Year-End Roundup

I'm back! I've spent most of the holidays traveling to and fro to family gatherings. We had a wonderful and peaceful Christmas, but I'm tired! I've also been cramming in wedding plans with my daughter, trying to nail down some details while she has been home. Of course, I've been busy taking care of year-end "stuff" on the investment side. While November was a great one for stocks, December did not fare as well. Markets ended the year on a down note. A few hiccups in the bond market caused the Nervous Nellies to head for the exits. Markets fell about 1/2% today. The 10 year Treasury yield fell below short-term yields, causing speculation of a possible downturn. Is it a yield curve inversion or a temporary "hump?" I vote for the latter and expect 2006 to offer steady, solid returns. Dow -67.32 NASDAQ -12.84 S&P 500 -6.19