Quote of the Week
“The United States periodically reaches a point of crisis in which it appears to be at war with itself.” – George Friedman
Technical Corner
Could events get any stranger? A quote from Vladimir Lenin pretty much sums up what is happening. “There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.”
The markets were up about 1.5% last week after four straight weeks of decline. Today (Monday), the markets are up around 1.5% on the hopes of a stimulus package. We shall see. The economy and the people really need the stimulus just to pay rent and put food on the table.
It is official that the economy is moving towards Quadrant 4. The probability went from 43% to 54% in the last week. In Quadrant 4, economic growth declines and inflation declines. The fourth quarter of 2018, and the first quarter of this year, the economy was in Quadrant 4. Both of those times, the markets crashed. I don’t know if history will repeat itself, but this is a time to invest for capital preservation, which we are doing.
Sue’s Thoughts
My husband and I are thinking about downsizing our car situation. We have a few too many vehicles and our hobbies have changed. I think it’s time for the Jeep, its trailer, and the SUV that tows them to go to another home. When thinking about purchasing a newer car, the following article from ADOT caught my attention.
Where’s my vehicle title? Electronic titles are issued to MVD customers, paper versions can be requested
PHOENIX — So, you’ve purchased a vehicle, completed the registration and title information, and received your tabs in the mail. But when will the title arrive?
Actually, there’s no reason to worry because your vehicle’s title information has been there all along — safely in electronic form and accessible in your free AZ MVD Now account, which all current Arizona MVD customers have.
Earlier this year, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division began issuing all customers electronic vehicle titles, which are as valid as a paper title and more secure. This change is paired with a similar process where physical items like registration tabs and license plates are mailed to a customer’s home and aren’t provided at MVD or Authorized Third Party offices.
Customers who desire a paper title can go to AZMVDNow.gov, log in to their account, click on “Title Replacement,” submit the $4 processing fee and a PDF of their Arizona Title Summary will instantly appear in their AZ MVD Now account. This allows them to download and print the title information at their convenience. MVD will also mail the paper title to the customer’s address.
More than two-thirds of MVD services, including title replacements, are available through AZ MVD Now. They include popular options such as registration renewal, ordering a duplicate license, getting a 3-day permit, updating insurance information, ordering a motor vehicle record and many more.
Activating an AZ MVD Now account takes just a few minutes. Every current MVD customer already has an account with their driver and vehicle information that’s waiting to be activated. Customers may go to azmvdnow.g0v and follow the prompts for how to activate their account. The process is free and is protected by several security protocols that are explained on the site and in an accompanying “how-to” video for those who wish to view it.
These are the opinions of Larry Lof and not necessarily those of Cambridge, are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Due to our compliance review process, delayed dissemination of this commentary occurs.
The S&P 500 is an index of stocks compiled by Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. The Index includes a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the US economy. Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.
Technical analysis represents an observation of past performance and trend, and past performance and trend are no guarantee of future performance, price, or trend. The price movements within capital markets cannot be guaranteed and always remain uncertain. The allocation discussed herein is not designed based on the individual needs of any one specific client or investor. In other words, it is not a customized strategy designed on the specific financial circumstances of the client. Please consult an advisor to discuss your individual situation before making any investments decision. Investing in securities involves risk of loss. Further, depending on the different types of investments, there may be varying degrees of risk including loss of original principal.
