Category Archives: Market Commentaries

The Markets (as of market close August 31, 2017)

Equities in August saw many peaks and valleys throughout the month, finally rallying at the end of the month. Strong second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) figures, steady job gains, and increased consumer spending sent stocks higher, despite stagnant inflation and heavy personal and financial losses caused by Hurricane Harvey. The large caps of the S&P 500 and Dow posted marginal monthly gains with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: August 2017.

The Markets (as of market close July 31, 2017)

The last day of July saw each of the indexes listed here post gains over their June closing values. Despite slumping tech stocks at the end of the month, the Nasdaq led the benchmarks for the month, closely followed by the Global Dow, as each index gained over 3.0%. Both the large-cap Dow and S&P 500 posted gains, spurred by charging energy stocks and favorable corporate earnings reports. The small-cap Russell 2000, which has lagged behind… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: July 2017.

The Markets (as of market close June 30, 2017)

The second quarter proved to be a bit bumpy for equities, but each of the benchmarks listed here closed the quarter ahead of their first-quarter closing values. April saw equities close the month ahead of March, buoyed by favorable corporate earnings reports, proposed tax cuts, and strong foreign economic advances. Nasdaq led… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Quarterly Market Review: April-June 2017.

The Markets (as of market close May 31, 2017)

May provided a bumpy ride for investors. However, by the end of the month, each of the indexes listed here posted monthly gains with the exception of the Russell 2000, which lost over 2.0%. Technology shares continued to climb as the Nasdaq climbed 2.50% in May over April and has risen over 15% since the start of the year. Despite terrorist attacks, mundane oil prices, a rocky first quarter in Washington, and a slowdown in economic growth, U.S. stocks closed… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: May 2017.

The Markets (as of market close April 28, 2017)

Equities continued their positive trend in April, spurred by favorable corporate earnings reports, proposed federal tax cuts, and positive economic signals overseas. The Nasdaq surpassed 6000 for the first time in its history, while the small-cap Russell 2000 reached… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: April 2017.

The Markets (as of market close March 31, 2017)

Riding the momentum following the presidential election, stocks surged for much of the first quarter of 2017. Buoyed by the anticipation of tax cuts and policies favorable to domestic businesses, the benchmark indexes listed here reached historic highs throughout the quarter. At the end of January, the Dow reached the magic 20000 mark for the first time, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained almost 4.50% for the month. The trend continued in February, as stocks posted solid monthly gains. The Dow closed the month with a run of 12 consecutive daily closings that reached all-time highs. The S&P 500 also achieved… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Quarterly Market Review: January-March 2017.

The Markets (as of market close February 28, 2017)

Equities continued their positive trend in February as each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted monthly gains. The Dow recorded 12 record highs in February and posted a monthly gain of 4.77% — its best month since November. The S&P 500 (3.72%) and Nasdaq (3.75%) each climbed over 3.50% for the month. For the S&P 500, February marked… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: February 2017.

The Markets (as of market close January 31, 2017)

Investors were cautious for much of the month, likely waiting to see what President Trump would do during his first few weeks in office. After a slow close to December, equities picked up the pace during the early part of January as each of the indexes listed here closed the first full week of the month posting gains of nearly 1.0% or more. The market moved… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: January 2017.

Overview

The year 2016 likely will be remembered for the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States and the Brexit vote. This year also saw the Fed raise interest rates for the first time since last December, noting that the labor market has continued to strengthen and that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace since midyear. While inflation remains… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Annual Market Review 2016.

The Markets (as of market close November 30, 2016)

The economy picked up the pace in November, as did the stock market. After getting off to a sluggish start during the early part of the month, equities soared following the results of the presidential election. Each of the indexes listed here reached record highs during the month. The Russell 2000 posted the largest monthly gain, reaching double digits. Energy stocks jumped… Click here to read the rest of this market summary, Market Month: November 2016.