June 12, 2020 Weekly Market Recap

It was a wild ride to say the least! The stock market started the week hitting a key milestone - the S&P 500 turned positive for the year, and the Nasdaq Composite rose above 10,000 for the first time - but succumbed to profit taking that handed it its worst week since March. The S&P 500 fell 4.8%, the Nasdaq fell 2.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 5.6%, the Russell 2000 fell 7.9%.

Jobs Surprise and the Recovery

The latest jobs report is a positive (and huge) surprise for the economy. It shows that rather than losing an expected 7.5 million jobs in May, the economy gained 2.5 million. The unemployment rate also fell from 14.7% to 13.3% while the under-employment rate ticked down too.

June 5, 2020 Weekly Market Recap

It was a huge week for the market, as stocks were boosted by the May employment report. The S&P 500 rose 4.9%, closing just below the 3200 level on the back of improving economic data, recovery optimism, and a fear of missing out.

How Housing Prices Affect Economic Recovery

With the economy slowly reopening across the country, the question remains: will consumers feel confident enough to spend? Or will they wait and see, effectively delaying the recovery? While it may take months for the economic data to reveal exactly how consumers feel, there are several indicators today which may be helpful.

Welcome Our Summer Interns!

We are thrilled to have two bright minds joining us for our 2020 Summer Internship program! Please join us in welcoming Rachel Buckhoff and Jared Tobin. Rachel attends University of Texas majoring in Finance, and Jared attends Texas Tech majoring in Personal Financial Planning. Welcome!

May 29, 2020 Weekly Market Recap

Broad-based gains lift the S&P 500 back above its 200-day moving average. The stock market extended its rally this week on continued optimism about an economic recovery and a fear of missing out on further gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed with a 3.8% gain, followed by the S&P 500 (+3.0%), Russell 2000 (+2.8%), and Nasdaq Composite (+1.8%).

When the Economy & Stocks Completely Diverge

Do you find it puzzling when a bleak economic report emerges from the press, only to be accompanied by a positive surge in the stock market? You’re not alone. The last few weeks have produced many examples of a stark contrast between stock market performance and economic indicators. So why the apparent disconnect?

The Bumpy Road to Long-Term Averages

In the investing world, we like to use average annualized returns when discussing the long-term performance of a security or portfolio. It's certainly not a perfect gauge, but it's pretty much the best we've got.

Zoom Now Worth More Than 7 Largest Airlines

You want to see something crazy? Check out the visual below (courtesy of the Visual Capitalist). Zoom, the increasingly popular video conferencing company, is now worth more than the world's largest seven airlines, combined!

May 15, 2020 Weekly Market Recap

The stock market closed lower this week, as concerns about an economic recovery, U.S.-China tensions, and valuations weighed on sentiment. The small-cap Russell 2000 underperformed with a steep 5.5% decline, followed by more modest losses in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (-2.7%), S&P 500 (-2.3%), and Nasdaq Composite (-1.2%).

How COVID-19 Impacts Medicare Coverage

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created uncertainty across the nation and world over the last several months. The global health concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus have prompted Medicare recipients to wonder how it will impact their coverage.

The Great Depression vs. Today

Given the speed and severity by which global economic growth has collapsed since the coronavirus forced nations to shut down, many people are naturally wondering whether we are in a recession or a depression. While there are no hard-and-fast rules for distinguishing between the two, there are clear qualitative differences.

May 8, 2020 Weekly Market Recap

The stock market returned to its winning ways this week in a broad-based advance led by the mega-cap technology stocks. The Nasdaq Composite led the way with a 6.0% gain that lifted the tech index back into positive territory for the year. The Russell 2000 (+5.5%) was next in line, followed by the S&P 500 (+3.5%) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (+2.6%).

How Consumer Spending Will Affect the Economic Recovery

Will Small Cap Stocks Pull Through?

With recession concerns intensifying in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many may be wondering whether small cap stocks are poised to struggle. Are small companies more vulnerable now than they have been during other periods of economic distress? And what are the implications for the size premium? That is, the tendency for small cap stocks to outperform over the long-term.

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