Replenishing

May 4, 2020

  Incremental social and economic activity continues across the globe.  Some harder hit countries and specific areas of the United States will take longer to re-open, but the transition can be seen as restrictions on individuals and businesses in many areas continue to relax.  Increased economic activity should follow. For first quarter earnings, 275 companies …

Opening Day

April 27, 2020

  Some States have begun partial re-opening of previously closed businesses and activities, and several other States have been discussing re-opening plans. The opening of the economy is likely to be state-by-state and industry-by-industry.  COVID cases have risen where testing has increased, but hospitalizations and deaths appear to have peaked in most States giving governors …

The End of the Beginning

April 20, 2020

  The equity markets put together back-to-back winning weeks as the economy and COVID-19 news is less worse than it was potentially forecast to be just a few weeks ago. The curve appears to be flattening on COVID, select parts of the U.S. are set to be opened this month, and most of the early …

Looking Under the Hood

April 13, 2020

  Global equity markets had a strong recovery rally last week as scenarios begin to firm up of when the COVID-19 peaks in various countries and the global economy begins to re-open.  While the social and economic recovery is likely to last several months or longer, the financial markets tend to anticipate outcomes and a …

Waiting on Normal

April 6, 2020

  The equity market gave back some of its recent gains last week, but volatility also decreased which we view as a welcome signal relative to the higher levels of volatility we’ve seen over the past few weeks.  Uncertain timing on a return to normalcy in society and the economy is likely to weigh on …

Bridging the Gap

March 30, 2020

  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives and was signed by the President on Friday.  If uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus was centered on the two unknowns of the infection itself and what the government was doing about it, …

Taking Action

March 23, 2020

  As the measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) are beginning to take a toll on the economy through a reduction in activity in travel, dining, entertainment and other consumer spending categories, the U.S. government has been formulating ways to help stem the economic impact on both consumers and businesses. Two …

March Madness

March 16, 2020

  Uncertainty over the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to negatively impact markets. The declaration of a national emergency on Friday allows coordinated action and financial resources to be used to shore up the economy and provide assistance to public health organizations. In our Dissecting Headlines section, we look at the national emergency …

Silver Linings

March 9, 2020

  As markets continue to experience volatility amid economic concerns from the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to look at counterbalancing effects we are seeing to stabilize the economy. We mentioned last week we believe the economy should self-correct over time.  While 10-year Treasury yields have fallen, the Federal Reserve also made the …

Keeping Perspective

March 2, 2020

  Global equity markets had their worst week in several years last week. The weekly decline, due to economic concerns surrounding the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), has pulled all major stock indices into negative territory for the year. Market volatility, which included several large intra-day swings, is indicative of the uncertainty. In our Dissecting …

Risk On / Risk Off

February 24, 2020

  Continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) led stocks to the downside late last week. News of the virus also spreading outside of China to countries such as Italy has brought additional concern to investors trying to understand the potential economic impact of the outbreak. We view the issue as transitory. While the first quarter …

NovaPoint Capital Awarded Top Guns Designation by Informa Financial Intelligence

February 19, 2020

  NovaPoint Capital has been awarded a PSN Top Guns distinction by Informa Financial Intelligence’s PSN manager database, North America’s longest running database of investment managers. NovaPoint Capital was honored with the Bull & Bear Masters Top Gun rating for its Dividend Growth Strategy for the three-year period ending December 31, 2019. “We are very …

Earnings Matter

February 17, 2020

  Despite concerns over impact of the coronavirus, the equity markets staged a recovery back toward record levels last week. We believe the significant story here is corporate earnings. With 387 companies in the S&P 500 Index having reported fourth quarter 2019 earnings, 72% have exceeded expectations, 10% have been in-line and 19% have been …

Feeling Better

February 10, 2020

  Coronavirus fear ebbed early in the week allowing investors to focus on good corporate earnings growth and a strong January employment report. Deaths in China from the coronavirus have now surpassed SARS (>811) but when considering the current U.S. flu season has seen over 10,000 deaths we can see things in better perspective. Still, …

Groundhog

February 3, 2020

  Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, predicted an early Spring over the weekend. We’d take caution with the prediction as the groundhog has only been about 40% correct historically on his weather predictions. He predicted an early Spring last year that did not prove correct. Likewise, not many market prognosticators know the extent of the coronavirus …

