Hagen Financial Network, Inc.: Medicare supplement insurance agent Eagan MN

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Monday, July 18, 2016

LOOK INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL!

PEEK OF THE WEEK

July 18, 2016

The Markets

“Start your engines,” was not in the Department of Labor (DOL)’s June Employment Report Summary, but it may as well have been. A positive jobs report revved investor optimism and sent U.S. stock markets sprinting higher last week.

Job growth was strong in June with 287,000 new jobs created. That helped soothe worries raised by a less than stellar May jobs report. The Wall Street Journal wrote:

“A powerful rebound in hiring last month eased fears about an economic downturn as the U.S. expansion enters its eighth year, putting the nation on solid footing to absorb global shocks and market turbulence.”

Investors appeared to agree the U.S. economic growth would continue apace. The American Association of Individual Investors (AAII)’s Investor Sentiment Survey reported bullish sentiment – the expectation stock prices will rise over the next six months – increased by 5.8 percentage points last week to 36.9 percent. That’s just the second time since November 2015 bullishness has stayed above 30 percent for two weeks in a row.

Money managers didn’t sit in the stands. The National Association of Active Investment Managers reported active managers increased their stock market exposure to 97 percent last week, which is the highest since the group began calculating the measure, according to Bloomberg.

Investors’ enthusiasm was fortified by positive earnings reports and helped some markets reach new highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished Friday at a record high, according to Reuters, and Bloomberg said, “...the S&P 500 Index closed at record highs on four consecutive days, something that hadn’t happened since November 2014.”

The coup in Turkey on Friday threw a wrench into the works. Demand for safe haven assets increased, according to Bloomberg. It wouldn’t be a surprise if markets pulled back to assess.

Data as of 7/15/16	1-Week	Y-T-D	1-Year	3-Year	5-Year	10-Year
Standard & Poor's 500 (Domestic Stocks)	1.5%	5.8%	2.6%	8.7%	10.4%	5.8%
Dow Jones Global ex-U.S.	3.7	0.4	-9.5	-0.9	-1.0	0.4
10-year Treasury Note (Yield Only)	1.6	NA	2.4	2.7	2.9	5.1
Gold (per ounce)	-2.0	24.9	15.6	1.1	-3.5	7.4
Bloomberg Commodity Index	0.4	10.4	-12.0	-12.3	-12.0	-6.8
DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index	0.4	15.9	221.4	12.6	12.5	7.7

S&P 500, Dow Jones Global ex-US, Gold, Bloomberg Commodity Index returns exclude reinvested dividends (gold does not pay a dividend) and the three-, five-, and 10-year returns are annualized; the DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index does include reinvested dividends and the three-, five-, and 10-year returns are annualized; and the 10-year Treasury Note is simply the yield at the close of the day on each of the historical time periods.

Sources: Yahoo! Finance, Barron’s, djindexes.com, London Bullion Market Association.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. N/A means not applicable.

look into the crystal ball… Sure, the world has changed during the last decade or two. We’ve gained about 1.6 billion people. (There are now 7.2 billion of us, globally.) There is an app for almost everything. (Just try to ‘catch ‘em all!’) We even job hunt in cyberspace. (Make sure you customize your communications.)

Here are a few other changes that may be coming our way soon:

Saltwater crops. One-fifth of the world’s irrigated farmland has been swamped by seawater, and rising sea levels mean more acreage may be at risk. Phys.org reports scientists around the world have been studying how to grow salt-tolerant crops, including potatoes, strawberries, carrots, onions, and lettuce.
Custom-engineered bones. “For the first time, pieces of living bone have been grown from the cells of…miniature pigs – and sculpted to replace…a pig's lower jaw, one of the strongest and most complex jaws in the face,” according to LiveScience.com.
Smart refrigerators. Someday soon, you may replace your old refrigerator with a smart fridge. The latest models have cameras that connect to your smart phone via Wi-Fi, so you can see what’s inside while you’re shopping at the grocery store.
Food-sharing apps. Don’t have time to cook? Log in to a food-sharing app to “connect with people in the same area who have leftover food to give away, allowing surplus to be shared and not wasted.”
Dragon silk armor. Genetically modified silkworms – they now share DNA with spiders – are spinning one of the toughest fibers ever made. If it performs well in ballistic tests, the U.S. Army may soon be wearing silk.

