545.91

 

 

-2.13%

S&P 500 2728.37 -57.31

 

-2.06%

NASDAQ 7329.061 -92.989

 

-1.25%

TSX 15317.13 -200.27

 -1.29%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 22590.86 -915.18
-3.89%
HANG

SENG

25266.37 -926.70
-3.54%
SENSEX 34001.15 -759.74
-2.19%
FTSE 100* 7006.93 -138.81
-1.94%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.501 2.536
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.509 2.532
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1498 3.1629
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3233 3.3476

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76765 0.76764
US

$

1.30267 1.30501
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.50990 0.66229
US

$

1.15908 0.86276

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1188.60 1185.55
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 70.97 73.17

Market Commentary:
Canada
By Tatiana Darie

(Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks extended losses for a fifth session as the U.S. stock market rout deepened and a measure of volatility rose to its highest level since February. A rally in miners offset weakness elsewhere as gold posted its biggest gain in more than two years.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 1.3 percent, led by losses in energy, health care and financials. Gold miners rebounded from the lowest levels in more than two years as demand for the precious metal as a safe-haven asset increases.
                                                Stocks
* Aurora Cannabis Inc. led losses among cannabis producers; Canadians who travel to the U.S. for reasons related to the marijuana industry “may be deemed inadmissible” at the border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
* Celestica Inc rose 7.6 percent as analysts cheered the news that it was acquiring Impakt Holdings for $329 million; Macquarie Research analyst Gus Papageorgiou upgraded shares to outperform from neutral
* Capstone Mining Corp fell 8.5 percent after National Bank Financial analyst Shane Nagle downgraded the stock to sector perform from outperform
                                              Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $50.00 discount to WTI
* Gold gained 2.9 percent to $1,227.60 an ounce FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar gained 0.3 percent C$1.3029 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield fell 3.6 basis points to 2.496%
US
By Sarah Ponczek and Vildana Hajric

(Bloomberg) — U.S. stocks tumbled a second day, with major averages notching wild swings in heavy volume. Treasuries surged after a strong 30-year auction, the dollar fell with oil, and gold, that traditional safe haven, posted its biggest gain in more than two years.
     The S&P 500 Index fell more than 2 percent for a second straight day and is now in its longest slide since 2016. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 500 points in volatile trading that saw the benchmark gain and lose 300 points in the last 45 minutes of the session. Tech shares, which bore the brunt of the selling Wednesday, fared relatively better Thursday, although the Nasdaq 100 Index’s losses from an August record reached 9 percent.
     “All of a sudden, you got that severe downturn because the results of the 30-year note auction were better than expected and people said ‘We’re going to shift now,’” said Donald Selkin, chief market strategist at Newbridge Securities. “It was asset allocation, it was a plunge. That’s unusual. That’s not a normal rate of decline. That’s an accelerated rate of decline. It was an algorithm on the asset allocation because it took place after the bond auction which was better than expected.”
     The S&P 500 is at a three-month low after a six-day slide of 6.7 percent that’s the longest slump of Donald Trump’s presidency. Energy shares bore the brunt of selling after oil plunged by more than 3 percent. Financial firms also contributed heavily to the losses, with banks and insurers down at least 2.7 percent. The Nasdaq 100 surrendered an early rally in tech stocks and added to its 4.4 percent decline from Wednesday.
     Trading was heavy with volume surging roughly 60 percent above average over the past 30 days.  “This is just a normal run-of-the-mill correction that happens to be concentrated in some of the more expensive and most notable names in technology,” said Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group. “But I think it’s been precipitated by the uncertainty about global growth and whether or not Fed policy is going too far too fast.”
     In addition to energy and financials, biotech weighed on the market, while media companies were the relative best performers. The Cboe Volatility Index rose to its highest level since February.
     “Volatility is back and it may require more active strategies on the part of investors to pursue their long-term goals,” John Lynch, chief investment strategist for LPL Financial, wrote in a note to clients Thursday. “Volatility is also not to be feared, but embraced, as varying data points will cause bouts of market anxiety. But remember that fundamentals are still strong.”
     Earlier, Asian and European equities plunged as the market rout extended around the world. China’s Shanghai Composite gauge closed down more than 5 percent and Taiwan’s technology-heavy benchmark plummeted more than 6 percent. Europe’s main equity index fell to the lowest since December 2016. The euro and the pound both advanced.

