FORE!  It’s time to sign up for the Klaas Financial Charity Golf Outing on May 31.  Time is running out to get your spot on the green!

Come and rub elbows with other golfers while supporting a great cause.  And don’t forget lunch right after.  Get your foursome together now or sign up as a single.  We expect a great day!  Call Jean Lopez at Klaas Financial at 815-877-8440 or RSVP online by clicking HERE!

• With 90% of S&P 500 companies having reported results, the blended earnings growth rate stands at 3.2% for the first quarter. Consensus expectations had predicted earnings growth of -0.7%.

• Initial jobless claims fell to a 5-year low of 323,000 vs. 327,000 the prior week.

• Retail sales increased 0.1% in April and are up 3.7% versus a year ago.

• Moody’s reported on Thursday that the global speculative-grade default rate stood at 2.6% in April, up from 2.5% in March.

• The U.S. government posted its largest monthly budget surplus since 2008 on higher tax revenue in April.

• Wholesale trade fell 1.6% and inventories rose 0.4% in March, according to the Commerce Department.

• The dollar continued to strengthen after the G7 supported Japan to encourage expansion with aggressive asset purchasing.

• EU retails sales continued to decrease slightly in March, down 2.4% for on the year.