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Your kids’ tomorrow incomes
My parents, both long gone, were part of a generation that veteran news broadcaster and journalist Tom Brokaw referred to as The Greatest Generation in his book by that same title.
While today we honor the many millions who lost their lives in World War 1, the children born after that war that ened 100 years ago on November 11, 1918, pretty much spawned The Greatest Generation—a generation that grew up to fight in another war, World War 11.
Those who came home after WW11 returned to a country filled with opportunity and promise— economic opportunity that rewarded anyone willing to work and to save for their futures. And, in many cases, to build an inheritance for their offspring.
You didn’t have to be a Vet, or an Ivy League or Big 10 college graduate to partake in the majority of those economic opportunities. Pretty much all a person had to do was to show up for work, work one job and to save for his or her future.
But that was then; this is now. And, over the last 50 years, the odds of Baby Boomer’s kids’ earning more than their Greatest Generation parents have has been losing ground.
According to a recent Bloomberg.com Opinion piece, “Only about half of 30-year-olds now make more money than their parents did at a similar age.”
Although it’s true that an individual’s highest earning years come later in their life, typically after age 50, the odds of your adult children and grandchildren having more money by the time they reach retirement age than you did/have is far from a given.
Today’s economy isn’t our parent’s economy. While there are many who boast about how great the economy is, it really isn’t. It’s a selective economy that rewards a few and not the majority.
Want your kids, grandkids and their kids to enjoy personal economic opportunities? Teach them to live below their means—if that’s possible.
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Market Quick Glance
For a change, it was an up week for index returns with gains in the year-to-date as well as the 1-year returns for all of the four major indices followed here.
Below are the weekly and 1-year index performance results for the four major indices—DJIA, S&P 500, NASDAQ and the Russell 2000— including the dates each reached new highs. Data is according to CNBC.com and based on prices at the close of business on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018.
–DJIA 5.14% YTD way up from the previous week’s return of 2.23%.
- 1 yr Rtn 10.77% up a lot from the previous week 7.46 %
Most recent DJIA a new ALL-TIME CLOSING HIGH was reached on Oct.3, 2018 of 26,951.81. The previous high was reached on Sept. 21, 2018 of 26,796.16.
-S&P 500 4.02% YTD way up from last week’s 1.85%
- 1 yr. Rtn 7.60% up from last week’s 5.55%
The S&P 500 reached a BRAND NEW CLOSING ALL-TIME HIGH on Sept. 21, 2018 of 2,940.91. The previous closing high was reached on August 29, 2018 of 2,916.50.
-NASDAQ 7.29% YTD up from last week’s 6.57%
- 1yr Rtn 9.73% up a bit from last week’s 9.56%
Nasdaq reached a BRAND NEW 52-week CLOSING HIGH on August 30, 2018 of 8,1333.30. The previous high was reached on August 24, 2018 of 7,949.71.
-Russell 2000 0.91% YTD up from last week’s 0.81%
- 1yr Rtn 5.05% a jump up from last week’s 3.44%
The Russell 2000 reached a BRAND NEW 52-week ALL-TIME HIGH on August 31, 2018 of 1,742.09. The previous high was reached on August 24, 2018 of 1,726.97.
-Mutual funds
The good news is: At the close of business on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, the average total return for funds that fall under the U.S. Diversified Equity Funds heading was 3.33%. That’s up from last week’s 1.37%, according to Lipper.
So what’s up with the performances of the 25 largest equity funds around? Well, y-to-date 10 of the 25 were sporting returns within the 6% range; 7 had returns that fell into minus territory; and the only 1 had a double-digit return. That was the Investco QQ Trust 1—it’s return 12.70%.
Visit www.allaboutfunds.com for more information about how various equity and fixed-income funds have rewarded investors over the short-and long-term, based upon Lipper data. Short-term meaning weekly and monthly performance returns; longer-term includes quarterly, year-to-date, 1-yr, 2-yr, 3-yr and 5-yr returns.
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Salute A Veteran
Please take the time today to recall, re-read or re-educate yourself to what caused World War 1 and then World War 11.
Then, take a moment to think about —and salute–those in your family or circle of friends who lost their lives while serving their country and those serving today. It’s the right thing to do.
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