| | Industry Voices | | Safeguarding DC Plan Data Is About More Than Cybersecurity | | Andy Adams and Jay Schmitt, with Strategic Benefits Advisors, discuss what makes retirement plan data vulnerable and actionable steps to protect it from fraud.Read more > | | | Economic Events | | New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $3.0 billion or 1.2% to $254.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced. This increase, up two consecutive months, followed a 1.0% November increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.1%. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.8%. Transportation equipment, up four of the last five months, led the increase, $2.8 billion or 3.3% to $90.2 billion. | | | Market Mirror | Wednesday, the Dow closed 72.82 points (0.28%) lower at 25,985.16, the NASDAQ was up 5.21 points (0.07%) at 7,554.51, and the S&P 500 was down 1.52 points (0.05%) at 2,792.38. The Russell 2000 closed 3.57 points (0.23%) higher at 1,581.05, and the Wilshire 5000 increased 20.41 points (0.07%) to 28,990.77. The price of the 10-year Treasury note decreased 13/32, bringing its yield up to 2.688%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond fell 1 5/32, increasing its yield to 3.064%. | | | Benefits & Administration | | High Cost of Living, Debt Are Reasons Americans Don’t Save Enough | | Asked what their No. 1 savings goal is, 40% of Americans say it is an emergency fund, and only 26% say it is retirement, according to the 2019 Savings Survey conducted by First National Bank of Omaha. Asked why they do not have as much savings as they would like, 26% say it is the high cost of living, 13% say it is credit card debt, and 13% say it is educational debt.Read more > | | Number of HSAs Exceeds 25 Million | | In addition, Devenir found health savings account (HSA) investment assets surpassed the $10 million mark in 2018.Read more > | | | Small Talk | | ON THIS DATE: In 1827, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad became the first railroad incorporated for commercial transportation of people and freight. In 1854, the Republican Party was organized in Ripon, Wisconsin. About 50 slavery opponents began the new political group. In 1861, the U.S. territory of Colorado was organized. In 1883, the first vaudeville theater opened. In 1885, AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph) was incorporated. In 1953, in a Cambridge University laboratory, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. In 1979, Mr. Ed, the talking horse from the TV show “Mr. Ed”, died. In 1983, “M*A*S*H” became the most watched television program in history when the final episode aired. In 1993, Federal agents raided the compound of an armed religious cult in Waco, Texas. The ATF had planned to arrest the leader of the Branch Davidians, David Koresh, on federal firearms charges. Four agents and six Davidians were killed and a 51-day standoff followed. | | SURVEY SAYS: I dream of financial freedom—to spend my days as I like, to volunteer more, to travel and to spend more time with those I love. However, I do wonder if sometimes boredom would set in and I’d end up working in some capacity. This week, I’d like to know, if you had enough money for which you didn’t have to work, would you still work? You may respond to this week’s survey by 6:00 p.m. Pacific time today.Read more > | | Share the news with a friend! Pass the NewsDash along and tell your friends/associates they can sign up for their own copy.Read more > |
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