     Investors seeking to pinpoint the cause of the equities rout have no shortage of culprits to choose from. U.S companies are increasingly fretting the impact of the burgeoning trade war, while the same issue prompted the International Monetary Fund to dial down global growth expectations. And in the tech sector, which was a key driver of the rally that pushed American equities to a record just a month ago, expensive-looking companies have been roiled by a hacking scandal.  Against this backdrop, the Federal Reserve has been trimming its balance sheet and raising interest rates, provoking Trump’s ire and helping to force a repricing of riskier assets.

     Elsewhere, West Texas Intermediate crude tumbled below $71 a barrel amid a broad decline in commodities as OPEC cut estimates for demand. Precious metals gained with gold. A Bloomberg index of cryptocurrencies dropped 10 percent.
Here are some key events coming up:
* The U.S. Treasury is in the midst of $230 billion worth of debt auctions this week.
* The IMF and World Bank will hold meetings in Bali beginning Friday, where finance chiefs from around the world will gather.
* JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. kick off earnings season for U.S. banks on Friday.

These are the main moves in markets:
Stocks
* The S&P 500 fell 2.1 percent to 2,728.37.
* The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 2.1 percent, while the Nasdaq 100 slid 1.1 percent.
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index sank 2 percent to the lowest since December 2016.
* The MSCI Asia Pacific Index plunged 3.4 percent to the lowest since May 2017.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index dropped 3.2 percent to the lowest since April 2017 on the biggest decline in more than two years.
Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.5 percent.
* The euro increased 0.7 percent to $1.1596.
* The British pound added 0.3 percent to $1.3236.
* The Japanese yen rose 0.1 percent to 112.14 per dollar.
Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined two basis points to 3.146 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield decreased three basis points to 0.517 percent.
* Britain’s 10-year yield dipped five basis points to 1.674 percent.
Commodities
* The Bloomberg Commodity Index declined 0.5 percent.
* West Texas Intermediate crude sank 3.2 percent to $70.87 a barrel.
* Gold rose 2.4 percent to $1,223.53 an ounce, its biggest gain since June 2016.
–With assistance from Carolyn Wright, David Ingles, Andreea Papuc, Adam Haigh and Samuel Potter.

Have a great night.

Be magnificent!
As ever,

Carolann

Courage is grace under pressure.
-Ernest Hemingway, 1899-1961

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 10, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:
On Oct. 10, 1973, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew pleaded no contest to one count of federal income tax evasion and resigned his office. Go to article »

From The NY Times, October 10, 2018:
Print isn’t dead.

In fact, it’s throwing one of its biggest annual parties this week. 

The Frankfurt Book Fair can trace its origins back some 800 years. CREDIT: Boris Roessler/EPA, via Shutterstock

The Frankfurt Book Fair
 kicks off today, bringing hundreds of thousands of people in publishing and related fields together for days of wheeling, dealing, seeing and being seen

The tradition dates back some 800 years — long before Johannes Gutenberg turned out Europe’s first printed page in 1454
Frankfurt was a flourishing medieval commercial center. In 1240, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II decreed that no one should harass travelers to its autumn fair, where wine, gold, horses and more were bought and sold.
Handwritten manuscripts began selling there, a forerunner to the book trade. Frankfurt held its earliest recorded book fair in 1462
Then, as now, it was a place where people mingled and ideas flowed.
Henri II Estienne, a Frenchman, praised the fair in 1574 for bringing together so many scholars. 
The effect, he said, was a modern-day Athens: “In reality, it should be happening in that city where once bloomed the most celebrated intellectual life in all of Greece.”
The Frankfurt Book Fair’s guest of honor this year is the nation of Georgia, and 90 new translations of Georgian books are planned to mark that occasion.  
Nancy Wartik wrote today’s Back Story.
PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Chunks of ice are seen on the black sand beach known as Diamond Beach, where the Jokulsarlon glaciar lagoon meets the sea, along Route 1 between Hofn and Skaftafell in southeastern Iceland. Credit: Mariana Suarez/AFP/GETTY IMAGES


