Stocks concluded a solid week of gains after China and the U.S. agreed to a phase one trade deal.
 
While few details have been disclosed, the agreement between the US and China principally seems to involve the U.S. calling off a new round of tariffs that were slated to take effect on Dec. 15 and removing others already in place in exchange for more Chinese purchases of U.S. farm products.  Good news, right? The end of the trade war is nigh? Don’t get your hopes up.  While business leaders in both countries will be temporarily relieved, the underlying tensions between them will not end easily.

Sales at U.S. retailers rose slightly in November and mostly benefited a few merchants such as auto dealers and internet stores, suggesting the holiday season got off to a sluggish start.  Retail sales edged up 0.2% last month economists polled had expected a 0.5% increase.

Oregon spent half a decade as one of the nation’s hottest housing markets, with home prices soaring by up to 10% annually for much of the stretch from 2013 to 2018.  Now, for the first time since 2012, home prices are rising faster nationally than they are in Oregon.Growth in Oregon home prices dipped below 5% in each of the first two quarters of the year, less than half their growth rate at the end of 2016.The Oregon slowdown reflects a cooling economy and declining population growth as fewer people move into the state. 

With Northwest Quadrant Wealth Management, I'm Tyler Simones.