The Markets (as of market close November 29, 2024)

Thanksgiving week proved to be a positive one for stocks. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed higher, led by the Dow and the Russell 2000. Financials, consumer staples, and industrials led the market sectors, with only energy and communication services declining. Yields on 10-year Treasuries fell for the second consecutive week. Crude oil […]

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The Markets (as of market close November 22, 2024)

Wall Street enjoyed a solid week of gains, rebounding from the prior week’s losses. Each of the benchmark indexes climbed higher, led by the small caps of the Russell 2000, as investors moved from mega caps to cyclical stocks, which are influenced largely by the economy. Communication services was the only market sector to close […]

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The Markets (as of market close November 15, 2024)

Last week saw stocks close markedly lower as investors were discouraged by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who put a damper on the likelihood of another interest rate decrease this year. Among the market sectors, energy, financials, and utilities closed the week higher, while the remaining sectors ended the week in the […]

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The Markets (as of market close November 8, 2024)

Investors had plenty to think about last week as they focused on the results of the presidential election and the Federal Reserve’s move to further reduce interest rates (see below). Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed up by the end of the week, with consumer discretionary, information technology, and financials outperforming. Bond prices […]

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The Markets (as of market close November 1, 2024)

Wall Street saw stocks end October with a whimper, although equities began November on a high note. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed last week lower, except the Russell 2000. A surprisingly weak jobs report (see below) at the end of the week was offset by solid earnings reports from a couple of […]

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The Markets (as of market close October 25, 2024)

Tech shares helped the NASDAQ close up last week. The remaining indexes listed here didn’t fare as well. Renewed concerns about the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy dampened investor appetite for risk. Bond prices also faded during the week, driving yields higher. Crude oil prices climbed higher as investors monitored ongoing tensions in the Middle […]

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The Markets (as of market close October 18, 2024)

Wall Street marked another week of gains, with each of the benchmark indexes climbing higher. The Dow and the S&P 500 attained new records, while the NASDAQ rode a spurt in tech and communication shares. Nine of the 11 market sectors closed the week higher, led by utilities, financials, and real estate. Health care and […]

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The Markets (as of market close October 11, 2024)

Despite a tepid start, stocks ended last week generally higher. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted solid gains with the Dow and the S&P 500 reaching record highs on multiple occasions. Financials and information technology led the market sectors, with consumer discretionary, real estate, communication services, utilities, and energy losing ground. Crude oil […]

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The Markets (as of market close October 4, 2024)

Investors were confronted with plenty of market-moving information last week as they waded through negative developments and some positive signs. Growing tensions in the Middle East and a slowdown in the manufacturing sector (see below) were causes for concern, while a better-than-expected jobs report (see below) helped alleviate some of those worries, at least for […]

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The Markets (as of market close September 27, 2024)

Wall Street enjoyed a solid week of gains following a rough start to the month. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here advanced, with the exception of the Russell 2000, which is generally the most volatile of the aforementioned indexes. Eight of the 11 S&P 500 market sectors closed the week ahead, led by materials […]

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