Durable goods orders fell 0.7% in April. The downturn was the first since durable goods orders fell 4.6% in November 2016. Orders for transportation equipment fell 1.2% pulled down by a 9.2% drop in orders for civilian aircraft. (Commerce Department)

Gross domestic product increased at a 1.2% annual rate in Q1. That was the weakest performance since the first quarter of 2016 and followed a 2.1 percent rate of expansion in the fourth quarter. There are signs GDP growth regained speed early in the second quarter. (Commerce Department)

The S&P 500 Index traded for the 100th day of 2017 last Thursday. For the year it is up 7.9% and has made 19 new all-time highs. That is the most all-time highs as of day 100 since 1999. What does a good start to the year mean? Since 1950, there were 23 other years the S&P 500 Index was up 7.5% or more as of day 100 and the rest of the year it was higher 20 of those times with an average return of 9.0% the rest of the year. The full year return those 23 years was 23.4%. (LPL Research)

Shareholders approved the merger of Bend-based Bank of the Cascades with First Interstate Bank of Billings, Montana. The merger will be completed today. (Bulletin)

With Northwest Quadrant Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor I am Troy Reinhart