It’s Identity Theft Awareness Week — Are You Prepared?

Eagle Wealth Management |
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Weekly Market Commentary



It’s Identity Theft Awareness Week.   Anytime is a good time to tighten up your identity security, but if you haven’t been as careful as you intended, consider this your annual reminder.  

These days it’s normal to hear warnings about identity theft but unless you’ve experienced it may only seem like a minor inconvenience.  The truth is it can cause major damage very quickly.  The stacks of mail and email notifications about credit usage are irritating but they can also go on for a long time. 

Being careful with your personal data means more than just shredding your documents.  Here are a few best practices to consider:
  • Change your passwords regularly.  Every few months is a great habit to get into.  If you change yours today, remind yourself to change them again in six months.  Even better, ditch the paper list and invest the time to set up a password manager.  Check out the best password managers to secure your digital life.      
  • Check your credit report.  You may have been the target of identity theft or fraud and not even realize it until it shows up on your credit reports.  Learn how to get a copy of your credit report at consumerfinance.gov.
  • Tax time is prime time for identity thieves.  They would love to get their hands on your 1040 form, and they would also love to claim a phony refund using your personal information.  Be careful when sharing information online and make sure to send your information securely.
  • The IRS doesn’t use unsolicited emails to request information from taxpayers.  If you get an email claiming to be from the IRS asking for your personal or financial information, report it to your email provider as spam.
  • Avoid “coffee housing” your personal information.  Never risk disclosing financial information over a public Wi-Fi network.  (Broadband is susceptible, too.) It takes little sophistication to do this — just a little freeware.
  • Look for the “https” & the padlock icon when you visit a website. Not just http, but https.  When you see that added “s” at the start of the website address, you’re looking at a website with active SSL encryption.  A padlock icon in the address bar confirms an active SSL connection.  
We know that warnings like this can sound scary, but they don’t have to be.  If your information does get compromised, don’t panic.  There are resources available to help you report identity theft and get a recovery plan.  Check out IdentityTheft.gov for more information.

For a lot of people, the time and effort to solve the identity breach is only half the problem. Knowing that someone has used your identity and tarnished your name can feel like a violation.   Acknowledge that it will take time to feel comfortable sharing your information online again. 

Be cautious but make sure you’re reasonable.  The stress from worrying about cyber-attacks can be harmful.  Remember you can only manage what you can control.  That means being mindful of your confidential information and skeptical of those that ask you to share it. 

Here at Eagle Wealth, we take information privacy seriously.  That’s why we research and implement technology and protocols that keep your sensitive information secure.  If you have any questions about how we practice data security, please reach out. 

Stay safe,
Your Eagle Wealth Team
 


Chocolate Lava Cakes


Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching.  Do you need something sweet and simple to make with your sweetie?  These chocolate molten lava cakes might be your answer to best-at-home date night. 
 

4 servings

 
Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces (170g) high-quality semi-sweet chocolate*
  • 1/2 cup (115g; 1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
  • 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks*
  • optional for topping: ice cream, raspberries, and/or chocolate syrup

Directions:

  1. Spray four 6-ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder. This ensures the cakes will seamlessly come out of the ramekins when inverted onto a plate in step 7. *Or spray half of a 12-count muffin pan and dust with cocoa powder.  If baking in a muffin pan, the recipe will yield 6 cakes.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
  3. Coarsely chop the chocolate.  Place butter into a medium heat-proof bowl, then add chopped chocolate on top.  Microwave on high in 10-second increments, stirring after each until completely smooth.  Set aside.
  4. Whisk the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt together in a small bowl.  Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together until combined in another small bowl.  Pour the flour mixture and eggs into the bowl of chocolate.  Slowly stir everything together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  If there are any lumps, gently use your whisk to rid them.  The batter will be slightly thick.
  5. Spoon chocolate batter evenly into each prepared ramekin or muffin cup.
  6. Place ramekins onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until the sides appear solid and firm– the tops will still look soft.  *If baking in a muffin pan, the cakes only take about 8-10 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted plate and turn over. The cakes should release easily from the ramekin.  *If you used a muffin pan, use a spoon to release the cakes from the pan and place each upside down on plates.
  8. Add toppings.  Serve immediately.
Adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com
 