Cormorant master, Masahiko Sugiyama, uses sea cormorants to catch sweetfish in Giftu, Japan. In this traditional fishing art ‘ukai,’ a cormorant master called ‘usho’ manages cormorants to capture ayo or sweetfish. The ushos of River Nagara have been the official staff of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan since 1890. Currently six imperial fishermen of Nagara River conduct special fishing to contribute to the Imperial family eight times a year, on top of daily fishing from mid-May to mid-October. Credit: Carl Gourt/GETTY IMAGES

A stag bellows at first light in Bushy Park, south west London. Parts of the UK will experience unseasonably high autumnal temperatures over the next few days. Credit: Peter MacDiarmid/LNP
Market Closes for October 10th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

25598.74 -831.83

 

 

-3.15%

S&P 500 2785.68 -94.66

 

-3.29%

NASDAQ 7422.051 -315.965

 

-4.08%

TSX 15517.40 -336.64

 -2.12%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 23506.04 +36.65
+0.16%
HANG

SENG

26193.07 +20.16
+0.08%
SENSEX 34760.89 +461.42
+1.35%
FTSE 100* 7145.74 -91.85
-1.27%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.536 2.507
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.532 2.484
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.1629 3.0836
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3476 3.2343

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.76628 0.78051
US

$

1.30501 1.28125
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.50430 0.66476
US

$

1.15273 0.86750

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1185.55 1187.25
 
Oil
WTI Crude Future 73.17 75.30

Market Commentary:

  • Analysts expect companies in the S&P 500 to increase third-quarter earnings by 19% from a year earlier, one of the fastest rates of growth during the 9 ½-year bull market, according to FactSet.

Canada
By Tatiana Darie

(Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks fell amid a global selloff fueled by fresh concerns about the impact of the trade war with China. U.S. peers tumbled, with the S&P 500 seeing its worst rout since February.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 2.1 percent to the lowest since April, with industrials, tech and energy leading losses.
     Reports about potentials deals in the cannabis industry offset weakness in health care.
     The loonie resumed losses against the dollar, trading at the lowest level in nearly two weeks.
                                                  Stocks
* Aphria Inc jumped 15 percent on reports that Altria Group was in talks to buy an equity stake in the company
* Canadian National Railway Co, Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd joined a selloff in the transportation sector; Cowen cautioned that tariff fears and concerns that the peak of the cycle has passed “could present near-term pressure on transport shares”
* Bombardier Inc fell 6.2 percent amid the merger between two of its suppliers, Esterline Technologies and TransDigm; the deal “will make it harder for [BBD/B] to push supplier costs lower,” according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst George Ferguson.
                                                 Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $47.00 discount to WTI
* Gold gained 0.5 percent to $1,197.00 an ounce
                                                  FX/Bonds
* The Canadian dollar fell 0.7 percent to C$1.30361 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield fell 1.6 basis points to 2.550%
US
By Jeremy Herron and Sarah Ponczek

