Monthly Archives: November 2024

  • 11 25 24 | CTS Financial Group

Pre-Holiday Optimism Lifts Markets

2024-11-25T06:21:34-06:00November 25, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of November 25th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks advanced last week, powering ahead with pre-holiday optimism despite geopolitical tensions and two disappointing Q3 corporate updates.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.68 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.73 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led, picking up 1.96 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, was flat (-0.05 percent).

Stock Push Ahead
Stocks showed mixed results during the first half of the week due to geopolitical tensions that boosted precious metals and put pressure on Treasury yields.

The Dow Industrials jumped out in front midweek and never looked back. Disappointing earnings on Tuesday from a large box retailer held back some gains in the broader S&P 500. A mixed Q3 update report from the nation’s leading AI chipmaking company also tempered gains a bit.

Year-end optimism, especially around consumers driving a healthy …

Rally Loses Steam; Fed Weighs Move

2024-11-18T08:50:26-06:00November 18, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of November 18th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks fell last week as the post-election rally lost momentum amid an inflation uptick and cautious comments from Fed officials.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 2.08 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 3.15 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.24 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped by 2.38 percent.

Rally Fizzles, Data Rattles
Stocks began the week with modest gains as all three major indexes hit record highs. On Tuesday, stocks took a breather with monthly inflation pending.

News that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) ticked up slightly in October injected some uncertainty into the markets. The Producer Price Index released the following day showed wholesale inflation ticked up last month. While both the CPI and PPI aligned with expectations, investors hoped for better news.
Comments from Fed Chair Powell that the …

Stocks Surge Post-Election; Fed Cuts Quarter Point

2024-11-11T10:23:55-06:00November 11, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of November 11th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks surged higher last week, fueled by the Fed’s rate cut decision and post-election enthusiasm as investors looked to future policy impacts of a Republican-controlled Senate and executive branch. (The House of Representatives still remains officially undecided.)

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index spiked 4.65 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 5.74 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4.61 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, was basically flat (down 0.02 percent).

Stocks Extend Rally on Election News
It was a shaky start to the week for stocks as investors anxiously awaited election results and the Fed’s interest-rate decision.

On Election Day, stocks rallied broadly before polling places closed. After the election was called early the next morning, stocks opened higher and climbed throughout the trading session. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to …

Stocks Retreat on Jobs and Election Concerns

2024-11-04T14:45:53-06:00November 4, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of November 4th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks slid last week as mixed economic data and strong-but-not-spectacular Q3 corporate reports failed to inspire investors.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.36 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index declined 1.50 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 0.15 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 0.96 percent.

Q3 Reports Uninspired
Stocks rallied early Wednesday after the gross domestic product report showed a strong economy that appeared on the path to a soft landing. However, stocks moved lower throughout the day as investors digested mixed Q3 reports from a few mega-cap tech names.

Stocks were under more pressure Thursday as disappointing outlooks for some key tech companies pulled the market down. A softer-than-expected jobs report on Friday unsettled investors, but stocks picked up as the day progressed, and attention shifted to how the …

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