GRS Asset
Consulting Group
Qtr Ytd
-3.15% |
-3.15% |
|
S&P/Barra Growth |
-.83% |
-.83% |
S&P/Barra Value |
-5.51% |
-5.51% |
S&P Midcap 400 |
-4.44% |
-4.44% |
MSCI EAFE |
-8.13% |
-8.13% |
Lehman Aggregate |
1.39% |
1.39% |
Major Economic Indicators
¨
The
CPI-Urban/1982-100 for the 12-month period ended March 2003 rose 3.0%, compared
to a 2.4% increase for the 12 months ended in December 2002. In the first quarter, consumer prices rose
at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.2%.
¨
The
Producer Price Index (PPI) for finished goods rose 4.2% for the 12-month period
ended in March. The seasonally adjusted
annual rate for the 3 months ended in March was 17.4%.
¨ Real Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) rose at an annual rate of 1.4% (final) for the fourth quarter 2002,
compared with an increase of 4.0% (final) in the third quarter 2002.
¨
The
Unemployment Rate was 5.8% in March. The rate was 6.0% in December, 5.7% in
January, and 5.8% in February.
Federal Reserve News
¨
The Federal Reserve Board has established a primary
discount rate of 2.25%. The rate is a
result of the new discount rate program approved by the Federal Reserve Board
on October 31, 2002. The primary
discount rate is the interest rate the Federal Reserve charges banks for
short-term loans.
¨
The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee maintained
its target for the federal funds rate at 1.25% during the first quarter. The
federal funds rate is the interest rate banks charge each other for overnight
loans.
¨ Best Performing Sector:
Health Care rose .85% in the first quarter.
¨ Worst Performing Sector:
Telecommunications Services declined 15.08% in the first quarter.
Source: Standard & Poors (Performance reflects Price Returns Only)