(Bloomberg) — U.S. stocks tumbled the most since February as fresh concern about the impact of the trade war with China roiled technology and industrial shares. Treasuries rose with the yen amid demand for haven assets.
     The broad selloff took the S&P 500 to the lowest in three months, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged as much as 836 points and the Nasdaq 100 Index tumbled more than 4 percent for its worst day in seven years. All 30 members of the blue-chip index retreated, with Boeing and Caterpillar dropping at least 3.8 percent. Computer companies led the S&P 500 to a fifth straight loss, the longest slide since Donald Trump’s election win.
     Fastenal Co. added to angst that the trade war with China is raising materials costs that will crimp profit margins. Estee Lauder and Tiffany led losses after French luxury goods maker LVMH confirmed China is enforcing customs rules more strictly as trade tensions remain high.
     The Cboe Volatility Index rose past 20 for the first time since April. Oil fell from $75 a barrel even as a major hurricane headed for the Florida Panhandle.  “The biggest thing going on in markets is you’re seeing an unwind,” Sameer Samana, a global quantitative and technical strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said by phone.
     “You had stocks doing really well, rates for the most part were very well-behaved. When you’ve got these risk-off moments, especially when you’re later in the cycle, there is some concern on the part of investors where it’s like, ‘Is this the beginning of the end?”’
     Just days before the start of the third-quarter earnings season, signs are mounting that companies might not be able to deliver the runaway growth that’s bolstered equities so far in 2018. Investors have long fretted that the trade war would crimp profits, and now a group of companies is warning just that is happening at the same time that rising bond yields makes the cost of borrowing higher.  Valuations look more appealing, but the backdrop to trading is still dominated by deepening U.S.-China tensions and a surge in volatility for stock and bond markets.
     In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index dropped as declines for industries including miners and automakers outweighed gains in telecom companies and banks. Shares in Japan rose after four days of losses while those in China edged up, and South Korean equities slumped as trading resumed after a holiday.
     Elsewhere, Italian bonds erased a slump as the deputy premier predicted yields on the debt won’t blow out too far because of the government’s budget plans. The South African rand slipped following Tuesday’s rally. American crude traded near $75 a barrel as Hurricane Michael curtailed offshore oil production and the IEA issued a warning to the global market.
Here are some key events coming up:
* The U.S. Treasury has $230 billion worth of debt auctions this week.
* The IMF and World Bank will hold meetings in Bali from Friday,  where finance chiefs from around the world will gather.
* A closely watched gauge of U.S. consumer prices probably remained elevated in September and rose 2.3 percent from a year earlier, according to forecasts ahead of Thursday’s release.
* JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. kick off earnings season for U.S. banks on Friday.

These are the main moves in markets:
                                                  Stocks
* The S&P 500 Index declined 3.3 percent as of 4 p.m. New York time. The five-day slump is the longest since November 2016.  It’s down 4.8 percent during that span.
* The Dow fell 832 points, or 3.2 percent, for the biggest drop since February. It slid below 26,000 to the lowest since Aug. 16.
* The Nasdaq 100 lost 4.4 percent to the lowest since July 3 in the biggest rout since 2011. 
* The Stoxx 600 sank 1.6 percent to the lowest since March.
* The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell less than 0.05 percent.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index decreased 1.1 percent.
                                                   Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose less than 0.1 percent.
* The euro rose 0.3 percent to $1.152.
* The British pound climbed 0.4 percent to $1.3143.
* The Japanese yen rose 0.4 percent to 112.499 per dollar, a fifth straight gain.
                                                    Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries was little changed at 3.21 percent.
* The two-year yield fell to 2.87 percent and the 30-year hit 3.39 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield was flat at 0.55 percent.
                                                     Commodities
* West Texas Intermediate crude decreased 2.8 percent to $72.89 a barrel.
* Gold futures were rose 0.4 percent to $1,196.40 an ounce.
–With assistance from Andreea Papuc, Adam Haigh, Samuel Potter and Luke Kawa.
Have a great night.

Be magnificent!
As ever,

Carolann

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature.  It will never fail you.

