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…