Navigating Earnings

October 10, 2022

  The equity market rebounded strongly at the start of last week but declined sharply on Friday following a stronger employment report. Despite Friday’s decline, the major markets held on to gains for the week. The S&P 500 was +1.6%, the Dow was +2.0%, and the NASDAQ was +0.7%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield …

Another Quarter Down

October 3, 2022

  The equity markets closed out their third consecutive down quarter last week. For the week, the S&P 500 was -2.9%, the Dow was -2.9%, and the NASDAQ was -3.0%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield increased to 3.804% at Friday’s close versus 3.697% the previous week. For the third quarter, the S&P 500 Index …

Grand Central Banking

September 26, 2022

  A determined Federal Reserve marching along with another 0.75% increase in short-term interest rates gave investors pause again last week. The S&P 500 was -4.6% for the week, the Dow was -4.0%, and the NASDAQ was -4.6%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield increased to 3.697% at Friday’s close versus 3.447% the previous week. …

We’re Not There Yet

September 19, 2022

  Inflationary concerns in the August Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, released last week, sent stocks lower as there is not yet sufficient data to deter the Federal Reserve from its path of increasing interest rates. The S&P 500 Index was -4.7% for the week, the Dow was -4.1%, and the NASDAQ was -5.8%. The …

Bounce

September 12, 2022

  Despite comments from the Federal Reserve that it would keep raising rates until the job is done on inflation, equities rallied during the short four-day trading week. The S&P 500 was +3.7% for the week, the Dow was +2.7%, and the NASDAQ was +4.1%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield increased to 3.321% at …

Down the Jackson Hole

August 29, 2022

  Equities fell on Friday following comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that the Federal Reserve plans to keep raising interest rates to bring down inflation. The S&P 500 was -4.0% for the week, the Dow was -4.2%, and the NASDAQ was -4.8%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield increased to 3.087% at Friday’s …

Housing Developments

August 22, 2022

  After a strong, four-week run, the market retreated last week. Weakness in housing market data, a mixed set of earnings from retailers, and commentary in the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes from July may have given some investors pause on where the economy goes from here. The S&P 500 was -1.2% for …

Flattening Prices

August 15, 2022

  Markets rose last week as investors viewed the July Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) reports as a sign the pace of inflation has peaked. The S&P 500 was +3.3% for the week, the Dow was +3.0%, and the NASDAQ was +2.7%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield increased to 2.849% …

Summer Jobs

August 8, 2022

  The S&P 500 Index had a third consecutive weekly increase, though more muted than the previous two weeks. The S&P 500 was 0.4% for the week, the Dow was -0.1%, and the NASDAQ was +2.0%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield increased to 2.840% at Friday’s close versus 2.642% the previous week. Continued strength …

Dog Days

August 1, 2022

  The S&P 500 Index had its first back-to-back weekly gain since the end of March. The S&P 500 Index was +4.3% for the week, the Dow was +3.0%, and the NASDAQ was +4.5%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield decreased to 2.642% at Friday’s close versus 2.781% the previous week. The market shrugged off …