                                                     -Frank Lloyd Wright, 1867-1959

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 9, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents:
On Oct. 9, 1967, Latin American guerrilla leader Che Guevara was executed in Bolivia while attempting to incite revolution. Go to article »
John Lennon, b.  October 9, 1940


Blackbird singing in the dead of night

Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise…
        ~John Lennon and Paul McCartney

www.thebeatles.com

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Student Eimear Heath sitting in her room at St John’s College, Cambridge, enjoying the warm Autumn weather by the wall of Boston Ivy which is turning red. The largest wall of Boston Ivy in Britain is putting on a stunning display after turning a blaze of red, as the UK looks to see the warmest October weather in seven years this week. The magnificent 170-year-old ivy is looking spectacular as temperatures are expected to hit 23C in the south on Wednesday – making it the hottest October day since 2011. The bright red creeper on the back of the building at St John’s College at Cambridge University is one of the city’s most famous autumn spectacles. CREDIT: GEOFF ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY

The sun rises behind mist on Lake Windermere in the Lake District, UK. CREDIT: DEAN ALLAN/MERCURY PRESS & MEDIA

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the SAOCOM 1A satellite launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base as SpaceX completed the secondary mission of landing the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket at Landing Zone 4, which was previously called SLC-4W. This was SpaceX’s first land landing attempt at Vandenberg Air Force Base. CREDIT: DANIEL J. QUINAJON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Market Closes for October 9th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

26430.57 -56.21

 

 

-0.21%

S&P 500 2880.34 -4.09

 

-0.14%

NASDAQ 7738.016 +2.067

 

+0.03%

TSX 15854.05 -92.12

 -0.58%

International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 23469.39 -314.33
-1.32%
HANG

SENG

26172.91 -29.66
-0.11%
SENSEX 34299.47 -174.91
-0.51%
FTSE 100* 7237.59 +4.26
+0.06%

Bonds

Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.570 2.558
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.558 2.542
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.2044 3.1833
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.3650 3.3432

Currencies

BOC Close Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.77235 0.77373
US

$

1.29474 1.29248
 
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.48812 0.67199
US

$

1.14935 0.87005

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1186.95 1201.20
 
Oil Close Previous
WTI Crude Future 74.96 74.33

Market Commentary:
I think democracies are prone to inflation because politicians will naturally spend – they have the power to print money and will use money to get votes. -Charlie Munger
Canada
By Carolina Wilson

(Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks declined for a third day, reaching their lowest level since May, as shares of materials companies weighed on the market’s benchmark. The loonie pared earlier losses against the greenback.
     The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell about 0.6 percent, marking its longest losing streak in four weeks. 
     Technology stocks slid 2.5 percent, while the materials and consumer discretionary sectors each lost more than 1 percent. Health care firms rebounded, climbing the most.
     Canadian housing starts fell to the lowest in almost two years in September, led by a drop in British Columbia, a government report showed.
                                                    Stocks
* Pretium Resources Inc. slumped 11 percent after results at the key Brucejack mine disappointed 
* Interfor Corp. fell 7.5 percent alongside other lumber stocks, as analysts flagged pricing and capacity concerns for the group
* BRP Inc. slid 7.4 percent, even as the Ski-Doo maker won a new buy rating at UBS and an upgrade to outperform at RBC
* Suncor Energy Inc. rose as much as 1.4 percent after Macquarie analyst Brian Bagnell upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral; it closed lower by 0.5 percent
* Aphria Inc. climbed 6.8 percent, as pot-stock investors look ahead to Canada legalization next week 
                                                   Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $47 discount to WTI
* Gold gained 0.4 percent to $1,193.50 an ounce
                                                    FX/Bonds 
* The Canadian dollar climbed about 0.1 percent to C$1.29467 per U.S. dollar
* The Canada 10-year government bond yield fell to 2.571%
US
By Vildana Hajric and Sarah Ponczek

