Fund performance

When financial services leaders are no longer confident, where does that leave the rest of us?

Financial advisers and investors may want to heed some cautionary words from several economists at the Wharton School who think that the country's current economic recovery will remain a sluggish affair and, whenever it does stabilize, it will likely mark the beginning of a "new normal" that's less robust and prosperous than prior cyclical peaks.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index increased 0.8% in May to 114.7 (2004 = 100), following a 0.4% decline in April and a 0.7% increase in March. The largest contributions came from the interest rate spread, consumer expectations and housing permits.

Fifty-nine percent of Americans are not confident the U.S. economy will rebound within the next year, a survey of 1,011 adults by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards found.

Positive yet cautious hiring intentions are expected to persist throughout the summer, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. The Net Employment Outlook for the third quarter is +8%, up from +6% in the third quarter of 2010.

Consumer sentiment, as measured by the Consumer Reports Trouble Tracker Index, remains in negative territory in May for the second consecutive month, with consumers worried about slow job growth and news of the economic recovery stalling.

CHICAGO -- Just last month BlackRock’s Bob Doll told a room full of almost 2,000 advisers at the IMCA Annual Conference in Las Vegas that he believes the U.S. will continue to outperform developing markets and outperform Europe and Japan. “Investors should be overweight the U.S.” he said.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to from -47.1 to -45.9 in the week ended June 5, the third straight week it has risen and its best reading since the end of April.

Just when financial advisers were starting to feel comfortable again, comes news that some key indicators are heading south again.

High gas prices, the federal deficit and high unemployment are depressing investor confidence, an investor survey conducted by Gallup for Wells Fargo shows.

The pause in the increase in gas prices and a sense that the job market is improving help lift the RBC Consumer Outlook Index 3.8 points to 46.7 in June, up from 42.9 in May. This is the highest level it has ever been at since the financial crisis struck in September 2008.

A vast majority, 86%, of the 800 institutional investors and corporate executives surveyed for BNY Mellon believe there are significant opportunities for stock market growth. However, 58% think there are major downside risks preventing them from taking advantage of those opportunities, the survey, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, found.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index rose 6.8 point in May to 104.1, its highest reading since December. The increase was led by North American investors, among whom confidence rose 7.7 points to 106.3 from 98.6 in April. European investor confidence rose 5.2 points to 79.0 from 73.8. However, Asian investor confidence fell 2.7 points to 96.7 from 99.4.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to -48.2 in the week ended May 22, up from a nine-month low of -49.4 the previous week. Readings of -40 or less are associated with recessions and their aftermaths, Bloomberg said.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to -49.4 in the week ended May 15, a nine-month low reflecting a pessimistic outlook among consumers as the cost of fuel and groceries continues to increase.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. ticked down by 0.3% in April to 114.0 (2004 = 100), following a 0.7% increase in March and a 0.9% increase in February.

LAS VEGAS - Could the United States be headed for another Great Depression?

LAS VEGAS - The federal budget deficit is estimated to skyrocket to $1.6 trillion in 2011, but Andrew H. Friedman of The Washington Update told a standing-room only crowd at the Investment Management Consultants Association's annual conference that there are still opportunities for investors.While the substantial deficit is here to stay, the $2 trillion in stimulus that has flooded the economy has made for huge growth in the stock market, Friedman explained. “We need to be careful what happens when the stimulus stops,” he added.

Global investors have tempered their optimism about the U.S. and world economies and plan to put less of their money in commodities and more into cash, a quarterly poll of 1,263 investors, analysts and traders who are Bloomberg subscribers found.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to -46.9 in the week ended May 8, as rising gas prices are making Americans worried about their personal finances. This was the index’s worst reading since March, Bloomberg said. The comfort index’s range is from -100 to +100.