Gone Viral

January 27, 2020

  The enthusiasm from the Phase One U.S. – China trade agreement was quickly tempered as fear of the economic impact of the Coronavirus on global growth seeped into the markets. Major market averages saw their first weekly decline for the year. Despite the headline health scare, corporate earnings reporting season rolls on. With 85 …

Phase One Trade Agreement Signed

January 20, 2020

  A good start to the fourth quarter earnings reporting season and the signing of the Phase One trade agreement between the U.S. and China combined to maintain positive equity market momentum this past week. With 44 companies having reported fourth quarter earnings, 70% have exceeded expectations, 7% have reported in-line, and 23% have reported …

Focus Returns to Corporate Earnings

January 13, 2020

  After a short period of volatility surrounding U.S.—Iran tensions, the market continued its current climb once investors assessed that the situation was deescalating. Geopolitical tensions aside, investors can return their focus to company fundamentals this week as the fourth quarter corporate earnings season kicks off. Twenty-six companies in the S&P 500 Index are scheduled …

Off to the Races

January 6, 2020

  Momentum from year-end continued into the new year until U.S. – Iran tension reached a boiling point. The typical Middle East worry trade followed with oil, gold, Treasury bonds, bond proxies, and defense industry stocks to the positive in an otherwise down market. The Federal Reserve released the minutes from its December meeting. The …

Roaring into the 20’s

December 30, 2019

  Barring any significant disruption happening over the next two days, the equity market will be closing 2019 at, or near, record highs. Many of the worries from a year ago, such as global trade and a hawkish Federal Reserve, have dissipated. Consumer spending has been a key component of economic growth for the year. …

Christmas Market

December 23, 2019

  The stock market continues to grind higher driven by favorable progress on trade between both U.S.-China and U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA). China appears to be accommodative to reducing tariffs and the U.S. is reciprocating. The key issues of intellectual property protections and further opening of China’s financial sector should take longer to work out. Trade should …

Trade Progress

December 16, 2019

  The stock market finished the week higher and hit all-time highs after a US-China trade deal was agreed upon. The agreement, known as a phase-one deal, averted new tariffs on $160 Billion of consumer goods set to start on December 15th. The agreement also reduced some current tariffs, with China agreeing to increase purchases …

Working

December 9, 2019

  The stock market struggled most of the week but staged a comeback rally on Friday on the better than expected employment report for November. The Labor Department reported nonfarm payrolls increased by 266,000 in November, well above expectations of 180,000. The unemployment rate also declined from 3.6% to 3.5%. This marks the 21st consecutive …

Homestretch

December 2, 2019

  The S&P 500 Index closed November +3.6%, its best monthly performance since June. Investor confidence in a healthy consumer, low inflation, and optimism on U.S.—China trade talks continue to buoy stocks. With only a month left in 2019, there are a few remaining milestones to monitor as we move into the end of the …

Thankful

November 25, 2019

  Stocks retreated from record levels last week. The third quarter earnings season is near finished with 476 of 500 companies having reported earnings. The earnings reporting season has materialized better than first thought a few months ago. Earnings should finish with a mild year-over-year decline of less than 0.5% versus expectations of a 2.2% …

Tracking the Consumer

November 11, 2019

  Optimism on U.S.—China trade helped markets extend gains for the third straight week. Stocks are at record levels as the third quarter earnings season slows into its final weeks. Of the 446 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported 3Q earnings, 74% have exceeded expectations, 7% have met expectations and 19% have reported …

Goldilocks

November 4, 2019

  Lots of positives stacked up this past week with the Fed lowering short-term interest rates by 0.25%, a stronger than expected employment report, and continued progress on U.S. – China trade. These along with good third quarter earnings reports pushed the S&P 500 into record territory. The Federal Reserve lowered its short-term target rate …

Earnings Tricks and Fed Treats

October 28, 2019

  The corporate earnings season has so far been less negative than originally anticipated. Of the 199 companies that have reported 3Q earnings, 78% have exceeded expectations, 7% have met expectations, and 15% have reported below expectations. This has improved current earnings estimates for the quarter to a 2.0% decline in year/year earnings on 3.4% …