Market Week: July 8, 2024
The Markets (as of market close July 5, 2024)
The stock market fared quite nicely during the Fourth of July week. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted gains, with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 reaching record highs a few times during the week. Only the small caps of the Russell 2000 slid lower. The June jobs report (see below) gave investors encouragement that the Fed may be inclined to cut interest rates as early as September. Information technology, consumer discretionary, and communication services outperformed among the market sectors, while energy and health care lagged. Ten-year Treasury yields dipped 7.0 basis points. Crude oil prices advanced as tensions in the Middle East escalated. Gas prices increased, while some expect prices at the pump to continue to rise.
Market Week: July 1, 2024
The Markets (as of market close June 28, 2024)
Stocks closed generally higher for the week, with the Russell 2000, the Nasdaq, and the Global Dow posting gains, while the large caps of the Dow and the S&P 500 declined. Ten-year Treasury yields rose as bond prices fell. Crude oil prices gained about $1.00 per barrel. The dollar and gold prices inched higher. Investors are most likely reassessing their positions following the presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The majority of the market sectors declined last week, with utilities and materials falling the most. Consumer discretionary, communication services, and energy outperformed.
Market Week: June 17, 2024
The Markets (as of market close June 14, 2024)
U.S. stocks outpaced the rest of the world last week as global investors sought relief from the turmoil caused by European elections. Tech stocks carried the market as investors digested a pair of cooling inflation reports. The Nasdaq closed at record highs every day last week, and the S&P 500 also posted a solid gain, while the Russell 2000, the Dow, and the Global Dow all lost ground. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield saw its largest weekly decline of the year. Crude oil prices surged, gold prices rose, and the dollar advanced for the fourth week in a row.
Market Week: June 10, 2024
The Markets (as of market close June 7, 2024)
Despite a dip at the end of the week, stocks closed last week generally higher, with the exception of the economically sensitive small caps of the Russell 2000. A robust jobs report at the end of last week may have alleviated concerns about an economic slowdown, but it also strengthened the Fed’s case to refrain from lowering interest rates until inflation recedes. Nevertheless, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq recorded fresh records. Among the market sectors, information technology, health care, communication services, and consumer staples performed well, while utilities, energy, and materials ended the week in the red. With the likelihood of a rate cut diminishing, bond prices fell, driving yields higher. The dollar also benefited from the jobs report, climbing higher against a basket of currencies.
Market Week: June 3, 2024
The Markets (as of market close May 31, 2024)
Equities generally closed lower by the end of the week with, the Nasdaq and the Dow falling furthest among the benchmark indexes listed here. The Russell 2000 and the Global Dow were flat. Investors spent the week assessing the first-quarter gross domestic product, jobless claims, and corporate earnings data. Ten-year Treasury yields rose as bond prices dipped, on hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials and a weaker Treasury auction. Crude oil prices dipped and prices at the pump dipped lower. Utilities led the market sectors, with energy and real estate outperforming. Health care, industrials, and information technology closed in the red.
Market Week: May 27, 2024
The Markets (as of market close May 24, 2024)
Tech shares, particularly AI stocks, helped push the Nasdaq, and to a much lesser extent, the S&P 500
higher last week. The Dow, the Russell 2000, and the Global Dow declined. During a week when volume
was relatively light, investors latched onto favorable corporate earnings data from some major tech and AI companies. Among the market sectors, only information technology and communication services closed higher. Real estate and energy fell the furthest. Treasury yields inched higher, while crude oil prices fell 2.74%, yet remain up 9.1% year to date. Gold prices, which had been soaring, had their worst week in a while, although they are up nearly 13.0% from the beginning of the year.
Market Week: May 20, 2024
The Markets (as of market close May 17, 2024)
Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq advanced for the fourth straight week, which is the first time that has happened since February. Not to be outdone, the Dow advanced for a fifth straight week. Much of the week’s focus was on inflation data (see below). Investors will now look to responsive comments from Federal Reserve officials for any potential changes in interest rate expectations. Information technology and real estate led the market sectors, while consumer discretionary and industrials closed in the red. The dollar slipped nearly 0.75% against a basket of currencies. Gold prices advanced over 2.0% for the week and nearly 17.0% for the year. Crude oil prices climbed more than $1.00 per barrel.
Market Week: May 13, 2024
The Markets (as of market close May 10, 2024)
The market closed last week higher. Investor sentiment was bolstered by good corporate earnings results from key megacaps. Of the 459 companies of the S&P 500 that have reported earnings, 77% beat consensus predictions. The Dow rode an eight-session winning streak, while the S&P 500 approached a record high. Among the market sectors, only consumer discretionary closed the week in the red. Utilities advanced 4.0% to lead the sectors, while financials, materials, consumer staples, communications services, and industrials outperformed. Treasury yields ended the week where they began. Crude oil prices advanced marginally. Gold prices jumped higher.
Market Week: May 6, 2024
The Markets (as of market close May 3, 2024)
The markets enjoyed a solid week of gains on the heels of favorable corporate earnings data and a softer-than-expected employment report (see below). Investors could be viewing the dip in job hires and wage growth as the fuel the Federal Reserve needs to consider interest rate cuts. The Fed has consistently maintained that a softening labor market would help drive inflation lower. The Russell 2000 and the Nasdaq led the benchmark indexes listed here. Ten-year Treasury yields, gold prices, and the dollar declined. Crude oil prices slid more than 6.5% amid rising inventories and a push for a Gaza ceasefire.
Market Month: April 2024
The Markets (as of market close April 30, 2024)
Stocks ended April lower, with each of the benchmark indexes enduring their first downturn in several months. Throughout April, investors had to factor in the escalating crisis in the Middle East, increased spending to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, rising inflation, and the Federal Reserve’s apparent intent to hold interest rates at a two-decade high. With April’s decline, the S&P 500 was on track to end a streak of five straight monthly gains. Consumer confidence (see below) fell in April to its lowest level since 2022. While the labor market continued to support job growth, labor costs increased the most in a year, driven higher by wage pressures that are helping to push inflation higher.