Our parents and grandparents saw the arrival of countless innovations – the telegraph, radio, television, automobiles, space travel, and much more. We’re likely to witness some pretty amazing things, too!

Weekly Focus – Think About It

“It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us in ways that we might not understand.”

--Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court Justice

Warm regards from Eagan,

Leif M. Hagen

Leif M. Hagen, CLU, ChFC

LP Financial Advisor

Securities offered through LPL Financial Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.

www.FINRA.com

www.SIPC.com

P.S. Please feel free to forward this commentary to family, friends, or colleagues.

P.S.S. Also, please remind your friends and family members becoming Medicare eligible that we offer Medicare insurance and Part D options with NO COST to work with Leif as their agent

For more information and resources visit our website at www.HagenFN.com

For Medicare supplement and part D information and resources, please visit MEDICAREforSENIORS.info

https://www.bluecrossmn.com/distribution/shopping/anonymous.html?producerToken=-z67o5fzk3mu4nb2solwzb34c0i15u6shro4wuum8cpns3rj50cqjqj8pznw2g&profile=ifp#welcome

Please FOLLOW and “LIKE US” on FACEBOOK.com/HagenFN

Please Read our Blog @ http://HagenFinancialNetwork.blogspot.com

Please Follow our Tweets on Twitter.com/SafeLeif

Check out this: http://www.MedicareForSeniors.info

* This newsletter was prepared by Peak Advisor Alliance. Peak Advisor Alliance is not affiliated with the named broker/dealer.

* The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be

representative of the stock market in general. You cannot invest directly in this index.

* The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged index. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect fees,

expenses, or sales charges. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment.

* The 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S.

Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market.

* Gold represents the afternoon gold price as reported by the London Bullion Market Association.

The gold price is set twice daily by the London Gold Fixing Company at 10:30 and 15:00 and is expressed in U.S. dollars per fine troy ounce.

* The Bloomberg Commodity Index is designed to be a highly liquid and diversified benchmark for the commodity futures market. The Index is composed of futures contracts on 19 physical commodities and was launched on July 14, 1998.

* The DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index measures the total return performance of the equity subcategory of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) industry as calculated by Dow Jones.

* Yahoo! Finance is the source for any reference to the performance of an index between two specific periods.

* Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance.

* Economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful.

* Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

* You cannot invest directly in an index.

* Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.

* Stock investing involves risk including loss of principal.

* To unsubscribe from the “Peek of the Week”, please reply to this email with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line, or write us at: Hagen Financial Network, Inc. 4640 Nicols Road, Suite 203; Eagan, MN 55122.

Sources:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-added-287-000-jobs-in-june-1467981259 (or go to https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/peakcontent/+Peak+Commentary/07-18-16_WSJ-US_Job_Growth_Rebound_Calms_Fears_of_Economic_Swoon-Footnote_1.pdf)

http://www.aaii.com/sentimentsurvey?a=subnavHome

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-15/s-p-500-record-setting-week-lures-cash-before-ending-with-a-thud

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-idUSKCN0ZV1C2

http://www.unfpa.org/news/how-has-world-changed-last-20-years

http://www.vox.com/2016/7/13/12161974/pokemon-go-holocaust-museum-remove-pokestop

http://www.job-hunt.org/jobsearchmistakes.shtml

http://phys.org/news/2015-04-dutch-saltwater-potatoes-world-hungry.html

http://www.livescience.com/55225-living-bones-grown-in-lab.html

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jul/14/tech-innovations-that-could-reduce-food-waste

http://www.livescience.com/55423-spider-silkworm-silk-protects-army-soldiers.html

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/soniasotom564458.html

#financialadvisorEaganMN #financialplannerEaganMN #wealthmanagementEaganMN

#hagenfinancialnetwork

Wednesday, July 06, 2016

A volatile and exciting, second quarter, Brexit-inspired market finish!

Peek of the Week

July 6, 2016

The Markets

Second quarter ended with a spectacular finale of Brexit-inspired market volatility.

Investors typically welcome sharp market movements with about the same level of enthusiasm that canines show for fireworks. However, recent market agitations highlighted a key tenet of investing: Volatility often creates opportunity. Following an initial Brexit sell-off, global markets rebounded. Last Friday, Financial Times reported:

“Global equity indices continued their stunning post-Brexit vote recovery, “core” government bond yields hovered near record lows, and sterling stayed in sight of a three-decade trough against the dollar as a tumultuous week in the markets drew to a close. The dollar finished the week on a broadly softer note, helping gold stay in sight of the two-year high it struck five days earlier. Oil prices were volatile but Brent regained the $50 a barrel mark in late trade.”

