March came in like a lion today, with all the major indices advancing. The S&P 500 increased 0.4% this week, extending its yearly gain to 11.8%, as shares of financial and technology companies outperformed.
There aren't many issues that spark as much investor concern as our rising national debt. It's clear that the elevated level of federal debt and the annual budget deficit are a result of long-term fiscal trends as well as a reflection of the financial crisis of 2008.
The S&P 500 gained 0.6% this holiday-shortened trading week. U.S. stocks extended their winning streak to nine consecutive weeks - this marks their biggest early-year advance in three decades.This week featured the seventh round of U.S.-China trade talks and some reassurance from the Federal Reserve. The benchmark index increased its rally from the December 24 low to 18.8%.
Despite the recent market recovery, interest rates are still quite low. The yield on the 10-year Treasury had risen above 3.2% as recently as last November, but is now hovering around 2.6%. As a result, the yield curve has "twisted" over the past year, with short-term rates rising and long-term rates falling.
Wall Street held on to gains this week. The S&P 500 gained 0.1% despite recurring concerns about a slowdown in global growth and a U.S. China trade deal leading to some profit-taking action.
The S&P 500 overcame a slow start to the week to finish higher by 1.6%, with earnings coming in better than feared and a dovish-minded Federal Reserve easing the market. In the process, the benchmark index also notched its best January since 1987.
As we near the end of January, it's a good time to take stock of the market recovery so far. The S&P 500 is now flat compared to the beginning of 2018, regaining 13% over the past month.
The S&P 500 took a breather this holiday-shortened trading week, losing 0.2%, amid pestering concerns over global growth prospects. Despite the week's minor setback, the benchmark index finished strong, and is still up 6.3% this month and 13.3% from its Dec. 24 low.
Please find below our 4th Quarter 2018 Newsletter. This issue contains articles on financial planning, investing, and the markets. We hope you find the information helpful.
Please see below for our 2018 Annual Market Review. This report features world capital market performance for the past year. We hope you find it helpful.
The S&P 500 gained 2.9% this week, rising on the back of a strong financial sector (+6.1%) and growing optimism surrounding U.S.-China trade talks. The benchmark index has now posted its fourth straight weekly gain and is now up 6.5% in January.
The corporate earnings season kicks off this week amid concerns of slowing economic growth. It's understandable that some investors are worried about how this could affect corporate earnings and their investment returns. What is the earnings outlook for 2019 and how should investors maintain perspective in this market environment?
So far the Bulls are winning in 2019. The S&P 500 gained 2.5% this week, rising for the third straight week and extending its rally to +10.4% since its Christmas Eve low. The Dow Jones gained 2.4%, the Nasdaq gained 3.5%, and the Russell 2000 gained 4.8%.
Okay, so it wasn't all bad, but my guess is most investors aren't sad to see 2018 go. In case you need a refresher, below is a timeline of events and market performance for the year.
March 1, 2019 Weekly Market Recap