Bounce

August 19, 2024

  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

August 12, 2024

  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

August 5, 2024

  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

July 29, 2024

  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

July 22, 2024

  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

July 15, 2024

  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

July 8, 2024

  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

July 1, 2024

  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

June 24, 2024

  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

June 17, 2024

  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

June 10, 2024

  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

June 3, 2024

  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

May 28, 2024

  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

May 20, 2024

  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

May 13, 2024

  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

May 6, 2024

  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

April 29, 2024

  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. …

April Showers

April 22, 2024

  Stocks continued their decline for the third consecutive week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -3.0%, the Dow was flat, and the NASDAQ was -5.4%. Within the S&P 500 Index, the Utility, Consumer Staples, and Financial sectors had gains for the week, while the Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Real Estate sectors had …

Eclipsed

April 8, 2024

  Stocks were eclipsed by strong economic data to start the second quarter. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -0.9%, the Dow was -2.2%, and the NASDAQ was -0.8%. The best performing sectors in the S&P 500 Index were the Energy, Communication Services, and Materials sectors, while the Health Care, Real Estate, and …

Shiny Quarter

April 1, 2024

  Stocks closed out a strong first quarter of the year with moderate gains during a holiday shortened week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +0.4%, the Dow was +0.8%, and the NASDAQ was -0.3%. The best performing sectors in the S&P 500 Index were the Utility, Real Estate, and Materials sectors, while …

Steady Feddy

March 25, 2024

  Stocks continued their uptrend last week after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +2.3%, the Dow was +2.0%, and the NASDAQ was +3.0%. The best performing sectors in the S&P 500 Index were the Communication Services, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrial sectors, while the Real Estate, …

Stubborn

March 18, 2024

  Stubborn inflation data kept stocks muted last week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -0.1%, the Dow was flat, and the NASDAQ was -1.2%. The best performing sectors in the S&P 500 Index were the Energy, Materials, and Consumer Staples sectors, while the Real Estate, Consumer Discretionary, and Technology sectors lagged. The …

Both Sides of the Coin

March 11, 2024

  Stocks ended the week on a down note on Friday. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -0.2%, the Dow was -0.8%, and the NASDAQ was -1.5%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Utility, Real Estate, and Materials sectors, while the Consumer Discretionary, Technology, and Communication Services sectors lagged. The 10-year …

In Like a Lion

March 4, 2024

  Stocks have come into March like a lion year-to-date with the S&P 500 Index +8.0%. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.0%, the Dow was flat, and the NASDAQ was +2.1%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Technology, Real Estate, and Consumer Discretionary sectors, while the Health Care, Consumer Staples, …

Leap Year

February 26, 2024

  The S&P 500 Index leaped back to new highs last week. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.7%, the Dow was +1.3%, and the NASDAQ was +1.4%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Consumer Staples, Materials, and Industrial sectors, while the Energy, Real Estate, and Communication sectors lagged. All eleven …

Sticky Prices

February 20, 2024

  The S&P 500 Index had only its second weekly loss year-to-date but did stay above the 5,000 level. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was -0.3%, the Dow was just a touch positive, and the NASDAQ was -1.5%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Energy, Materials, and Utility sectors, while the …

Stock Love

February 12, 2024

  Investors have shown stocks a lot of love so far this year, pushing the S&P 500 Index above the 5,000 level for the first time. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.4%, the Dow was +0.1%, and the NASDAQ +1.8%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and …

More Progress is Needed

February 5, 2024

  The S&P 500 Index declined intra-week due to hawkish Federal Reserve comments, but rallied Friday to close at a new high. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.4%, the Dow was +1.4%, and the NASDAQ +1.3%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Consumer Discretionary, Communication Services, and Consumer Staples sectors, …

Stop and Go

January 16, 2024

  The major equity indices rebounded from the initial down week of 2024. For the week, the S&P 500 Index was +1.9%, the Dow was +0.4%, and the NASDAQ +3.2%. The S&P 500 Index was led by the Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Staples sectors, while the Energy, Utility, and Materials sectors lagged. The 10-year …