During the first half of 2016, opportunities weren’t always where investors might have expected to find them. Barron’s reported stocks have become income providers and bonds have been delivering capital gains. “With dividends included, the Standard & Poor’s 500 index returned 3.84 percent in the year’s first six months, according to Bianco Research. Meanwhile, the Treasury’s benchmark 10-year note returned roughly twice that, 7.97 percent...”

Some of the strongest stock market performance was found in emerging markets. On July 1, MarketWatch reported the best and worst (in italics) performing indices for the first half of 2016:

· Argentina (Merval) 25.77 percent

· Russia (RTS Index) 22.95 percent

· Brazil (Bovespa) 18.86 percent

· Pakistan (KSE 100) 15.14 percent

· Canada (S&P/TSX) 8.11 percent

· China (Shenzhen A Shares) -14.49 percent

· China (Shanghai A Shares) -17.22 percent

· China (SSE Composite) -17.22 percent

· Japan (Nikkei 225) -18.17 percent

· Italy (FTSE MIB) -24.37 percent

The three major Chinese indices on the list serve as a reminder that, not too long ago, concerns about the health of the global economy and the world’s financial markets focused on China. Today, the stethoscope is pressed to the heart of the European Union.

Predictions of higher interest rates in the United States have become a perennial that never blooms. Coming into 2016, the Federal Reserve was expected to increase the fed funds rate four times, making bonds appear an unwise investment choice. As mentioned, the 10-year Treasury note did just fine. However, the likelihood of the Fed raising rates fell during the quarter. Barron’s reported, “Based on Eurodollar futures prices, the U.S. central bank is likely to keep its federal-funds target steady well into next year and perhaps until 2018.”

During the last week of June, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index each experienced their best performance since November 2015, according to MarketWatch.

Data as of 7/1/16	1-Week	Y-T-D	1-Year	3-Year	5-Year	10-Year
Standard & Poor's 500 (Domestic Stocks)	3.2%	2.9%	1.2%	9.2%	9.4%	5.1%
Dow Jones Global ex-U.S.	3.4	-1.7	-11.5	-0.7	-1.9	-0.4
10-year Treasury Note (Yield Only)	1.5	NA	2.4	2.5	3.2	5.2
Gold (per ounce)	1.9	26.2	14.7	2.5	-2.0	8.0
Bloomberg Commodity Index	3.1	14.2	-11.7	-10.6	-10.6	-6.4
DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index	4.8	14.1	22.6	13.6	12.1	7.3

Sources: Yahoo! Finance, Barron’s, djindexes.com, London Bullion Market Association.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. N/A means not applicable.

where did your wealth come from? The 2016 U.S. Trust Insights on Wealth and Worth Survey® asked wealthy Americans about their financial success. They found a majority of wealthy Americans did not inherit their wealth:^{(Page 4)}

· 52 percent earned their wealth through work or entrepreneurial efforts

· 32 percent gained affluence through investing

· 10 percent inherited their money

· 6 percent relied on other means of accumulating wealth

The wealthy reported their parents emphasized the importance of academic achievement (76 percent), financial discipline (68 percent), and hard work (63 percent).^{(Page 4)}

In addition, they said it’s important to find ways to have a positive impact on the world around them by volunteering their time (61 percent), giving money (74 percent), serving on boards (47 percent), and working for non-profit organizations (16 percent).^{(Pages 5 & 16)}

In fact, the popularity of impact investing is growing. Wealthy Americans said investing for positive social impact is important because:^{(Pages 16-17)}

· It’s the right thing to do (54 percent)

· Corporate America should be accountable for its actions (53 percent)

· I want to have a positive impact on the world (49 percent)

· Companies that are good corporate citizens are less susceptible to business risk (40 percent)

· Companies that are good corporate citizens have better financial performance (38 percent)

The issues that were of greatest concern included: environmental protection and sustainability; healthcare quality and access; disease prevention, treatment, or cure; and education.^{(Page 15)}

Weekly Focus – Think About It

“Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,

Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,

Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,

Strong and content I travel the open road…”

--Walt Whitman, American poet