Gary Haapala

I remember the day when the 11:00 p.m. evening news and the daily newspaper (printed version) were my primary sources of current news and information. An hour in the morning and an hour in the evening and I could get a real good feel for the information to keep me up to date and relevant. It was also a time when it was clear what was “news” and what was “entertainment”. Those days are gone. Social networking, reality TV, PDAs, 24-hour cable “news” stations, satellite radio talk shows, and of course the internet keep us connected by the second. The line between news and entertainment has become overwhelming and hard to decipher. How do you keep informed and do you know if it is credible? This is an important question to consider when evaluating your investment portfolio.

As we have blogged throughout this year, we expect the financial markets to be volatile for the balance of the year and the foreseeable future. The financial markets are influenced by a variety of things such as; accounting data, facts, rumors, expectations, predictions, forecast, new products and services, government regulation, etc… The explosion of information and the instant availability has contributed to the volatility of the market.

Even with abundance of information – and mis-information available today, it is even more important than ever to find a trusted resource to keep you informed. It is also necessary to maintain a keen awareness of the fundamental aspects of the market. While the list continues to grow with the globalization of the economic world, I suggest you focus on inflation, the labor markets (unemployment) and consumer behavior (consumer confidence and spending). Following are links to two pieces, from LPL Financial – one of United’s trusted resources – to give some insight on these areas.

The amount and speed of information is overwhelming, we can help you navigate towards your financial goal. Our financial advisors are professionals, with years of experience and are highly credentialed with focused expertise. We will be conducting a webinar on August 18, 2010 and will provide an update on the economic and financial markets. Please join us by registering for the event at www.ubat.com.

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