Stocks gave back some of their post-election gains as concerns over the pace of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve emerged based on comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -2.0%, the Dow Jones -1.2%, and the NASDAQ -3.4%. The Financial, Energy, and Utility sectors led …
Election Bump
Equity markets rose sharply after the results of the U.S. elections. Equity markets had their best week of the year with the S&P 500 +4.7%, the Dow +4.6%, and the NASDAQ +5.4%. All eleven sectors in the S&P 500 Index were positive for the week. The Consumer Discretionary, Energy, and Industrial sectors posted the …
Week of Weeks
Equity markets declined for a second week. For the week, the S&P 500 was -1.4%, the Dow -0.1%, and the NASDAQ -1.6%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Communication Services and Consumer Discretionary sectors posted the only two weekly advances, while the Technology, Real Estate and Utility sectors saw the greatest declines. The 10-year …
Investors Digest
The NASDAQ managed a weekly gain while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones indices declined last week. For the week, the S&P 500 was -1.0%, the Dow -2.7%, and the NASDAQ +0.1%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Consumer Discretionary, Technology, and Communication Services sectors led the market. The Materials, Health Care, and Industrial …
Campaigning
Equity markets completed a sixth straight winning week. For last week, the S&P 500 was +0.9%, the Dow +1.0%, and the NASDAQ +0.3%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Utility, Real Estate, and Financial sectors led the market. The Energy, Health Care, and Communication Services sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield decreased …
Stocktober
The next few weeks should give investors a lot to digest. The third quarter earnings season is in full swing, there is a hotly contested election in 22 days, and the next monetary policy decision from the Federal Reserve is two days after the election. For last week, optimism won out and U.S. equity …
Labor Force
Labor news had an impact on markets last week. The port workers went on strike on Tuesday and then back to work on Friday, and the September labor market report was well above expectations. Stocks labored most of the week before a relief rally on Friday. For the week, the S&P 500 was +0.3%, …
Tailwind
Stocks kept up their post-Fed meeting momentum last week. For the week, the S&P 500 was +0.6%, the Dow was +0.6%, and the NASDAQ was +1.1%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Materials, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrial sectors led the market. The Health Care, Energy, and Financial sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note …
Start of the Cycle
Stocks advanced as the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by 0.50%. For the week, the S&P 500 was +1.4%, the Dow was +1.7%, and the NASDAQ was +1.4%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Energy, Communication Services, and Financial sectors led the market. The Consumer Staples, Real Estate, and Health Care sectors lagged. The …
Cut Day
Stocks rallied back last week in anticipation of an easing in monetary policy to be announced this week. For the week, the S&P 500 was +4.1%, the Dow was +2.6%, and the NASDAQ was +6.0%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Communication Services sectors led the market. The Energy, Financial, …
Game On
September started with downside pressure in the equity markets. For the week, the S&P 500 was -4.2%, the Dow was -2.9%, and the NASDAQ was -5.9%. Within the S&P 500 Index, Consumer Staples and Real Estate were the only two positive sectors for the week. The worst performing sectors were Technology, Energy, and Communication …
Back to Work
The equity markets were mixed in the final week of August. For the week, the S&P 500 was +0.3%, the Dow was +1.1%, and the NASDAQ was -2.0%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Financials, Industrials, and Materials sectors led the market, while the Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary sectors lagged. The 10-year …
The Time Has Come
The equity market finished higher on the week as Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the time has come for monetary policy to adjust. For the week, the S&P 500 was +1.5%, the Dow was +1.3%, and the NASDAQ was +1.1%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Real Estate, Materials, and Consumer Discretionary sectors led …
Bounce
The equity market bounce continued last week. For the week, the S&P 500 was +4.0%, the Dow was +3.0%, and the NASDAQ was +5.4%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Financial sectors led the market, while the Real Estate, Communication Services, and Utilities sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note …
Rapid Movement
The S&P 500 Index fell sharply last Monday, down 3% on the day, but slowly gained that back over the course of the week to finish near flat. For the week, the S&P 500 was unchanged, the Dow was -0.6%, and the NASDAQ was +0.4%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Industrial, Energy, and …
Summer Swoon
