07/26/12 Election Poll Highlights...

•In the past week ending Wednesday, the LPL Financial “Wall Street” Election Poll index reflected little change. After a surge for the Democrats in June, July has seen stabilization in the trend.
•Over the past week, the overall market fell. Sharp declines in the Democrat-favored Health Care Facilities, Homebuilding, and Construction Materials industries were matched by similar losses in the Republican-favored Coal Producers, Managed Care, and Exploration and Production industries.

View the entire Election Poll (pdf format)
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Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Election Poll for the week of July 30, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Market Commentary Highlights...

•Given the plunge in European stocks over the past year, are European stocks a good value? We doubt it.
•In general, European stocks are not inexpensive relative to U.S. stocks. This is because earnings per share in Europe have been falling along with prices, keeping price-to-earnings (PE) ratios from offering an attractive discount.

View the entire Market Commentary (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Market Commentary for the week of July 30, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found here.

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Economic Commentary Highlights...

•Progress toward a resolution of Europe’s fiscal issues, a long-term solution to our own “fiscal cliff,” and a reinvigorated Chinese economy could help the U.S. economy reaccelerate.
•We continue to forecast 2% gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2012.
•We still expect the Fed to boost the economy with a third round of quantitative easing (QE3) before year-end.

View the entire economic commentary (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Economic Commentary for the week of July 30, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

07/12/12 Election Poll Highlights...

• In the past week ending Wednesday, the LPL Financial “Wall Street” Election Poll index reflects a shift toward Republicans. The index reflects rising odds for Democrats over the past month and now stands at 111, two points below the highest level of the year.
• Over the past week, the overall market fell. Declines in the Democrat-favored Homebuilding and Farm Equipment industries were the biggest drivers of Republican gains. The Republican-favored Managed Care industry performed better than the Health Care industries on the Democrat side, a reversal from the prior week’s Affordable Care Act response. Coal Producers were the biggest decliner on the Republican side.

View the entire Election Poll (pdf format)________________________________________________________________________________
07/05/12 Election Poll Highlights...

• In the past holiday-shortened week ending Tuesday, the LPL Financial “Wall Street” Election Poll index reflects a shift toward Democrats, reflecting movement in the Health Care sector following Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The index reflects rising odds for Democrats over the past month and now stands at 111, the highest level of the year.
• Over the past week, the overall market rallied. A sharp decline in the Republican-favored Managed Care industry, the only industry in the election poll that fell after the Supreme Court largely upheld the ACA, offset solid gains in the Republican-favored Energy sector. Standout Democratic performers included Construction Materials, Homebuilders, and Farm Equipment.

View the entire Election Poll (pdf format)
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06/21/12 Election Poll Highlights...

• In the past week, the LPL Financial “Wall Street” Election Poll index reflects a shift toward Democrats, though Republicans have picked up over the past month
• Over the past week, the overall stock market rose. The Republican-favored Electric Utilities and Telecommunications companies failed to keep pace with the overall market. Among the Democrat-favored industries, all industries posted gains, led by the Homebuilders.

View the entire Election Poll (pdf format)
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Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Election Polls for the weeks of June 21, July 5, and July 12, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Economic Commentary Highlights...

• The media seems less concerned about recession fears compared with 2011 and 2010.
• The June 2012 employment report, along with other recent reports on the labor market, do not show sustained labor market improvement.
• We believe the Federal Reserve (Fed) will begin another round of quantitative easing (QE) in the months ahead.

View the entire economic commentary (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Economic Commentary for the week of July 4, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx
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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Market Commentary Highlights...

• The market is behaving like it is nervously expecting a big event. The stock market has been jumpy with frequent reversals in direction.
• August is the peak month for new babies to arrive. It has also been the month when the markets have definitively moved one way or the other in recent years.
• August may again mark a turning point for the stock market; however, investors are awaiting a number of key events including those surrounding: the election, Europe, earnings, and the economy.

View the entire Market Commentary (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Market Commentary for the week of July 11, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found here.
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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) is proud to announce that a member of our staff will be hosting Iowa Public Television’s “Market to Market” program.  Mike Pearson will be stepping in as host for the weekly program, following in his father’s footsteps.  Mike’s father, Mark Pearson, had hosted the program for 20 years prior to his death in June.  Mike’s knowledge of farming, business and banking, combined with experience in broadcasting, make him an ideal successor to his father.

