![\"\"](\"https:\/\/envisionco.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Performance-Dec-9-2016-300x82.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIt feels like a mad dash higher, and the sentiment is that this will continue at least through year end. The Dow, closed at 19,756, and investors consider it a given that it will hit 20,000 any day.\u00a0 A lot of the Dow advance is powered by Goldman Sachs (GS). The Dow is weighted by price\u00a0per share so Goldman, at $241 per share,\u00a0accounts for 8.4% of the Dow. GS has rallied 32% since the election resulting in a gain of 408\u00a0points.\u00a0 By contract, the next biggest contributor since the election is UnitedHealth (UNH)\u00a0with 103 points.<\/p>\n
Optimism is extremely high. CNN measures sentiment through their Fear & Greed Index and the most recent reading is “extreme greed.” This compares to one month ago, when the gauge was marked “fear.”<\/p>\n
The Volatility Index (VIX) closed at 11.75. That is a very low reading. The last time the VIX went below 12 was for a few days between September 2 and September 7 when the SPY was about $219. That turned out to be a high and the market then sold off to $208.55 through the election.<\/p>\n Treasury rates were up during the week. But in a change, the long-end of the curve\u00a0increased less than the short-end.<\/p>\n ECONOMY<\/p>\n For the second straight week, the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model for Q4 growth declined, falling to 2.6%. Two weeks ago, growth was forecast at 3.6%, so there has been a big drop in just two weeks. A lower estimate on the contribution from inventory investment accounted for much of the change. The NY Fed’s Nowcast remained steady at 2.7%.<\/p>\n More signs that the Trump win is increasing confidence, the Duke University\/CFO Magazine Business Outlook Survey hit its highest level since the first quarter of 2007. CFOs cited regulatory and corporate tax reform for the improved optimism.<\/p>\n Initial jobless claims fell to 258k.<\/p>\n Healthcare has been a big drag on the economy for years and it is only getting worse. The video below\u00a0summarizes the negative impact on the US economy.<\/p>\n Click here for video of healthcare of US economy.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PERFORMANCE It was back to the races as equity markets around the world shot higher. US markets were up 3.39% and international was up 3.15%. Bonds fell again, down 0.17%. The dollar was up and oil was down. It feels … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/envisionco.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/CNN-Fear-and-Greed-Index-300x158.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/envisionco.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Treasury-Rates-12-9-2016-300x171.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/envisionco.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/GDP-Estimates-12-9-2016-300x149.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n