(Bloomberg) — Technology stocks rebounded from a three-day rout but failed to lead the broader market higher, while yields on Treasuries retreated from a seven-year peak amid rising trade tensions and a sketchy outlook for global growth.
     The dollar drifted lower and crude hovered around $75 a barrel.  The Nasdaq 100 Index, which lost nearly 4 percent over the previous three sessions, rose despite giving up much of a 1 percent increase earlier in the day. The S&P 500 Index turned lower on a 3.4 percent decline in materials shares, the worst performing group in the stock market, after a leading coatings maker warned that profits would fall short of analyst forecasts.
     “Tech’s slide — outside semiconductors — has stopped due to the pause in interest rates moving higher,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance.  “Separately from that, people are stepping in and buying some of these names because they’re on sale.” Meanwhile, the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasuries slipped after almost hitting 3.26 percent, the highest since 2011. 
     “There was some talk that when the bond market opened up today we may see rates move lower. That was a telling sign, and we did not see that,” said Victoria Fernandez, chief market strategist for Crossmark Global Investments. “We have really established this new range on the 10-year.”
     The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose for the first time in four days. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index notched a seventh straight drop, though stocks in Shanghai rose following the biggest selloff in more than three months. The yuan gained in onshore trading after sliding a day earlier — a move that prompted concern from the U.S. government.  With a gloomy mood permeating markets, the latest report from the International Monetary Fund did little to spur investor confidence. The IMF cut its global growth outlook for the first time since 2016, in part because of rising trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. China took steps to aid lending this week, a move that inevitably puts pressure on the yuan and potentially creates a vicious circle where the currency’s weakness threatens to further aggravate the situation by prompting more easing by Chinese officials. 
     “If the trade confrontation continues, the Chinese currency will go lower and that will create a whole host of problems for the global economy,” said Alicia Levine, chief strategist at BNY Investment Management.   
     Meanwhile, Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. continued to plunge, falling 38 percent, or $220 billion, from its January high. It has lost more market value than any other company in the world this year.
     South Korea’s market was closed for a holiday. Next up, traders are bracing themselves for $230 billion of Treasury auctions this week.
Here are some key events coming up:
* The U.S. Treasury has $230 billion worth of debt auctions this week.
* The IMF and World Bank will hold meetings in Bali from Friday, where finance chiefs from around the world will gather.
* A closely watched gauge of U.S. consumer prices probably remained elevated in September and rose 2.3 percent from a year earlier, according to forecasts ahead of Thursday’s release.
* JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. kick off earnings season for U.S. banks on Friday.

These are the main moves in markets:
                                                    Stocks
* The S&P 500 declined 0.1 percent to 2,880.34, while the Nasdaq 100 increased 0.3 percent.
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.2 percent.
* The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index gained 0.5 percent.
* The MSCI Asia Pacific Index sank 0.8 percent, hitting the lowest since July 2017 with its seventh consecutive decline.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index added 0.1 percent, rebounding from a loss of almost 0.5 percent earlier in the day.
                                                    Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index declined less than 0.1 percent.
* The euro was little changed at $1.1494.
* The British pound added 0.4 percent to $1.314.
* The Japanese yen gained 0.3 percent to 112.93 per dollar.
                                                     Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries fell three basis points to 3.2025 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield climbed two basis points to 0.547 percent.
* Britain’s 10-year yield increased four basis points to 1.716 percent.
                                                     Commodities
* The Bloomberg Commodity Index rose 0.4 percent.
* West Texas Intermediate crude added 0.8 percent to $74.85 a barrel.
* Gold gained 0.2 percent to $1,189.95 an ounce.
–With assistance from Emma Dai, Jan-Patrick Barnert and Samuel Potter.
Have a great night.

Be magnificent!
As ever,

Carolann
No man ever listened himself out of a job.

                   -Calvin Coolidge, 1872-1933

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com

October 5, 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Tangents: Happy Thanksgiving! 

Samuel Johnson:  “As the Spanish proverb says, ‘He, who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.’