Equity markets retreated last week on concerns that rate cuts may come too late to keep the economy from slipping. For the week, the S&P 500 was -2.0%, the Dow was -2.1%, and the NASDAQ was -3.1%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Utilities, Real Estate, and Communication Services sectors led the market, while …
Dog Days
The rotation continued last week with small cap stocks outpacing large cap stocks, especially in the technology sector. The Russell 2000 Index was +3.5% for the week, while the Dow was the only positive major average +0.8% and the S&P 500 fell 0.8% and the NASDAQ fell 2.6%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the …
Rotation
The rotation away from large cap tech stocks and into small cap stocks continued last week. The S&P 500 Index was     -1.9%, the Dow was +0.7%, and the NASDAQ was -4.0%. The Russell 2000 Index was +1.7% for the week. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Energy, Financial, and Real Estate sectors led, while …
Rate Cut Horizon
Upside spread to wider areas of the equity market as investors gained confidence that inflation is trending lower and that rate cuts are on the horizon. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +0.9%, the Dow was +1.6%, and the NASDAQ was -0.3%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Real Estate, Utility, and …
Checking In
Stocks advanced to start the third quarter. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +2.0%, the Dow was +0.7%, and the NASDAQ was +3.0%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Consumer Discretionary, Technology, and Communication Services sectors led, while the Energy, Health Care, and Industrial sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield …
Halftime
Stocks fell modestly last week but closed out the first half of 2024 with gains. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -0.1%, the Dow was -0.1%, and the NASDAQ was -0.1%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Energy, Communication Services, and Consumer Discretionary sectors led, while the Utility, Materials, and Consumer Staples …
Summer Solstice
Stocks posted gains during the holiday shortened week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +0.6%, the Dow was +1.5%, and the NASDAQ was +0.2%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Consumer Discretionary, Energy, and Financial sectors led, while the Utility, Real Estate, and Technology sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield …
Dialing Back
Tame inflation data led the S&P 500 and NASDAQ higher last week, even though the Federal Reserve dialed back its projections for interest rate reductions . For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.6%, the Dow was -0.5%, and the NASDAQ was +3.5%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology, Real Estate, and …
Rate Debate
Markets absorbed strong employment data and finished higher last week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.4%, the Dow was +0.3%, and the NASDAQ was +2.5%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology, Health Care, and Communication Services sectors led, while the Utility, Energy, and Materials sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury …
May Flowered
The S&P 500 Index rose 4.96% in May to recover the 4.08% decline from April. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -0.5%, the Dow was -0.9%, and the NASDAQ was -1.4%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Energy, Real Estate, and Utility sectors led, while the Technology, Industrial, and Health Care sectors …
Leveling Off
Stocks leveled off last week after a multi-week advance. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was flat, the Dow was -2.3%, and the NASDAQ was +0.4%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology and Communication Services sectors were the only two with a weekly advance. The Energy, Real Estate, and Financial sectors were …
Hello Summer
Stocks advanced to new highs last week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.6%, the Dow was +1.3%, and the NASDAQ was +2.2%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology, Real Estate, and Health Care sectors led the advance, while the Industrial, Consumer Discretionary, and Materials sectors lagged. The 10-year U.S. Treasury …
Bouncing Back
Stocks advanced in a week with little major data to sway sentiment. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.9%, the Dow was +2.2%, and the NASDAQ was +1.5%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Utility, Financial, and Materials sectors led the advance, while the Consumer Discretionary, Energy, and Technology sectors lagged. The …
Cool Jobs
A steady Federal Reserve and a moderating labor market helped stocks rise for a second consecutive week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +0.6%, the Dow was +1.1%, and the NASDAQ was +1.0%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Utility, Real Estate, and Technology sectors led the advance, while the Energy, Financials, …
Fundamental Victory
Stocks snapped their three-week losing streak on several strong earnings reports. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +2.7%, the Dow was +0.7%, and the NASDAQ was +4.0%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrial sectors led the advance, while the Materials, Health Care, and Communication Services sectors trailed. …