“I’m thrilled and honored to take the reins of Market to Market”, states Mike Pearson, “For almost 40 years, folks in rural America have tuned in for trusted advice on the commodity markets, and I’m excited for the opportunity to keep building that trust.” Mike will continue to work at LSB, providing excellent service to his customers, in addition to his new role as host of Market to Market.

Mike has been with LSB for 18 months, first as a Mortgage Lender, and most recently as an Agricultural Relationship Manager and Mortgage Lender.  Upon graduation from High School in 2003, he managed his family’s grain and livestock agribusiness operation and also worked for WOI Radio in Ames.  After graduating from Simpson College, Mike moved to Grinnell with his wife Heidi to start his banking career. Congratulations Mike for continuing LSB’s century-long commitment to being a leader in agriculture!

Click here to see the official press release from IPTV.

• Over the past week, the LPL Financial Current Conditions Index (CCI) remained relatively unchanged at 219. The CCI sustained the rebound from 205 a few weeks ago. However, the index has fallen from 249 back in February, reflecting weaker growth and echoing the spring and summer soft spots of the past two years. The path of the CCI remains consistent with continued, though sluggish, economic growth in the United States.
• The growth momentum in the index has softened with the 13- and 52-week change in the index declining. This year, the CCI has echoed the spring and summer slides of 2010 and 2011, as the economy softened and stocks fell.

View the entire Current Conditions Index (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above commentary for the week of July 5, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at http://www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx
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The LPL Financial Research Current Conditions Index is a weekly measure of the conditions that underpin our outlook for the markets and economy. The CCI provides real-time context and insight into the trends that shape our recommended actions to manage portfolios. This index has proven to be a useful tool for investment decision making.

This weekly index is not intended to be a leading index or predictive of where conditions are headed, but a coincident measure of where they are right now. We want to track the conditions in real-time to aid in investment decision making. There are thousands of indicators-some lead the economy, some lag, while others merely offer a lot of statistical noise. We chose to create our own index tailored to the current environment to provide the clearest and most useful way to track conditions. The components of the CCI are periodically changed to retune the index to those factors most critical to the markets and economy so it may continue to be a valuable investment decision-making tool.

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/default.aspx

Economic Commentary Highlights...

• U.S. jobs report due on Friday, July 6: Will job creation fall short of expectations for a fourth consecutive month in June?
• Market participants would welcome signs that Europe is cooperating and moving closer together.
• We continue to expect that the Chinese economy will avoid a “hard landing.”

View the entire economic commentary (pdf format)

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are pleased to provide the above Economic Commentary for the week of July 4, 2012. The commentary is prepared by LPL FINANCIAL RESEARCH, the broker-dealer partner for Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial. The above commentary and others like it can be found at
www.mylsb.com/investments/commentary.aspx
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This information is being provided by Lincoln Savings Bank (LSB) / LSB Financial, an Iowa-based institution devoted to providing complete financial services since 1902. http://www.mylsb.com/

Securities and Insurance products offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, member FINRA / SIPC.
Not FDIC Insured, No Bank Guarantee, May Lose Value
Not a Deposit, Not Insured by any Federal Government Agency

Lincoln Savings Bank and LSB Financial are not registered broker/dealers, nor are they affiliated with LPL Financial. This site is designed for U.S. residents only. The services offered within this site are available exclusively through our U.S. Investment Representatives. LPL Financials U.S. Investment Representatives may only conduct business with residents of the states for which they are properly registered. Please note that not all of the investments and services mentioned are available in every state.

We would like to congratulate Dana Uhlenhopp for being selected as a Star Lender for 2012 by the The Independent Community Bankers of America®. Each year the ICBA selects 5 lenders from around the country that embody what it means to be a true community banker. These lenders were selected from a group that had been nominated by their peers on the basis of knowledge, professionalism and integrity in serving individuals, families, nonprofits and small businesses throughout their communities. This year Dana Uhlenhopp was selected to receive this honor.

Dana has been in banking for over 30 years and is currently an Executive Vice President here at LSB. In his current role Dana oversees the entire LSB loan portfolio, manages the four loan production offices in central and northeastern Iowa, and leads the 25 lenders we have on staff. Dana has long been a member of the LSB executive team and has no doubt been a great asset to the bank. We have known for a long time how important Dana has been to us and our community and we are glad to see him be recognized for it. Congratulations Dana.

Click here to learn more about this award and the four other recipients.