James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

Women dressed in traditional attire display their decorated hands as they pose for pictures during rehearsals for Garba, a folk dance, ahead of Navratri, a festival during which devotees worship the Hindu goddess Durga and youths dance in traditional costumes, in Ahmedabad, India. CREDIT: AMIT DAVE/REUTER

With temperatures gradually dropping as autumn arrives, dawn sees a beautiful sunrise over the small coastal village of Instow in North Devon. CREDIT: TERRY MATTHEWS/ALAMY LIVE NEW

The west coast of southern Africa is pictured from the International Space Station by International Space Station Commander Alexander Gerst, who said: “Not many artists in this world are as creative as Mother Nature.” CREDIT: ALEXANDER GERST/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Market Closes for October 5th, 2018

Market

Index

Close Change
Dow

Jones

26447.05 -180.43

 

 

-0.68%

S&P 500 2885.57 -16.04

 

-0.55%

NASDAQ 7788.449 -91.061

 

-1.16%

TSX 15946.17 -60.49

 -0.38%


International Markets

Market

Index

Close Change
NIKKEI 23783.72 -191.90
-0.80%
HANG

SENG

26572.57 -51.30
-0.19%
SENSEX 34376.99 -792.17
-2.25%
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Bonds % Yield Previous % Yield
CND.

10 Year Bond

2.600 2.558
CND.

30 Year

Bond

2.584 2.542
U.S.   

10 Year Bond

3.2309 3.1833
U.S.

30 Year Bond

3.4027 3.3432

Currencies

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Today Previous  
Canadian $ 0.77260 0.77373
US

$

1.29433 1.29248
Euro Rate

1 Euro=

  Inverse
Canadian $ 1.49269 0.77260
US

$

1.15325 0.86712

Commodities

Gold Close Previous
London Gold

Fix

1203.45 1201.20
Oil
WTI Crude Future 74.34 74.33

Market Commentary:
Canada
By Tatiana Darie

(Bloomberg) — Canadian stocks extended losses, alongside U.S. peers, to end the week lower amid a persistent selloff in bonds that took U.S. Treasury yields to seven-year highs.
     Canadian 10-year yields rose to the highest since 2014.  The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 0.4 percent, with energy and tech shares leading the decline. Industrials, health care and utilities rose. Pot stocks were mixed after a Canadian government official said in a briefing that it’s still unclear whether investors in the Canadian marijuana industry will be denied entry into the U.S.
                                                   Stocks
* Ensign Energy Services Inc. fell 8 percent after Precision Drilling outbid it for Trinidad Drilling with a C$540 million ($417 million) deal; Raymond James analyst Andrew Bradford wrote that walking away from M&A may not be the best idea.
* Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. fell 1 percent after NBF downgraded it to sector perform from outperform (PT $10.50 from $11).
* TransCanada Corporation rose 0.8 percent after FERC said in a filing that Columbia Gas Transmission can start service at an Ohio compressor station as part of its Mountaineer Xpress natgas pipeline.
                                                   Commodities
* Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $45.00 discount to WTI
* Gold gained 0.5 percent to $1,207.00 an ounce
                                                   FX/Bonds 
* The Canadian dollar fell 0.2 percent at C$1.2947 per U.S. dollar* The Canada 10-year government bond yield gained 4.3 basis points to 2.595%
US
By Jeremy Herron and Vildana Hajric

