ClientFirst Financial Strategies
Financial Planning and Portfolio Management
For the second week in a row, the three major US stock market indices posted gains. However, in the words of our esteemed business manager, “two data points don’t make a trend!”
After generating losses the past couple weeks, the three major US stock market indices posted their largest weekly gains of 2023. Lower yields may have fueled higher stock prices this week.
The good news is that the economy continues to rock on. The bad news is that the Fed’s resolve may still be to slow economic growth and rein in inflation towards their 2% target.
Interest rates have hit or exceeded 5% for US Treasuries spanning 6-month to 10-year maturities. This has struck investors’ nerves. All three major US stock market indices posted losses for the week.
The conundrum remains if the Federal Reserve will raise their Fed Funds rate at the November 1st meeting. That is likely one major reason for recent stock market volatility as the benchmark 10-year US Treasury rate marches towards 5%.
The conundrum remains if the Federal Reserve will raise their Fed Funds rate at the November 1st meeting. That is likely one major reason for recent stock market volatility as the benchmark 10-year US Treasury rate marches towards 5%.
Government shutdown potential, strikes, interest rates, and oil prices played havoc with the US stock market last week. In fact, these factors impacted the entire month of September, leading to the worst S&P 500 monthly performance since December 2022!
Posed with multiple perils, the US stock market indices incurred its worst weekly performance since March 2023.
For the most part, the US stock market indices have remained range bound the past two months. This past week reflected more of the same ho-hum results. Perhaps, anticipation that the Federal Reserve may pause interest rate hikes this week has the US stock market in a malaise?
Statistically, the labor market has shown recent signs of slowing. Taken alongside the news that China is restricting the use of Apple iPhones for its governmental workers, all three major US stock market indices produced negative returns this past week.