The Week on Wall Street

Stocks were mixed last week following better-than-expected corporate reports and increasing optimism over a slowdown in interest rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower, slipping -0.15%. The Standard & Poor’s 500 rose 1.62% while the Nasdaq Composite index led, picking up 3.31%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased by 1.16%.1,2,3

 

Rally Continues

Strong earnings reports and encouraging inflation data lifted stocks ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) decision on Wednesday to hike interest rates by 25 basis points. Markets rallied following the announcement, relieved that the increase was in line with expectations and buoyed by post-meeting comments in which Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged the disinflationary forces in place.

Fresh earnings reports fueled further gains, with positive earnings surprises from several big-name technology companies that benefited the larger universe of Nasdaq-listed high-growth companies. Disappointing earnings from three mega-cap tech companies and a strong employment report triggered a Friday pull-back, paring the week’s gains.

 

Another Rate Hike

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.25%, signaling to the financial markets that it would likely hike rates by another 25 basis points at its next meeting in late March. Fed officials said the slowdown in rate hikes might provide time to assess the impact of the accumulated rate hikes. The Fed retained language in its post-meeting statement that future rate hike plans were unchanged to discourage investors’ hopes of an imminent pause in the rate-hike cycle.4

In his post-meeting press conference, Fed Chair Powell reiterated the Fed’s commitment not to declare victory on inflation prematurely but acknowledged that a disinflationary trend was underway.5

THE WEEK AHEAD

KEY ECONOMIC DATA


Thursday:  Jobless Claims.
Friday:  Consumer Sentiment.

 

Source: Econoday, February 3, 2023
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

COMPANIES REPORTING EARNINGS


Tuesday:  Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT), Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG).
Wednesday:  CVS Health Corporation (CVS), Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU), The Walt Disney Company (DIS).
Thursday:  AbbVie, Inc. (ABBV), PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL), PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), Kellogg Company (K), Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE), O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY).  

Source: Zacks, February 3, 2023
Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.

Disclosures and Footnotes

Any companies mentioned are for informational purposes only, and this should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of their securities. Any investment should be consistent with your objectives, time frame, and risk tolerance.

1. The Wall Street Journal, February 3, 2023
2. The Wall Street Journal, February 3, 2023
3. The Wall Street Journal, February 3, 2023
4. The Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2023
5. CNBC, February 1, 2023
6. FOREO, November 20, 2022
 

Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost.

The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, may not materialize, and are subject to revision without notice.

The market indexes discussed are unmanaged, and generally, considered representative of their respective markets. Index performance is not indicative of the past performance of a particular investment. Indexes do not incur management fees, costs, and expenses. Individuals cannot directly invest in unmanaged indexes. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is an unmanaged index that is generally considered representative of large-capitalization companies on the U.S. stock market. Nasdaq Composite is an index of the common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market and is considered a broad indicator of the performance of technology and growth companies. The MSCI EAFE Index was created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) and serves as a benchmark of the performance of major international equity markets, as represented by 21 major MSCI indexes from Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia. The S&P 500 Composite Index is an unmanaged group of securities that are considered to be representative of the stock market in general.

U.S. Treasury Notes are guaranteed by the federal government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. However, if you sell a Treasury Note prior to maturity, it may be worth more or less than the original price paid. Fixed income investments are subject to various risks including changes in interest rates, credit quality, inflation risk, market valuations, prepayments, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors.

International investments carry additional risks, which include differences in financial reporting standards, currency exchange rates, political risks unique to a specific country, foreign taxes and regulations, and the potential for illiquid markets. These factors may result in greater share price volatility.

Please consult your financial professional for additional information.

This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG is not affiliated with the named representative, financial professional, Registered Investment Advisor, Broker-Dealer, nor state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and they should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2022 FMG Suite.