For much of the 2nd Quarter markets focused on the Federal Reserve, wondering how the central bank would respond to rising inflationary pressures throughout the U.S. economy. Stock performance wavered over the three-month period but ended the quarter up 8.5%. Interest rates retreated from last quarter’s post-COVID peak to settle…
Rising interest rates and inflation concerns weighed on investors in Q1, as a fresh injection of government stimulas and increasing vacination rates boost optimism for economic growth. Energy and financial stocks continue to shine, while tech shares took a breather after several quarters of strong performance.
U.S. equity markets were positive across all market sectors during the three-month period, led by a resurgence in energy and financial stocks, two areas that had been out of favor earlier in the year. Investor optimism was lifted by a record-setting rebound in GDP growth for Q3. The S&P 500…
U.S. stocks surged during the summer months. The stock market’s strength stood in contrast to the U.S. economy, which saw a drop in growth and slowing employment gains as COVID-19 continued. September brought headwinds and broad declines for nearly all market indexes and sectors. Overall, stocks ended Q3 on the…
U.S. stocks rebounded from the swift market downturn in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bounce from the market bottom happened almost as fast as the drop in March, and renewed investors’ confidence about the resiliency of the U.S. economy. Employment and GDP reports early in the quarter…
News of global slowdowns, trade wars and presidential impeachment couldn’t derail stocks as the U.S. equity market recorded one of its strongest years in recent history with the S&P 500 Index ending 2019 near all-time highs. All sectors except for energy experienced annual gains. Interest rates finished the year on…
U.S. stock markets meandered through the summer months, with the S&P 500 Index managing a small gain of 1.7% for the 3rd Quarter. In July though, stocks rose on expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut, which was delivered on July 31. Volatility returned to the market in August as…
Stocks whipsawed in Q2-rising in April, falling through May, then recovering in June-but the S&P 500 Index managed a 4.3% gain for the three-month period. Economic reports for the quarter continued to show strength in the U.S. economy, but investors grew concerned over increasing risks og a global slowdown. Stock…
U.S. stocks rebounded in the 1st Quarter of 2019 following a difficult Q4 from the previous year. Stock investors were buoyed in January by the Federal Reserve’s decision to pause on interest rates hikes, but signs of a global slowdown weighed on market gains later in the quarter. These fears…
U.S. stocks finished the year with a loss for the first time since 2008. Market participants worried primarily about the possibility of an economic slowdown in the coming year and an aggressive Federal Reserve continuing to normalize monetary policy through continued rate hikes. Yields on the fixed income benchmark 10-year…