Quick Takes Stocks notched their best week since the November election, with the S&P 500 Index gaining +2.9%. All 11 sectors rose, the top three sectors – Energy, Financials, and Materials –were all up just better than +6% for the week. The primary catalyst for...
Quick Takes Stocks have given up their gains in the early stages of the new year after a stronger-than-expected employment report spooked investors and sent yields higher. The S&P 500 fell 1.9%, the Nasdaq was down 2.3%, and the Russell 2000 dropped 3.5%. Yields...
Key Points LARGE WAS IN CHARGE In 2024, U.S. large-cap stock funds averaged a +17.4% gain, topping all other broad categories. That significantly outpaced international-stock funds, which saw a much more modest +4.8% rise. Despite the impressive stock fund...
Quick Takes Stocks had a Scrooge-like performance during the “Santa Claus Rally,” which is the seven-day period that ended Friday. This year’s Santa rally disappointed with a -0.5% decline for the S&P 500 Index versus the historical average gain of +1.3%....
Quick Takes A fall in shares of big tech companies dragged U.S. stocks lower on Friday, but the major U.S. stock indices still held onto gains for the week. The S&P 500 closed the week with a +0.7% gain, the Nasdaq Composite was down -0.8%, and the Russell 2000...
Quick Takes Wall Street didn’t like the message Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell delivered on Wednesday and sent the S&P 500 Index down -2.0 for the week; the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell -1.8%, and the small cap Russell 2000 Index sank -4.5%. Fed policymakers...
