I-Bond Update

Market Minute

May 2023 – By Scott Rosenquist, CFA®

The U.S. Treasury announced the new rate of 4.3% for Series I bonds issued from May 1st through October 31st of this year.  The new rate is down from the 6.89% offered previously, reflecting the decline in inflation over the past several months.  In May of 2022, the interest rate was 9.62% which generated a lot of interest from individual investors and led to incredibly high issuance of I-bonds from the Treasury.

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What is A Power of Attorney and What Does it Do?

Market Memo – Planning Article

April 2023 – By Tom Rueger, J.D., CFP®

A Power of Attorney is an important part of lifetime planning. A Power of Attorney is a document that allows you to choose who will act for you, when they can act for you, and what their decision-making authority will (or will not) be. In a worst-case scenario, if you do not have a Power of Attorney and you are unable to manage your affairs, a court will have to appoint one or more people to act for you, costing time, money, and potential lost opportunity.

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Market Turbulence Ahead

Market Memo

April 2023 – By Bob Veres

This is your captain speaking…

When you’re on a commercial flight, and the plane is approaching turbulence, the captain comes on the intercom to let you know to buckle up and expect ‘rough air.’  There should be similar warnings about ‘rough air’ in the markets, and this is a good time to offer one.

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Employment Check

Market Minute

April 2023 – By Scott Rosenquist, CFA®

Employment data for the month of March showed continued job growth but at a more subdued pace compared to the start of the year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000 last month with the unemployment rate inching lower to 3.5% as more people entered the workforce. The headline number was close to economists’ expectations after several months of data coming in above estimates. Job gains were again concentrated in the service sector of the economy with leisure and hospitality leading the gains for the month.

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