Ready to Spend

March 1, 2021

  A sharply steepening yield curve pressured stocks last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was –1.7%, the S&P 500 Index was –2.4%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was –4.9%. We are nearing the end of the fourth quarter earnings season with 479 in the S&P 500 Index having reported earnings. Eighty percent of companies …

Frozen

February 22, 2021

  The equity market advance froze this week along with most of the country. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was +0.2%, the S&P 500 Index was –0.7%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was –1.6%. With 399 companies in the S&P 500 Index having reported fourth quarter earnings, 81.7% have reported earnings above consensus. Continuing the …

Vaccination Acceleration

February 16, 2021

Continued progress on COVID-19 vaccine administration, stimulus, and quarterly earnings lifted equity markets last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was +1.1%, the S&P 500 Index was +1.3%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was +1.5%. With 372 companies in the S&P 500 Index having reported fourth quarter earnings, 82.0% have reported earnings above consensus. Earnings …

Fourth Quarter Comeback

February 8, 2021

  Positive quarterly earnings reports and progress on stimulus talks helped the equity market rebound to start February on a positive note. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was +3.6%, the S&P 500 Index was +4.3%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was +4.9%. We’re just past halfway in the fourth quarter earnings cycle and S&P 500 …

The Long and Short of It

February 1, 2021

  The financial headlines were packed last week with earnings results, short squeezes, and vaccine news. The end results left all major U.S. market averages in the red for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 Index, and NASDAQ 100 Index were all down 3.3%. We are almost halfway through the fourth quarter …

Weekly Rebound

January 25, 2021

  The stock market rebounded last week. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was +0.6%,  the S&P 500 Index was +2.0%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was +4.4%. The flurry of fourth quarter earnings reports continue this week with 120 companies in the S&P 500 Index scheduled to report earnings. Of the 66 …

Report Cards

January 19, 2021

  The stock market posted its first down week of 2021. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.3%,  the S&P 500 Index declined 0.7%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index declined 1.6%. Small cap stocks and oil both posted gains for the week. We start to move deeper into fourth quarter earnings reports …

Strong Start

January 11, 2021

  The stock market shrugged off a down first trading day of the year and finished the first week of 2021 with gains. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was +1.7%,  the S&P 500 Index was +1.9%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was +1.7%. Oil also continued its year-end rally and opened 2021 …

Best Foot Forward

January 4, 2021

  The world bid farewell to the disruptive year of 2020 and an optimistic hello to 2021. All the uncertainty hasn’t disappeared simply because of the calendar transition, but there is a sense of optimism that 2021 will be a year of positive improvement in the economy, social and family interaction, and healthcare regarding COVID. …

We Made It!

December 28, 2020

  President Trump signed the stimulus and omnibus bill on Sunday. This funds the government through September 30th and provides multiple stimulus measures outlined below in our Dissecting Headlines section. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was +0.1%,  the S&P 500 Index was –0.1%, and the NASDAQ 100 Index was –0.2%. Initial unemployment …