(Bloomberg) — U.S. stocks capped the worst week in a month, as the selloff in Treasuries that took yields to seven-year highs persisted amid speculation the latest jobs report clears the path for raising interest rates.
    Technology shares led losses Friday, sending the Nasdaq 100 Index to a weekly drop of 3 percent amid concern the U.S.-China trade spat will intensify. Eight of 11 sectors declined in the S&P 500. Intel Corp. dropped the most in the Dow Jones Industrial Average after Bloomberg’s report on Chinese hacking. Stocks began the day higher after the employment data added to confidence in the strength of the American economy.
     Just a week after U.S. stocks plowed to fresh records, investors continued to sell the bull market’s biggest winners, ditching high-flyers from Amazon.com to Netflix. The tech rout is the latest blow for global stocks in a week that saw 10-year U.S. Treasury yields climb to seven-year highs, reducing demand for riskier assets. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stoked the rates surge when he said the central bank could eventually boost its benchmark past the neutral level.
     “It’s more trade worries than anything else because these companies, they either sell a lot to China or produce a lot in China,” said Matt Maley, equity strategist at Miller Tabak + Co. “And we have the issue of the two naval boats in China, which raises it to more than just an economic issue — there’s political tensions there. And then of course there’s the hacking issue.”
     The 10-year bond yield pushed above 3.21 percent as the unemployment rate fell to a 48-year low, though the number of jobs created fell short of estimates. The dollar turned lower versus major peers. Gold futures rose, crude gained and the pound advanced.
     “The jobs report was nothing great — it was ok. Today we’re all over the place,” Donald Selkin, chief market strategist at Newbridge Securities, said. “It will be volatile, it will chop around in both directions. We’ll settle into a lower range until earnings start coming out towards the end of the month.”
     Treasuries resumed a slide as investors speculated the low unemployment rate and major upward revision to prior months would do little to deter the Fed from raising rates for a fourth time this year. The hiring figures were influenced by the hurricane that hit the Southeast last month, muddling the picture.
     “This is a report that’s consistent with being pretty close to full employment and it’s going to reinforce the Fed’s path for raising rates,” Alan Krueger, professor of economics at Princeton University, said on Bloomberg TV.
     Earlier, a rout in technology shares roiled Asian equity markets. PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd. plunged 15 percent in Hong Kong, amid Bloomberg’s report that China infiltrated U.S. companies by hacking hardware.
     In Europe, miners led the Stoxx 600 lower as industrial-metal prices fell and Danske Bank A/S headed for a four-year low. Germany’s 30-year bond was poised for its biggest one-week yield increase since April. Italian bonds also slipped as GDP forecasts failed to convince investors the country will be able to meet fiscal targets. 
     Elsewhere, West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices climbed back toward $75 a barrel. Copper led a decline in industrial-metal prices as a rally in raw materials stalled. Gold advanced, capping the best week in six for the precious metal.
These are the main moves in markets:
                                                 Stocks
* The S&P 500 fell 0.6 percent at 4 p.m. in New York. It’s down 0.9 percent in the week.
* The Nasdaq 100 Index dropped 1.2 percent, and was off 3 percent for the worst week since March.
* The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.9 percent to the lowest in three weeks. 
* The MSCI All-Country World Index declined 0.6 percent.
* The MSCI Emerging Market Index dipped 1 percent to the lowest since May 2017.
                                                 Currencies
* The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.2 percent. 
* The euro declined less than 0.1 percent to $1.1524. 
* The British pound climbed 0.7 percent to $1.3113. 
* The Japanese yen increased 0.2 percent to 113.753 per dollar.
                                                  Bonds
* The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced four basis points to 3.2271 percent, the highest in more than seven years. 
* The two-year yield rose two basis points to 2.89 percent.
* Germany’s 10-year yield climbed four basis points to 0.57 percent, the highest in more than 19 weeks. 
* Italy’s 10-year yield jumped 10 basis points to 3.42 percent.
                                                  Commodities
* West Texas Intermediate crude was flat at 74.34 a barrel. 
* Gold futures increased 0.5 percent to $1,207.60 an ounce. 
* Copper fell 0.3 percent to $2.78 a pound, the lowest in more than two weeks.
–With assistance from Jeremy Herron, Sarah Ponczek, Robert Brand and Luke Kawa.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Be magnificent!
As ever,

Carolann

 Feel the fear and do it anyway.
       –Susan Jeffers, 1938-2012

Carolann Steinhoff, B.Sc., CFP®, CIM, CIWM
Senior Investment Advisor

Queensbury Securities Inc.,
St. Andrew’s Square,
Suite 340A, 730 View St.,

Victoria, B.C. V8W 3Y7

Tel: 778.430.5808
(C): 250.881.0801
Toll Free: 1.877.430.5895
Fax: 778.430.5828
www.carolannsteinhoff.com