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Mixed Data, Mixed Results

2024-12-16T08:42:48-06:00December 16, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of December 16th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks finished the week mixed, bookending losses around midweek gains as investors digested fresh inflation data.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slipped 0.64 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index ticked up 0.34 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.82 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 1.48 percent.

Up and Down Week
Stocks fell broadly over the first part of the week. Leading chipmakers who produce semiconductors for artificial intelligence applications were under pressure after Chinese regulators announced an antimonopoly investigation.

Investors breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday morning following news that consumer inflation in November was in line with expectations. Mega-cap tech stocks led the rally, with the Nasdaq closing above 20,000 for the first time. Meanwhile, the Dow fell as healthcare stocks came under pressure.

Stocks remained in the trading range for the …

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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 …

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 …

Stocks Mixed Ahead of Election

2024-10-28T05:11:01-05:00October 28, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of October 28th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks were mixed last week as fresh economic data points and election-related uncertainty slowed market momentum.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.96 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.16 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.68 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 2.30 percent.

Nasdaq Leads
Stocks were mixed for the first half of the week as investors geared up for a steady stream of Q3 reports. The 10-year Treasury yield continued to trend higher, which caught the attention of some traders.
Markets fell Wednesday morning with news that existing home sales fell to a 14-year low in October; still slowed by higher interest rates, sales are on track for their worst year since 1995. Also, pre-election jitters remained an undertow with traders.

News that durable goods orders rose in September buoyed …

Rate Cut Momentum; D.C. Averts Shutdown

2024-10-01T10:18:53-05:00October 1, 2024|Categories: Weekly Update|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Weekly Update

Week of September 30th, 2024
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks moved higher last week, continuing to build on the momentum generated after the Federal Reserve decided to cut short-term rates by 0.50 percent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 0.59 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.95 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.62 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, gained an eye-catching 3.53 percent.

Congress Passes Spending Bill
Stocks started the week tepidly but in the green, as investors mostly shrugged off Tuesday’s weak consumer confidence report. Then, at midweek, markets put on the brakes as investors appeared to take profits after a four-day winning streak.

On Thursday, markets rallied on the news that the final Q2 gross domestic product estimate showed the economy increased at an annual rate of 3.0 percent. Then Friday, the PCE, or Personal Consumption and Expenditures Index, …

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