Stocks enjoyed another winning week, despite a pullback last Friday. Overall, investor sentiment remained optimistic due to continued expectations of an interest rate reduction by the Federal Reserve next month. The latest data (see below) revealed that inflationary pressures showed signs of moving higher. Retail sales advanced in July, as expected, as summer spending remained […]
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The Markets (as of market close August 8, 2025)
Wall Street rebounded from the previous week’s sell-off. Stocks jumped higher last Monday, aided by major dip-buying. However, investors pulled away from risk midweek, particularly following President Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which took effect last Thursday. Nevertheless, stocks experienced a major uptick last Friday to end the week higher. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ hit […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close August 1, 2025)
The U.S. stock market endured a significant downturn last week, largely due to unexpectedly weak hiring data (see below) and the imposition of new tariffs by President Trump. After reaching record highs for six straight sessions in the prior week, the S&P 500 ended last week in the red, with last Friday marking the worst […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close July 25, 2025)
The stock market last week had a mixed performance across major indexes, largely influenced by corporate earnings reports and ongoing discussions around trade tariffs. Both the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ reached new record highs last week, driven by strong performances from several big tech companies, which reported better-than-expected profits. In fact, last Friday’s gains […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close July 18, 2025)
Stocks began last week mostly lower on mixed bank earnings and rising inflation data. While the June Consumer Price Index was in line with expectations (see below), it is worth noting that some imported goods, such as coffee, furniture, clothing, and appliances, climbed higher, which could be due to increased tariffs. However, favorable earnings data […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close July 11, 2025)
Last week, the Trump administration sent letters to dozens of trading partners informing them of country-specific reciprocal tariff rates ranging from 20% to 50%. The levies were initially slated to take effect on July 9, but were pushed back until August 1, presumably to leave room for continued negotiations. The stock market seemed to shrug […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close July 3, 2025)
Stocks advanced notably during the Fourth of July holiday-shortened week. Both the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ recorded record highs as investors were encouraged by a better-than-expected labor report (see below). Tech stocks and AI-driven companies moved higher following the White House’s decision to lift export restrictions on chip-design software to China. All 11 market […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close June 27, 2025)
Wall Street has come a long way from an April sell-off as investor optimism over trade agreements and a cooling of tensions in the Middle East helped lift stocks to record highs last week. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ each hit new highs. Despite inflationary data coming in slightly above expectations, price pressures remained […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close June 20, 2025)
Stocks closed the week with mixed results as investors weighed the escalating tensions in the Middle East against the likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates amidst an apparent disagreement between Federal Reserve governors. The Dow, the NASDAQ, and the Russell 2000 closed the week higher, while the S&P 500 and the Global Dow […]
Read MoreThe Markets (as of market close June 13, 2025)
Unrest in the Middle East dragged stock values lower last week, while pushing gold and crude oil prices higher. For much of the week, investors focused on trade talks between the U.S. and China, which ultimately did not result in a significant breakthrough in trade relations and left tariffs at relatively elevated levels. However, favorable […]
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