More Coronavirus Volatility
BI-WEEKLY UPDATE - MARCH 23 , 2020
In This Issue
The Week on Wall Street
The stock market suffered through another volatile week as it wrestled with the health and economic fallout of the domestic spread of the coronavirus. Swift and decisive actions by the Federal Reserve and policy responses from the federal government did not keep stocks from recording losses for the week. 
Please Remember
We have portfolios that are created with defensive and stability "buckets" to weather market volatility and corrections. This is where withdrawals can come from when markets are down. If you receive a message from us, please return our call as we may be trying to implement an adjustment.

Long-term investing, diversification, and personal goals are still key ideas that shouldn't be forgotten when headlines seem grim. Market volatility can create a buying opportunity.  If you haven't maxed out your IRA or ROTH IRA, this could be a good time to do it.

Final Thought
Investors are struggling with answers to two unknowns: the trajectory of the coronavirus spread and its economic cost. With coronavirus testing beginning to ramp up, these numbers may begin drawing a firmer picture of the growth of coronavirus infections in the U.S. Economic indicators, such as jobless claims for unemployment insurance and the Index of Leading Economic Indicators, may provide clues regarding the economy.

Blattel News

Our View of the Markets? Stunning
We found this commentary from SEI to be on point. Many of us have commented that, if we don't look at the TV or internet for one hour, it feels like we've missed a day's worth of news. This high speed of change can make you feel uneasy, and that's normal. It's also what SEI is seeing a larger scale and why their word of the day is "stunning."
  • The speed and magnitude of the equity-market decline have been record-setting. Investors have been stunned and are responding with panic.
  • The pace of change-market movements, virus spread and government response-is so rapid that news is literally out of date nearly as soon as it comes out.
  • If your portfolio is aligned with your goals, time horizon and risk tolerance, be patient. 
For the full commentary, click here. As always, please reach out to us with any questions or comments. We are here for you.

Covid-19 Response
We would like to keep you apprised on some of the procedures and plans we are implementing behind the scenes at Blattel & Associates.
 
Working-From-Home. The Blattel & Associates team has complete capability to operate remotely - and this extends to our phone system. Since St. Charles County did issue stay-in-place orders, we have decided to have our entire staff work from home for the next two weeks. Our hope is that you will notice no disruptions (besides not being able to drop by our office) and that we will do our part in protecting the health of our team and community.  That being said - being in the office and working remote are not the same, so please be patient with us during this time.
 
Electronic Signatures. We are now encouraging you to embrace signing and submitting paperwork electronically as much as possible. We will talk you through the process if it is something you haven't tried before. If you do mail us any checks, paperwork, etc., please notify our office right away so we can arrange to receive it.
 
All Remote Meetings. As we have previously announced, we have changed all of our in-office meetings to remote. We have now extended this into April. 
 
We will keep you updated as this situation continues to evolve. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Stay safe!


"Decide what you want to do. Then decide to do it. Then do it. "

William Zinsser
Lemon Pound Cake

Serves 8 to 10
 
Ingredients:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
     
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
     
  • ½ tsp. salt
     
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
     
  • 1 cup sugar
     
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
     
  • ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
     
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
     
  • Zest of 1 lemon
     
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F with rack in the bottom-third.
     
  2. Grease a loaf pan.
     
  3. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
     
  4. Using mixer, beat butter until smooth.
     
  5. Add sugar and beat with butter for 2 minutes.
     
  6. Add eggs, one at a time, with mixer at low setting.
     
  7. Beat in sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
     
  8. Once added, beat at medium-high until combined.
     
  9. Move to low speed and add flour mixture, beat until fully mixed.
     
  10. Turn up to high speed to remove any lumps, but don't overmix.
     
  11. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes.
     
  12. Test cake with toothpick to see when cake is done.
     
  13. Optional: poppyseeds. Add them on top of the batter once it's in the loaf pan before placing it in the oven.
     
Recipe adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com[10]


Finding Inner Peace Inside (and Indoors)

Practiced for thousands of years, yoga has had a revival in the last couple decades. Yoga can be an optimal exercise choice for many individuals of all ages. But before getting started with any fitness regimen, make sure to discuss any medical concerns with your health care provider; this information is not a substitute for medical advice.
 
While there are many styles of yoga, most are considered low impact. But in addition to the fitness benefits, it can help you learn relaxation and breathing techniques as well as how to regulate emotions and quiet your mind. It's also a great form of exercise to do indoors, and there are thousands of free classes on YouTube. So, if you're still enduring the remnants of winter and practicing social distancing, you can practice "quieting your inner monologue," doing yoga from the comfort of your own home.
 
 
Tip adapted from MedicalNewsToday.com[13]

Share the Wealth of Knowledge!
 
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Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.
 
Diversification does not guarantee profit nor is it guaranteed to protect assets.
 
International investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuation and political instability and may not be suitable for all investors.

The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 significant stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. The DJIA was invented by Charles Dow back in 1896.
 
The Nasdaq Composite is an index of the common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market and is considered a broad indicator of the performance of stocks of technology companies and growth companies.
 
The MSCI EAFE Index was created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) that serves as a benchmark of the performance in major international equity markets as represented by 21 major MSCI indices from Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

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.
 
Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance.
 
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
 
You cannot invest directly in an index.
 
Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.
 
Fixed income investments are subject to various risks including changes in interest rates, credit quality, inflation risk, market valuations, prepayments, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors.
 
These are the views of Platinum Advisor Strategies, LLC, and not necessarily those of the named representative,
Broker dealer or Investment Advisor and should not be construed as investment advice. Neither the named representative nor the named Broker dealer or Investment Advisor gives tax or legal advice. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please consult your financial advisor for further information.
 
By clicking on these links, you will leave our server, as the links are located on another server. We have not independently verified the information available through this link. The link is provided to you as a matter of interest. Please click on the links below to leave and proceed to the selected site.

The market indexes discussed are unmanaged and generally considered representative of their respective markets. Individuals cannot directly invest in unmanaged indexes. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost.

[10] Sally's Baking Addiction, March 20, 2020

[13] Medical News Today, March 20, 2020

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