Investment Management

The S&P 500 fell -1.9% last week on the back of continued worries of Federal Reserve monetary tightening actions for 2022.  The 10-year Treasury interest rate yield rose to just near 1.75%, up about 25bps since yields troughed in early December (12/3).  Higher valuation technology stocks led the NASDAQ lower, falling over -4.1% on the…

The broad S&P 500 index gained 27% in 2021 and closed at an all-time high 70 times, the most since 1995.  The best performing S&P sector was not technology as one would infer from watching TV.  Old-line energy, whose +48% annual gain was its best ever led the year.  Real estate was the second-best performing…

After shaking out bears and nervous hands in early December, the Santa Claus rally arrived, almost right on cue.  Last week ended with a 3-day, 3+% rally that took the S&P 500 to a new closing high at 4726. It was a broad advance as all the major indices closed the week with gains.  Omicron,…

Overview The S&P 500 closed lower on Friday to end what was a volatile week.  The S&P 500 index fell 1.9% last week as worries about the Federal Reserve, inflation and Omicron/COVID-19 weighed on risk sentiment. The market benchmark ended the week at 4,620, down from last Fridays closing level of 4,712. Before this Monday mornings sell-off, the…

Overview Last week was a good week in the S&P 500 as investors shrugged off a higher-than expected inflation reading. The markets were led by the Dow last week, which leans more cyclical, as it gained 4%, breaking a four-week losing streak. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite each rose 3.8% and 3.6%, respectively. …

Overview Equity markets were broadly down last week with the S&P 500 down 1.2%, now placing it about -3.5% off its closing November 5th high of 4697.5. The real weakness in the markets over that period has come in the areas of “growth at any price” software and reopening stocks, such as Zoom and Peloton,…

Equity markets fell Thanksgiving week due to a deep Friday selloff in thin holiday trading. Professionals were positioned for a boring Friday in a shortened holiday week. Friday brought a combination of unexpected events, with the appearance and concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant resulting in a “sell first and ask questions later”…

Equity markets were mixed last week although we sit just below new ATH’s.  The S&P 500 added 0.3%, as gains in consumer discretionary and technology outweighed declines across most other sectors.  We are in the year end tax selling time period so expect oversized moves each direction. The House passed the roughly $2 trillion Build…

Overview Equity markets were mixed last week with higher inflation readings at the top of minds for investors. The S&P 500 fell -0.3% as a -3.2% decline in consumer discretionary stocks was a drag.  Additionally, energy and utilities stocks also struggled. Ten-year Treasury yields rose modestly on the week but remain below the recent highs…

Overview The S&P500 rose 2.0% last week to more new all-time highs.  The Federal Reserve met, and shorter-term traders exhaled. Consumer discretionary and technology stocks led the rally. The Taper Exactly in line with their previous discussions, the Fed announced that it will begin to taper asset purchases starting later this month. The $120 billion…